A car leaves a COVID-19 testing site line on Monday, Oct. 11, 2021 at the Loussac Library in Anchorage. Alaska has the highest case rate per capita in the country, and over 1 in 10 tests recently have been coming back positive. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Alaska on Monday reported continued high COVID-19 case counts over the weekend and four deaths from the virus. Fairbanks Memorial Hospital reported a fifth death in a COVID-positive patient early Monday.
Alaska continues to report the nations highest number of cases per 100,000 residents in the previous seven days. State health officials say its possible cases are leveling off, though theyre waiting to see what this week brings.
The number of people hospitalized dropped slightly through the weekend.
The people who died from the virus were a man from the Northwest Arctic Borough in his 70s; an Anchorage man in his 50s; and two Anchorage women, one in her 60s and one in her 70s.
Alaskas death rate per capita is among the lowest in the country since the pandemic began last year and in the bottom third of the nation for the past week, per 100,000 people. At least 574 Alaskans and 22 nonresidents have died from coronavirus infections.
The states report of the number of Alaskans hospitalized with COVID-19 dropped slightly from 186 Thursday to 184 as of Sunday, according to data reported Monday. Hospitalizations tend to lag a week or two behind new infections.
State health officials say some hospitals at times still may be unable to provide care for everyone who needs it, including people without COVID-19, due to a combination of understaffing and a surge in COVID-19 patients who require additional care, ICU beds, and ventilators and dialysis machines.
Twenty health care facilities around the state are operating under crisis standards of care, though not all have enacted crisis mode and any decisions to prioritize treatment are fluid and made on a daily basis.
The tally of daily cases appears to have at least leveled off and might be decreasing, according to a weekly state health department update published late last week. But intense community transmission continues, and thats causing significant illness, death and health-care demand.
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reported 6,083 cases in the week ending Sunday and 6,085 the week before.
Alaska is averaging about 800 new infections reported daily. Over the three days from Friday to Sunday, the state reported 2,752 resident cases: 792 Sunday, 1,059 Saturday, and 901 Friday. Another 40 cases were reported in out-of-state residents who tested positive here over that three-day period.
Hospital leaders say vaccination is the best way to prevent severe illness and death from the virus. Roughly 40% of all eligible Alaskans are not fully vaccinated. Almost 64% of eligible Alaskans had received at least one dose of vaccine as of Monday.
[Coronavirus Q&A: What are the odds of winning $49K in Alaskas vaccine drawing? Should I get a booster shot?]
Out of 117 COVID-positive patients at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in September, 94 were not fully vaccinated, according to data recently released in conjunction with the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association. Sixteen out of 18 ICU patients with the virus were not fully vaccinated and 17 out of 21 deaths.
Some vaccine skeptics, including Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, say their natural immunity from a prior COVID-19 case protects them enough that they dont need the shot.
In Alaskans whod already had COVID-19 before, the chance of getting it again in July and August was 24% higher for unvaccinated residents compared to fully vaccinated residents, according to a monthly report the state released last week. The report also showed vaccine breakthrough cases were on the rise in August, partly due to waning immunity over time.
Testing sites in Anchorage and Mat-Su were experiencing heavy volumes over the weekend and into this week. A popular municipal testing site at Loussac Library had a long line Saturday and more than a dozen cars in line an hour before it opened Monday.
The statewide seven-day average test positivity rate the number of positive results out of total tests performed was 10.65% as of Monday. Anything over 5% indicates high transmission and inadequate testing, authorities say.
(NBC News) - Worries that the Covid-19 vaccine could cause infertility are among the reasons people give for avoiding vaccination. While theres no evidence any of the Covid vaccines cause problems with fertility, becoming severely ill from the disease has the potential to do so, reproduction experts say, making vaccination all the more important.
