Life for Louisiana State University students just got a little easier, with the school announcing on Friday it will no longer require proof of vaccination or a negative test against COVID-19 to enter its stadium.
The Baton Rouge school will remove its requirements beginning Oct. 16, when the team faces off against the Florida Gators. The decision comes as Louisiana is seeing less than 5% of COVID-19 tests returning positive results.
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"Active COVID cases continue to decline in our community, proving that what we're doing is working," LSU President William F. Tate IV said in a Thursday statement. "We're not out of the woods yet, but we're in a good position thanks to [the students'] efforts."
While Tiger Stadium will no longer require the vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test, students will still be required to wear masks in any indoor part of the stadium. Once students are seated in the stadium, they are free to take their masks off.
In addition to the amount COVID-19 cases decreasing, COVID-19 vaccination is increasing. As of Thursday, more than 83% of LSU students and 75% of the school's faculty and staff have been vaccinated, the school's president added.
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In Louisiana as a whole, over 52% of residents have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, with 46% fully vaccinated, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Original Location: LSU will no longer require COVID-19 vaccine or negative test to enter Tiger Stadium
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October 9, 2021, 9:31 AM HST * Updated October 8, 11:51 AM
A woman gets a COVID-19 vaccination at Lnai Community Health Center. Photo Courtesy: Hawaii Community Foundation
Kupuna can get the latest information on COVID-19 and vaccine booster shots from University of Hawaii Geriatrician Dr. Aida Wen and Health Department Outreach Specialist C.J. Johnson at a free webinar on Oct. 15 at noon.
The webinar will be on Zoom and simulcast on the AARP Hawaii Facebook page. To register to get a Zoom link go toaarp.org/nearyouor theAARP Hawai`i Facebook pageand click onUpcoming Events.
We think its crucial that kupuna get information from reliable sources about COVID-19, the vaccine booster shots, new variants and what the state is doing to make booster shots available for those eligible, said Kealii Lopez, AARP Hawaii State Director. Dr. Wen is an associate professor of geriatric medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii and C.J. Johnson, who has been a panelist on AARP Hawaii webinars before, will update us on the latest information on the state booster shot effort.
Kupuna and others can also go toaarp.org/vaccineinfoto get updated information about vaccines and booster shots andaarp.org/hifor updated information about vaccinations in Hawaii. The Department of Health also has a phone line thats open during business hours Monday through Friday at 808-586-8332. People with vaccine questions can also call the Aloha United Ways 211 Call Center at 2-1-1. The AUW211 call center is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Many Republican governors reacted furiously after President Joe Biden said he would require employees at large businesses to either get vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing. But Republican- and Democratic-led states alike already require hundreds of thousands of their citizens infants, toddlers and schoolchildren, mostly to be vaccinated against a panoply of diseases. In fact, mandatory childhood immunizations have been a feature of American society since the 19th century.
Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine vaccination against 16 diseases from birth through age 18. The CDC recommendations, in turn, inform individual states vaccine mandates: Typically, children who havent received the required shots for their age cant attend school (public, private or parochial) or enroll in child care programs, though there are exemptionsfor religious, medical or other reasons.
President Bidens new COVID-19 vaccine mandate ignited a political controversy. At the time, several news accounts pointed out that vaccine mandates were common at the state level, including in Republican-governed states. We wanted to know just how common such mandates were and how they differed from state to state.
To find out, we searched state statutes and rules governing immunizations required for entry to schools and child care centers, by far the most widespread state vaccine mandates. We also consulted the websites of each states health department and, when details were still unclear, news reports and other non-official sources.
Our information about recommended vaccines for infants, children and teens came directly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the history of vaccine development, approval and recommendations, we consulted the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as histories maintained by The College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.
Under Bidens plan, all companies with more than 100 workers will have to either require their employees be immunized or undergo weekly testing. Biden also acted to mandate shots for federal contractors and most federal workers, and expanded a previously announced vaccine mandate for nursing-home workers to cover virtually all health care workers.
Some states already mandate certain vaccinations for specific categories of adults. New York, for example, requires that all workers in hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities be immunized against measles and rubella. Rhode Island requires child care workers to not only be immunized against several common childhood diseases, but to get an annual flu shot, too. Several states have specific vaccination mandates for college students.
But in the main, most vaccine mandates apply to children and teens. We studied state laws, regulations and information from state health departments to assess how widely mandated the CDCs vaccine recommendations are.
Of the 16 immunizations the CDC recommends for children and teens, all 50 states (plus the District of Columbia) mandate diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, measles, rubella and chickenpox. In addition, every state except Iowa mandates immunization against mumps. (The diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccines usually are given as a single combined shot, as are the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines.) Except for the chickenpox vaccine, which became available in the United States in 1995, all those vaccines have been around for 50 years or more.
Among newer childhood vaccines, though, state mandates are something of a mixed bag. Only two states (Alabama and South Dakota) dont require vaccination against hepatitis B at some point in a childs life, but about half (24) dont require it for hepatitis A. Just six states five of them in the Northeast require annual flu vaccines for child care or preschool enrollment, and none do so for K-12 students.
Three vaccines against rotavirus, pneumococcal disease and Haemophilus influenzae type b, or Hib typically are recommended for children younger than 5 years old. (Hib, despite what its name might imply, doesnt cause the flu, but it can cause a range of other ailments, from mild ear infections to potentially deadly meningitis and blood infections.) However, while all but four states mandate the Hib vaccine for day care or pre-K, 10 dont require the pneumococcal shot, and only eight require immunization against rotavirus.
The remaining two vaccines, against human papillomavirus (HPV) and meningococcal disease, are recommended for teens and older children around age 11 or 12. A majority of states (33, as well as D.C.) require the meningococcal vaccine, although Massachusetts is phasing in its requirement and Vermont only requires it for students living on campus. But only D.C., Hawaii, Rhode Island and Virginia require the HPV shot, which protects against cervical and other cancers but has been controversial because HPV is transmitted sexually.
Vaccination mandates in the U.S. date back to the 19th century, when many cities and states started requiring children to be immunized against smallpox; the Supreme Court upheld such mandates in a landmark 1905 decision. A combination vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis became available in 1948, and it was quickly added as a routinely recommended shot.
In 1977, the World Health Organizations Expanded Program on Immunization set a goal of giving every child in the world access to immunization against six diseases by 1990: dipththeria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles and tuberculosis, or TB. (Infants and small children are commonlyvaccinated against TBin countries where the disease is prevalent. In the U.S., however, only children who are specifically at risk for contracting TB or adults in high-exposure settings, such as health care workers are offered the shot.)
In order to keep residents safe, many destinations currently require that travelers present proof of a COVID-19 vaccine or a negative test to enter. And while the United States has certain restrictions in place for international visitors, it has yet to implement any rules when it comes to domestic air travel. A new bill aims to change that.
In early October, a bill was introduced to the U.S. Senate to require air passengers to provide either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result in order to fly within the U.S. We know that air travel during the 2020 holiday season contributed to last winters devastating COVID-19 surge. Senator Dianne Feinstein, the senator who introduced the bill, said in a statement. We simply cannot allow that to happen again. Ensuring that air travelers protect themselves and their destination communities from this disease is critical to prevent the next surge, particularly if we confront new, more virulent variants of COVID-19.
Feinstein said that the bill, officially titled the U.S. Air Travel Public Safety Act, complements existing requirements for airline passengers, like requiring negative tests from all travelers entering the U.S.
Medical experts support the push for a domestic air travel COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease doctor, has said that he would support such a requirement. Other experts have echoed this sentiment. It's time for vaccine mandate for air travel, Asish K. Jha, dean of Brown Universitys School of Public Health, wrote on Twitter. We can't expect mitigation measures to be enforced well enough to prevent transmission on airplanes forever.
Similar mandates are springing up around the world. Canada just announced that by the end of October, all travelers will need to be vaccinated to board planes, trains, and cruise ships; international airlines, including Air New Zealand and Australia-based Qantas, have announced plans for requiring proof of vaccine from passengers.