There is evidence to suggest that infection with SARS-CoV-2 has the potential to impact both male fertility, female fertility, and certainly the health of a pregnancy of someone infected, said Dr. Jennifer Kawwass, a reproductive endocrinologist and associate professor at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. And there is simultaneously no evidence that the vaccine has any negative impact on male or female fertility.
Researchers have been studying the effects of Covid on the human reproductive system since the beginning of the pandemic. While theres no evidence that Covid can be sexually transmitted, research suggests that the cells in the reproductive system are feasible targets for the virus, because they carry some of the receptors the coronavirus must bind to in order to enter cells.
The idea that a virus could cause infertility is not unprecedented. We do have historic evidence that there are certain viruses that are more likely to impact either male or female fertility, Kawwass said.
For example, human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV infections have all been linked to decreased fertility. Its unclear, however, if a respiratory virus, like the coronavirus, could have the same effect. But the fact that male and female reproductive organs have the receptors the Covid virus targets means its certainly plausible that the virus could cause fertility issues, she said.
Moreover, the symptoms of Covid primarily fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit for at least three days are known to cause fertility issues, especially in men.
According to a recent review paper published in the journal Reproductive Biology, moderate to severe Covid infections have caused decreased sperm count, testicular inflammation, sperm duct inflammation and testicular pain in men of reproductive age. Although not considered common complications of Covid in particular, these effects are often associated with reduced fertility, and are enough to lead scientists to hypothesize that Covid may cause fertility issues in men, warranting further research in this area.
Dr. Eve Feinberg, a reproductive endocrinologist and associate professor at Northwestern University, works with patients with fertility issues every day. She said although she doesnt think the virus itself directly leads to infertility, shes noticed that some of her male patients have experienced infertility due to low sperm counts after having Covid. But, its too early and very hard to say whether or not they had a low sperm count prior to Covid infection, she added.
The symptoms of the disease, rather the virus itself, may be the culprit when it comes to causing fertility issues.
Any infection, particularly an infection that involves fever, can affect sperm production and can affect ovulation, said Dr. Marcelle Cedars, reproductive endocrinologist and director of the University of California, San Francisco, Center for Reproductive Health. Theres no evidence that Covid would be different from that, she said.
Most of the research on Covid and its effects on fertility have focused on men, but the few studies in women have found that neither the virus nor its symptoms seem to have a major impact on menstruation or hormone cycles.
An analysis of more than 230 women of childbearing age found that although sex hormone levels changed and menstruation cycles shifted when they were infected with the coronavirus, the changes were insignificant compared to the control group. The Covid patients cycles returned to normal within days or weeks of the infection clearing, and its unlikely there was any effect on fertility.
But fertility doesnt end with a viable sperm and egg, at least in the eyes of a fertility doctor. When I think about fertility, I think about what is the likelihood that a couple will take home a healthy baby, Feinberg said. And there is no question in my mind, or any scientists mind, that the highest likelihood of having a healthy baby during this pandemic is by getting vaccinated.
The vaccine does not decrease fertility, nor does it negatively affect reproduction, but there is very clear evidence that getting Covid whilepregnant is incredibly dangerous, Kawwass said. Pregnant women with symptomatic Covid-19 have a 70 percent increased risk of death compared to nonpregnant women with Covid, she said.
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that only 31 percent of pregnant women in the United States are vaccinated against Covid.
The low vaccination rate among pregnant women is a public health crisis, Feinberg said. That has her wondering if fertility clinics may eventually be forced to limit or turn away patients because of the substantially increased health risk unvaccinated pregnant women have compared with their vaccinated counterparts. At this point, unvaccinated patients seeking in vitro fertilization are not denied treatment, but that could change if circumstances dont improve. There are many unvaccinated pregnant patients with Covid who are in the intensive care unit, she said, recalling that one of her unvaccinated Covid patients lost her baby while in the ICU. It was devastating and entirely preventable.
Doctors have long recommended that people who are trying to conceive get several vaccines if they havent already, such as the flu and chickenpox vaccines. While many illnesses may cause infertility, there are no vaccines that cause fertility issues.
And the evidence to date shows the Covid vaccine is no different than all the other vaccines that doctors recommend for individuals who are considering pregnancy, Cedars said. Doctors aim to do everything they can to help patients conceive and prepare for a healthy pregnancy, she said, and the Covid vaccine is just part of that.
A look at some of the top headlines trending online today around the world including the latest from Washington, coronavirus updates, Southwest cancellations and much more.
Navy nuclear engineer and wife arrested for trying to sell submarine secrets to foreign power (CBS News)
Southwest cancels more than a thousand flights, cites air-traffic control issues (Fox Business)
Treasury Secretary Yellen warns debt ceiling battle could spell catastrophe (ABC News)
Soaring Energy Prices Raise Concerns About U.S. Inflation, Economy (WSJ)
Florida cop says theres a lot of oddness in Brian Laundrie case (NY Post)
Small businesses navigate ever-changing COVID-19 reality (AP)
Merck asks FDA to authorize antiviral Covid pill for emergency use (CNBC)
Its too soon to declare victory against Covid-19 ahead of the holidays, but these festivities are safe to resume, experts say (CNN)
CBS News poll: Will parents get their younger kids vaccinated? (CBS)
As Bidens vaccinate-or-test mandate approaches, questions arise over enforcement (NBC)
Sydney reopens as Australia looks to live with COVID-19 (Reuters)
At least 15 shot, 1 dead, in hellish Minnesota bar shooting (NY Post)
No Time to Die Debuts at No. 1 at Domestic Box Office with $56 Million Opening Weekend (People)
Blue Origin New Shepard NS-18 launch with William Shatner delayed because of weather (Fox News)
Kim Kardashian Roasted Her Whole Family On SNL (BuzzFeed)
Georgia is No. 1 in USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll for first time since 2008 after Alabama loss (USA Today)
It might not have been the immediate public inquiry sought by opposition parties and bereaved families, but the landmark joint report into the UKs handling of Covid proved less toothless than some feared.
Published almost exactly a year to the day since the MPs inquiry was first announced, the lessons learned to date report, prepared by two Commons committees after mammoth evidence sessions, is not short on lessons some of them expressed with notable bluntness.
The delay to impose a first lockdown last spring was one of the most important public health failures the United Kingdom has ever experienced; planning for a possible virus outbreak smacked of British exceptionalism; the lack of early testing capacity was an almost unimaginable setback.
The condemnation goes on, echoed through 151 pages, with just about the only element of the pandemic response spared a kicking being the vaccine rollout.
While the Commons health committee and science and technology committee are cross-party, taking in Labour and SNP members as well as Conservatives, they are led by Tory ex-ministers, Jeremy Hunt and Greg Clark.
Clark, the business secretary under Theresa May who was shunted to the backbenches by Boris Johnson, is unlikely to expect a return to ministerial life and has relatively little direct political investment in the issues scrutinised.
In contrast, Hunt was health secretary from 2012 to 2018 and was central to planning for such pandemics. He has clearly not relinquished the idea of coming back into government, or even competing again to be Tory leader, and would thus arguably have a vested interest in not overly upsetting either Boris Johnson or Conservative MPs more generally.
The Lib Dems had in particular expressed worry that Hunts involvement in pandemic preparations, including a report into a 2016 exercise based on the outbreak of a respiratory virus details of which only emerged in the Guardian last week made his hand in the report worrying.
While the final report, published on Tuesday, is highly critical of both ministers and scientists, opposition MPs involved said initial versions, notably its conclusions, were considerably less damning when first presented. It took many hours of robust debate to agree the final wording, they said.
Wrangling is standard on cross-party reports but the stakes here were high: the first official attempt to apportion some responsibility for what was arguably the greatest political crisis since the war, and one where the UK fared notably worse on several metrics than neighbouring countries.