In the U.S., the majority of air passengers also support such a requirement: According to a new poll from Morning Consult, 61 percent of Americans are in favor of a vaccine mandate for domestic flights.
But, unfortunately for fliers who want to be on a plane of fully vaccinated passengers, it seems the mandate isn't likely to pass muster with airlines. The airline industry is dead set against this, says airline expert Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research. And given the politicization of vaccines, there are a significant number of travelers who do not want to be vaccinated, and the airlines dont want to risk losing any of those customers.
From the perspective of airlines and airports, there are still too many questions on how the requirements would be implemented and verified. While the majority of U.S. air carriers have begun requiring vaccinations for their employees, many think similar rules for domestic fliers would be too complicated. The operational complexity of such a mandate would be too much for the U.S. air travel system to bear, says Robin Hayes, CEO of JetBlue and director of the Board of Governors for worldwide airline trade group IATA. I think that the complexities that come with that type of effort, especially in the domestic landscape, make it extremely challenging, Hayes said during a press conference at IATAs recent annual meeting. It would mean that people would have to come to the airports earlier, it would mean longer lines, it would mean more people needed to perform these functions and were not sure at the moment if the system is ready for that. The TSA would likely be tapped to verify all fliers vaccination cards or test results, according to Hayes, and he questions whether the agency has the approval or authority to do so.
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By JULIA FELTON and JEFF HIMLER, Tribune-Review
PITTSBURGH (AP) Karen Baldridge rolled up her sleeve to get her covid-19 booster vaccine.
Im trying to baby myself and (am) doing everything that I can to keep healthy, she said this past week while at Excela Square at Norwin. I feel theres about a 90% chance I wouldnt get (Covid), but if I get it, I dont feel that Ill get it as bad and I dont feel that it will last as long.
Baldridge, a North Huntingdon resident in her 70s, is among the 56% of people in the U.S. who are fully vaccinated against covid. In Pennsylvania, she is among nearly 58% of the total population and nearly 69% of those 18 or older who are fully vaccinated, as tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Vaccines have been hailed by the medical community as societys quickest, safest path to emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. Their availability is arguably the biggest difference between todays pandemic and the 1918 influenza pandemic.
That historical event, some medical experts say, can help frame the current one and offer clues about where COVID-19 might lead.
The United States recently surpassed the death toll from what became known as the Spanish flu pandemic a mark unthinkable 18 months ago. On Friday, the U.S. eclipsed 700,000 deaths, and there have been about 4.8 million covid deaths worldwide, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.
The 1918 pandemic killed at least 675,000 lives nationwide and 50 million worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The United States, however, has tripled its population in the last century.
Were 100 years more advanced than we were then, said Dr. Nate Shively, an infectious disease expert with Allegheny Health Network. I think many would find that somewhat dispiriting, just that the pandemic continues to burn despite having really all the tools at our hands now to bring it close to an end. And were just not using all those tools effectively.
Medical experts cite the vaccine as the most effective tool. The Pfizer booster shot recently was approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to extend protection for Americans who are older or have underlying medical conditions.
Yet many remain skeptical.
Dr. Amesh Adalja, a Pittsburgh-based infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the John Hopkins Center for Health Security, called it inexcusable that the covid-19 death total in the U.S. eclipsed that of the 1918 pandemic.
When people died of the flu in 1918, they didnt have access to vaccines and todays modern science. With the significant medical advancements made over the past 100 years, Adalja said, America should be handling this pandemic much better.
What were doing in the United States is self-inflicted, he said. We can account for it by people not being receptive to science and openly defying it.
Dr. Donald Burke, a distinguished professor and former dean at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, is an expert at using computer modeling and simulation to guide public health decision-making.
He said its important to consider the death rate and not simply the death total.
In Pennsylvania, COVID-19 has killed more than 29,000 people, according to the state Department of Health. The Keystone State was among the hardest hit in the 1918 pandemic, which claimed more than 60,000 lives here, according to the University of Pennsylvania.
The 1918 flu is believed to have caused about 4,500 deaths in Pittsburgh and another 2,000 in Westmoreland County. COVID-19 deaths so far have reached 2,100 in Allegheny County and 840 in Westmoreland.