The view from opposition parties is that the committees report showed what can be gained from such rapid inquiries but should be seen only as a start.
While Johnson has promised a full public inquiry into the pandemic, this will not begin until spring 2022 at the earliest. It was this delay that prompted Hunt and Clark to launch their own process, arguing it could avoid future errors.
It was, however, always a process with a limited scope and beset with political compromises. Thus, while many failings are outlined, they are generally institutional; there is nothing in the report likely to hasten the end of a ministerial career, or even to prompt an urgent question in parliament.
This isnt enough, one MP involved in the process said. We owe it to the families of those who died to get to the bottom of who got it wrong. And that needs a public inquiry.
DENVER (KDVR) COVID-19 continues to rise in Colorado this week, including the incidence rates. Last week, the incidence rates were similar to the week before. This week, the incidence rates are rising again.
The states positivity rate is also rising, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
As of Monday, the states 7-day positivity rate is 7.45%, which is up from 6.84%. The highest positivity rate in the state over the past seven days is Delta County with 18.4% positivity.
From Oct. 4 to Oct. 11,42 counties saw an increase in COVID-19 positivity, 19 saw a decline in COVID-19 positivity, and three counties administered fewer than 10 tests in the past week.
According to theColorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the incidence rates have risen over the last seven days.
Heres a look atpositivity rates for every county over the last seven days:
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When Brittany Phillips Ramirez relocated her family back to her hometown of Waco over the summer, COVID-19 precautions at Mountainview Elementary School were foremost on her mind. And as the delta variant spiked, she even considered home-schooling her 6-year-old daughter because she worried that the school district might adopt a more relaxed approach when it came to students wearing masks at schools.
But shortly after classes began, the Waco Independent School District made a bold choice that surprised residents like Ramirez. It became one of about 70 school districts in Texas at the time to adopt a mandate that students wear masks while in school.
And it did so in defiance of Gov. Greg Abbotts executive order barring public schools from requiring students wear masks.
I was a little surprised, Ramirez said. But when we heard about the mask mandate we were actually dancing around the house in circles. I am not kidding with you.
But as Susan Kincannon, Waco ISDs superintendent, explains, the decision followed the deaths of educators in the central Texas region. At the start of the pandemic, Waco lost 49-year-old Phillip Perry, the principal of its G.W. Carver Middle School, to the coronavirus.
Then when students returned for fall classes in August, two teachers in nearby Connally Independent School District died from COVID-19 complications: 41-year-old sixth-grade teacher Natalia Chansler and David McCormick, a seventh-grade teacher, who was 59.
It's tough on a school community. It's tough on co-workers and on the campus. I just saw the tears of the co-workers and sadness that it brings, Kincannon said.
As the community dealt with the loss, Kincannon watched COVID-19 infections among faculty rise sharply during that first week of school. A member of Waco ISD's communications staff, administrative assistant Melissa Perry, became ill and eventually died of COVID-19.
Kincannon felt she had to take stronger actions despite knowing that the district could lawsuit from the state. So, she put a district-wide mask mandate in place.
Originally, the superintendent wanted to comply with the governor's orders and leave the decision to wear masks, an individual one. But the loss and the coronavirus spike was too much.
Cases began to pop really quickly those first three days. We saw 104 cases. Last year, it took us seven weeks to get to 100 cases, Kincannon said. The second week of school we saw 285 cases. And so that decision to require masks really came about as a result of what we were seeing in our schools, and how quickly the cases were multiplying.
The personal loss felt by educators throughout Waco is hard to escape.
Sally Peavy, an art teacher at Cesar Chavez Middle School, remembers hearing about the deaths of the two Connally ISD teachers this August while she was prepping her classroom for the beginning of the school year. She didnt know them, but it made her stop. Those teachers, she thought, had contracted the fatal disease doing the same thing she was at the time, just minutes down the road.
I think there is a level of fear when you think about it a lot, Peavy said.
Rebekah Raabe, a special education teacher at Tennyson Middle School, said the deaths of colleagues made an impact.
I think when it happens to somebody you know, it makes it a lot more real, she said.
As expected, the Waco district is now among about a dozen districts in the state facing a lawsuit for violating the governor's order against mandatory mask-wearing in schools.
On Sept. 27, attorneys for the state, appearing at a virtual court hearing in McLennan County, requested a temporary injunction on the mask mandates imposed by Waco, Midway, McGregor and La Vega school districts.
State District Judge Vicki Menard did not issue one but instead ordered a review of whether McLennan County is the right jurisdiction for the case.
The attorney generals office eventually dropped its lawsuits against the McGregor and Midway school districts. An attorney for Midway ISD informed the judge that masks were encouraged but there was no mandate. McGregor ISD officials said they did have a mandate but at the attorney general offices request, had decided not to enforce it.
From a broader perspective, the district questions whether this provision (against mask mandates) is in the lawful use of the governors authority, Kyle DeBeer, Waco ISD's chief of staff. Clearly we have felt this way from the start or we wouldn't have instituted a mask mandate.
For now, district officials say they have no intention of dropping its mask mandate which they believe has helped keep the virus at bay. Two weeks after the mask mandate was imposed, the district went from 285 COVID-19 cases to 93. By the fifth week of school, the number of COVID-19 positive cases were the lowest that had been.
Beyond that, district officials have been pleased with the support and faith in what they are doing that they have felt from students' parents.
It's a responsibility that I take very seriously. We've lost employees along the way. And it's been very sad to watch, Kincannon said. Its not something I ever thought I would have to deal with as a superintendent. It's been a long haul since this began.
Here are the latest local COVID-19statistics.
Dutchess County: 654 reported Monday, down 13 from the previous day. (Peak was 2,576 on Jan. 16.)
Ulster County: 288 reported Friday. (Peak was 2,622 on Jan. 30.) Ulster County did not provide updated information on the weekend or Monday.
Dutchess County: 2.8% (reported Monday).
Ulster County: 2.3% (reported Friday).
Dutchess County: 34,946 confirmed cases, 495 deaths. (No new deaths reported Monday).
Ulster County: 18,523 confirmed cases, 281 deaths.
Data as of Monday, according to New York statesonline vaccine tracker.
Ulster County: 65.6% of the population fully vaccinated, 72.3% with at least one dose of a two-dose regimen, 82.5% of the 18-and-older population with at least one dose.
Dutchess County: 60.4% fully vaccinated, 67.4% with at least one dose of a two-dose regimen, 77.7% of 18+ population with at least one dose.
Appointments: vaccinateulster.com, bit.ly/dut-vax, bit.ly/ny-vaxme.
For online local coverage related to the coronavirus, go todailyfreeman.com/tag/coronavirus.
Japan's new prime minister Fumio Kishida delivers his first policy speech at parliament in Tokyo, Japan, October 8, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
TOKYO, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) unveiled on Tuesday its manifesto for an Oct. 31 election with a focus on ending the coronavirus pandemic, promises to rebuild the middle class and defend against an increasingly assertive China.
The party's leader, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, enjoys a reasonable level of public support a week into the job, polls show, boding well for his goal of maintaining a lower house majority for the LDP and its Komeito party coalition partner.
"We would like to show solid measures and appeal to the people, first, how to confront the coronavirus ... and to bring peace of mind and hope to the people," LDP policy chief Sanae Takaichi told a news conference.
Voters will want to see a government with plans for decisive action to bring an end to the pandemic and rebuild a weak economy. A recent Sankei newspaper poll showed that about 48% say they want the Kishida administration to work on coronavirus most, followed by economic recovery and employment.
The manifesto highlighted coronavirus measures including supplying oral antiviral medication this year, as well as Kishida's vision of realising a "new capitalism" that focuses on economic growth and redistribution of wealth.