Even though the death totals are similar, the death rates that is the rate per 100,000 people, or per-unit population are lower now from covid than it was for influenza by about three-fold, Burke said. Total numbers are important, but the rates matter more in understanding the impact.
The 1918 flu pandemic largely impacted younger populations, with a large proportion of the deaths in individuals between the ages of 18 and 30. That was unusual for influenza and particularly straining for society, Burke said, as the day-to-day functions of society are more dependent on that age group.
There is no straightforward definition for when a pandemic ends, said Seema Lakdawala, an associate professor who researches flu viruses in Pitt School of Medicines Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics.
The first U.S. cases of the 1918 pandemic were reported in March of that year, when more than 100 soldiers in Fort Riley, Kansas, became ill, according to the CDC. That was nearly a year after the United States entered World War I, with troop movements cited as a factor in spreading the disease.
Influenza remained rampant in Paris in early 1919, when the treaty to end the war was negotiated.
Lakdawala noted the H1N1 virus that was responsible for the 1918 pandemic never went away and continued to kill many people each year.
It wasnt until the 1930s that the virus was recognized as the cause. A vaccine to combat it was first recommended in 1960.
Even with vaccines, tens of thousands of Americans die each year from the flu, Lakdawala pointed out. In 2017-18, 80,000 people died from seasonal influenza, she said.
Still, Lakdawala, who also is a member of Pitts Center for Vaccine Research, said vaccines are the safest way to bring the spread of viruses under control rather than trying to reach herd immunity through natural infection.
Beyond the risk of death, she said, There are obviously long-term consequences of getting the virus. Weve had it now for over a year, and we have long-term covid symptoms, including adverse effects on breathing and pulmonary function.
As viruses replicate and spread through the population, they will evolve, she said. If we had a higher level of vaccination, wed have less transmission and less diversity in the covid virus. Its not that it would go away, but it would definitely get slower.
Burke said he anticipates that the COVID-19 pandemic will end much like the 1918 flu epidemic did by morphing into a seasonal virus that never really leaves.
The 1918 flu blew through the worlds population, he said, infecting huge swaths, which gained natural immunity the only answer at the time because vaccines were not yet a reality.
But COVID-19 vaccines are available and highly effective, Burke said. Once enough people have immunity either from contracting the disease or from being inoculated the pandemic will lessen, he said.
Even if vaccine uptake doesnt improve, Adalja said, the pandemic will still taper down. But it will do so because people contract the virus and gain natural immunity rather than from being vaccinated. With infection, however, comes the risk of death, Adalja said.
No matter what, the pandemic is going to ease because people get infected. Vaccines dampen the impact of the pandemic, but the final common pathway is going to be the same, Adalja said.
Thats what happened with the 1918 flu, Burke said.
It didnt cause a major new pandemic again, but it caused seasonal flu, and it continues to mutate and evolve and cause significant disease but never pandemic proportions, Burke said. I wouldnt be surprised if covid does pretty much the same thing. Its unlikely to go away after a year or two because there are huge parts of the world that are not immune and are not vaccinated.
As long as there are any populations on the planet that are susceptible, the virus will transmit.
One positive outcome of the 1918 pandemic, though it was long in coming, was creation of the World Health Organization. Excela Latrobe pediatrics physician Dr. David Wyszomierski, who has studied the earlier pandemic, noted WHO in 1952 developed a global surveillance system to track different strains of influenza.
He said the covid virus, like the flu, can switch some of its genetic material to become more contagious or more pathologic. That is what has occurred with the emergence of the delta variant, which has been cited in the recent increase in hospitalizations and deaths.
With another flu season approaching, Wyszomierski stressed the importance of getting a covid-19 vaccine and an influenza vaccine for those who are eligible.
It may take over 90% of the population gaining some form of immunity before the pandemic tapers off, Shively said. Once it becomes controlled, it will likely become another of the endemic coronaviruses.
Four other coronaviruses circulate in the human population as common colds, Burke said. COVID-19 will likely join their ranks.