The LDP said in its manifesto it would expand support for small and medium businesses hit by the pandemic and offer subsidies for enterprises if they move into new industries.
Fortunately for Kishida, the coronavirus situation has improved, with the smallest number of new cases on Monday since the middle of last year.
But Kishida is taking nothing for granted and told parliament earlier on Tuesday the government would plan for a worst-case coronavirus scenario by securing more health resources and preparing to start giving booster shots in December.
Asked about how the government would respond to excessive yen declines, Kishida said he would closely watch the impact of currency moves, noting that a weak yen increases costs for companies by pushing up import prices. read more
MORE ON DEFENCE
On security, the LDP said it would "reconsider" its response to an increase in China's military activity around the Taiwan strait and islets in the western Pacific controlled by Japan but also claimed by China.
The government would aim to raise its defence budget "with an eye to bringing it even above two percent" of gross domestic product (GDP), the party said.
Japan's defence spending has stayed around 1% of GDP in recent decades.
Kishida, a former foreign minister seen as a safe if lacklustre pair of hands, has a 49% approval rating, according to poll published by state-run broadcaster NHK late on Monday.
That is lower than the approval enjoyed by some predecessors at the beginning of their tenures but support for Kishida's government was higher than the most recent ratings for that of his predecessor, Yoshihide Suga.
Suga grew deeply unpopular as he struggled to contain a fifth wave of coronavirus infections and stepped down last month after only a year in office.
Kishida can take more cheer from the Sankey survey published on Monday that showed 63% of respondents supported his administration, with many voters saying there was no better person than him for the job of prime minister.
The poll showed a solid 45% rate of voter support for the LDP, with backing for opposition parties hovering around the single digits.
Reporting by Ju-min Park, Editing by Robert Birsel and Ed Osmond
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
COVID-19 vaccine information for you
This is your centralized resource where youll find specific information for providers, health plans, state Medicaid programs, and Childrens Health Insurance Programs. Well regularly update our resources as more informations available.
Federal employees are now required to be fully vaccinated.
Federal and local vaccine mandates are slated to kick in shortly across the US. Los Angeles, for example, approved its strictest COVID-19 vaccination mandate yet, which will require people age 12 and older to be fully vaccinated before entering public indoor places, starting Nov. 4. While a vaccine mandate for domestic air travel is probably not near, in California, a judgeordered vaccine mandatesfor prison guards and staff. California Gov. Gavin Newsom says all students, elementary through high school, will berequired to get the shotonce it's fully approved for those age groups. (Currently, Pfizer's full approval extends to those 16 years and older.)
So far, the mandates are working as more people are getting vaccinated. For example, meat processor Tyson Foods now has a 91% vaccination rate among its employees. New York teachers have reached a 96% vaccination rate. But there's also opposition from some groups: A New York state mandate that all health care workers be vaccinated, with no religious exemptions, has sparked multiple legal challenges andfear of staffing shortages. Some students have reportedly withdrawn from college due to the mandates.
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President Joe Biden is seeking to put pressure on about 80 million more Americans to get vaccinated. Roughly1 in 500 people in the US have diedfrom COVID-19, and vaccination rates have slowed despite the uptick indelta variantcases. Meanwhile, more than 98%of people hospitalized with a COVID-19 diagnosis between June and August this year were unvaccinated.
We'll explain who's required to get COVID-19 vaccines under the new administration plan. If you're already fully vaccinated and waiting to get a booster shot, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention committee has recommended one for those at high risk. Also, here's the latest on retrieving your vaccination card if you lost itand vaccines for kids.
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Announcing "a new plan to require more Americans to be vaccinated to combat those blocking public health," Biden rolled out his administration's Path Out of the Pandemic program, which aims to increase the vaccination rate by requiring shots across public and private sectors. Roughly 80 million Americans who are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine have not been vaccinated. And as of July, 99% of COVID deaths were among the unvaccinated, who also make up 97% of hospitalizations.
Here's who's required to be vaccinated under the plan:
The strategyalso calls on state officials to make vaccinations mandatory for teachers and school staff. And the president called on entertainment venues to require proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter their facilities. The administration is also upping fines for those who fail to wear masks on airplanes, trains and buses.
Since the White House announced new federalCOVID-19 vaccinemandates affecting roughly two-thirds of the US workforce, or up to 100 million people, it'sreceived backlashfrom congressional Republicans, as well as state and local officials.
Republican governors are threatening to fight the administration's new policies. Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the senior Republican on the House of Representatives committee overseeing health policy, said Biden "is using fear, control and mandates." The Republican National Committee has vowed to sue the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate.
Areport from the CDCon Sept. 17 shows that unvaccinated people were over 10 times more likely to become hospitalized or die from COVID-19, according to data from April through July: "Getting vaccinated protects against severe illness from COVID-19, including the delta variant."
Some companies that fall under the new vaccine mandate are facing challenges and questions about compliance and implementation of the policy, according to the Wall Street Journal. For example, businesses have to figure out who will be responsible for covering the cost of testing unvaccinated employees and whether they can authorize exemptions.
Several companies have announced plans for mandatory vaccinations, including airlines, cruise lines, concert halls, health care facilities and restaurants. Some of the requirements may include mask and testing guidelines, and some may only apply to employees traveling internationally, working in the office or having face-to-face interactions with customers. If any of these apply to you, check with your employer for more details.
Here are some of the companies that have announced vaccination requirements for employees:
In August, the Pentagon said that all 1.3 million active-duty service members will need to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. The directive covers all active-duty members of the Armed Forces or in the Ready Reserve, including the National Guard. The Department of Defense will make Pfizer shots accessible on military installations around the world. Service members who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines will still be considered fully vaccinated. There are some exemptions, including one for religious reasons, but theyaren't granted frequently.
In response to several cities requiring law enforcement officers to get vaccinated, police associations have come out openly against vaccine mandates. In Oregon, for example, police and firefighter associations are suing to block a state-level vaccine requirement.
Right now, members of the military are already required to get at least nine other vaccines -- up to 17 total vaccines -- depending on where they're deployed.
Several states, including California and New York, require state employees to be vaccinated. Additionally, several cities, like New York City and San Francisco, require proof of vaccination for inside dining, gyms and other indoor activities. Starting Thursday, Oct. 7, Los Angeles County will require proof of vaccination to enter indoor bars, nightclubs, breweries and wineries. This could eventually be extended to all public indoor places for everyone eligible to get the vaccine.
Nine states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have vaccination requirements for staff in K-12 schools.
More than 400 colleges and universitiesare also requiring vaccines for students who plan to take in-person classes.
Some cities require proof of vaccination to participate in indoor activities.
A federal vaccine mandate is not new. In 1977, for example, the federal government began an initiative to vaccinate up to 90% of the nation's children against seven diseases:
All 50 states require specific vaccines for students, with exemptions varying from state to state. Most school requirements follow the CDC's vaccine schedule for children.
At least 20 states with Republican governors, including Arkansas, Florida and Texas, prohibit proof-of-vaccination requirements. That means businesses, schools and local government institutions can't enforce a vaccine mandate. (The same goes for requiring face masks.) The prohibitions went into effect through either legislation or executive orders.
The latest came from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who on Monday issued an executive order banning all state entities, including private employers, from enforcing vaccine mandates.
Some governors are trying to prevent private employers, as well as the state, from requiring vaccines, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy. Some are also trying to prevent the use ofvaccine passports, which show proof that you've been vaccinated against COVID-19.
For more information, here's what to know aboutbreakthrough infectionsamong the fully vaccinated. Also, here's what we know about thedelta plus variant.
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The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