If you look at the molecular evolutionary pattern, it looks like (coronaviruses) entered humans at least hundreds of years ago, he said. Maybe this happens every century or so, that a virus jumps and makes it into humans and then settles into this equilibrium.
Still, theres always a risk of another serious pandemic, experts warn.
We are absolutely not spared from a new pandemic happening be it 100 years in the future or later this year before this one is gone, Shively said.
The risk of pandemics spreading is higher now than ever, Burke said. As the world becomes more interconnected, viruses have an easier time traveling globally whereas many epidemics in the past died off on one continent or a lone corner of the world.
Several viruses in recent years, like Ebola and H1N1, had the potential to cause a devastating worldwide pandemic, Shively said. They just didnt.
Preparation for the next pandemic and learning lessons from this one is something that we as a country and an international community can gain, he said. When another pandemic will happen is hard to say, but another pandemic will happen. We need to take steps to make sure that were prepared for when it does.
Friday marked the deadline for the vast majority of Veterans Affairs Department employeesto complete their COVID-19 vaccination, though more than 45,000have yet to demonstrate that they have done so.
Those employees may eventually face disciplinary action, including being fired, but VA is giving them 10 more days to submit the requisite documentation or request an exemption. The 380,000 VA employees working in or near the health care field faced a deadline of Oct. 8 to receive their vaccines, about six weeks earlier than the rest of the federal workforce, due to the department issuing its own mandate independently of the one put in place by President Biden.
About 88% of the impacted workforce has so far received a shot, according to data VA has collected. Employees must submit documentation of their vaccination by Oct. 18, or request a religious or medical accommodation. The Biden-created Safer Federal Workforce Task Force has directed agencies to determine whether an exemption is legally required by examining the basis for the claim, the nature of the employee's job and its impact on agency operations. The group, made up of officials from the White House, Office of Personnel Management and General Services Administration, told agencies they may still fire employees with otherwise valid exemptions if the employees are in certain types of jobs where no other safety protocol would be sufficient.
Terrence Hayes, a VA spokesman, could not say how many exemption requests the department has received, noting it will only collect that data after the Oct. 18 deadline. He added VA will have a more accurate count of its unvaccinated population after that date.
VA will begin disciplining unvaccianted staff after that deadline. Hayes said the department will weigh various factors in determining the appropriate punishment, including relevant Douglas Factors and other aggravating and mitigating details. As recommended by Bidens task force, VA will begin the progressive discipline process with counseling that educates employeeson thebenefits of the vaccines and encourages them to get inoculated. If that is not followed by a good-faith effort to get vaccinated, VA will move to a suspension of 14 days or less.
If, after counseling and after any discipline for the initial non-compliance with the policy, the employee does not take steps to comply with the requirement, further progressive discipline will be taken, which could include removal from federal service, Hayes said. Each case will be assessed independently, based on the facts and circumstances surrounding that case and any extenuating and mitigating circumstances.
VA Secretary Denis McDonough said last month the department was making a significant push to reach unvaccinated employees, including by collaborating with influencers and employee unions. While he said VA was "making preparations" to carry out firings as necessary, he hoped it would not come to that.
The goal of that discipline is to get people vaccinated, the secretary said. The last thing we want to do is have to fire trained personnel.
The vaccination rate for health care staff has ticked up in recent weeks. In mid-September, only 82% of workers had attested to their vaccination status and within that subgroup, only 88% had said they were fully or partially vaccinated.
Many VA employees who spoke to Government Executive since the initial mandate went into effect have expressed apprehension, with some planning to seek exemptions or quit. Those workers said they begrudged VA for taking away their choice. Employees added that tension has reached a boiling point between the vaccinated and unvaccinated, with some staff who already received their shots telling those who havenot they should lose their jobs.
Other VA personnelthe non-health care staff who are newly facing a requirement under Bidens federal workforce-wide orderface a Nov. 22 deadline to get their shots.
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Federal employees are now required to be fully vaccinated.
Over the last several weeks, federal and local vaccine mandates have been implemented across the US. Los Angeles 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. 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.
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.
