American flags in front of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. headquarters in New York, on Friday, March 5, 2021.
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Goldman Sachs said Tuesday that only vaccinated people can enter its buildings starting next month.
The leading global investment bank said the new policy starts Sept. 7 and applies to everybody, including employees and clients, according to a memo sent to U.S. workers. Those who aren't fully vaccinated by then will have to work from home, according to a person with direct knowledge of the memo.
Goldman Sachs is the latest bank to require employees be vaccinated to return to offices, following similar edicts from Morgan Stanley and Citigroup. The move comes a day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, clearing the way for more corporations to mandate their employees be vaccinated.
The bank is also implementing a mandatory weekly testing program for vaccinated workers on Sept. 7, according to the person, who declined to be identified when speaking about personnel matters. The memo was reported earlier by The New York Times.
Goldman will also require mask-wearing in all common areas including lobbies, hallways, gyms and cafeterias, except when seated and eating or drinking. In cities including San Francisco and Washington, masks will be required at all times, except when eating or drinking, because of local health guidance.
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LEWISTON A vocal minority of health care workers in Maine say they would rather leave their jobs than get vaccinated against COVID-19, even though medical experts, health care associations and the families who entrust the care of their loved ones to them urge them to get their shots.
Auburn resident Jodi Floyd knows all too well what could happen to a loved one if COVID-19 makes its way into a health care facility. Her husband, Marvin Floyd, died Nov. 28, 2020, at age 81 of complications due to COVID.
He was a really interesting, cool dude, Floyd said of her husband of 39 years. He was the kind of man that if he knew you needed gas, he siphoned it out of his tank to give it to you if you didnt have gas money. Thats how he was.
Marvin was one of at least six COVID-related deaths associated with an outbreak at Russell Park Rehabilitation and Living Center in Lewiston. Over the course of the two-month outbreak, 82 residents and 74 staff members contracted the virus, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
He had no choice, Floyd said. Its not like he was given an opportunity. COVID was walked into a room and given to a bedridden, blind man. He didnt go anywhere. He didnt have a choice, it was given to him, and he died.
The Maine CDC did not respond to a request for the findings of that investigation, but Floyd believes one or a few staff members brought the virus into the facility after attending a Halloween party.
Floyd said she wanted the vaccines to be mandated for health care workers ever since they became available.
It needs to be accepted as a best practice if youre in health care, she said, and operators of health care facilities have the right to update the terms of employment. I think what has me the most upset right now is I can tell people of the story of my husband and how he died, and they want to start calling me, you know, a wingnut, or (Im) forcing something on them.
Whitney King-Buker would disagree. Shes a certified medical assistant at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston and believes that the vaccine mandate is a gross overreach of authority. For starters, she hoped that the decision to implement a mandate would include more of the workers it affects.
Wed like to have conversations with higher-ups to try to have more of a ground-level reality check about what is being told, (what) we were told by the governor that we have to do, she said. There have been conflicting issues for us, putting our own bodies, kind of being told what to do with our own bodies and our morals.
She and others have said that this mandate is too aggressive of a timeline for health care workers. But the vaccines have been available for most front-line workers for about nine months now, and CMMCs leadership has said repeatedly they are working on outreach to have these sorts of conversations with apprehensive staff.
King-Buker declined to offer her vaccination status or her stance on the COVID vaccines itself but said shes not against vaccines in general.
I think the decision to vaccinate or not vaccinate is a personal choice, she said. And so, I feel that if I succumb to being told to do something, I just feel that its not right.
Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah said at a media briefing Tuesday that the thought that a health care provider could accidentally infect a loved one with COVID keeps him up at night.
With respect to my colleagues in the health care profession, I disagree with them, he said of those who say the mandate is an infringement of personal choice. Lets start with the baseline: Working in a health care facility already subjects and obligates you to do certain things to prevent you from getting your patients sick.
The Department of Health and Human Services added the COVID vaccine requirement to a rule that was first implemented 20 years ago, requiring vaccinations against diseases such as measles, mumps and chickenpox.
I recognize that folks frame this as a question of autonomy and choice and that choice still exists, Shah said. But its not a different choice than the choices weve already asked them to take on with respect to other vaccines and (tuberculosis) testing.
Ultimately, the choice is theirs, Shah said. This is not a mandate; this is a condition of employment.
Theres a lot at stake here, Shah said, when it comes to health care workers getting their shots. As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 21 open outbreak investigations across the state, nine of which were at health care facilities.
One of those facilities was Odd Fellows and Rebekahs Home of Maine, a nursing home in Auburn.
The prime directive here, Shah said, is to what the Hippocratic oath says, which is to do no harm.
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The Oregon Health Authority on Tuesday reported 2,804 new coronavirus cases, 30 new deaths, and a record-breaking 1,000 Oregonians hospitalized with COVID-19.
Gov. Kate Brown called the number of hospitalizations a terrifying milestone Tuesday while announcing a statewide mandate requiring masks in outdoor public settings where physical distancing isnt possible. The mandate goes into effect Friday and aims to curb the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.
The deadly summer surge of coronavirus throughout Oregon has the states intensive care unit beds 93% filled, with 283 coronavirus patients in ICU beds Tuesday -- up 30 from Monday. Test positivity rates remain in the double digits, with Oregon reporting 12.2% again Tuesday and an average of 2,105 new COVID-19 cases each day.
The overwhelming majority of COVID-19 patients in Oregon are unvaccinated, the states health officer, Dean Sidelinger, said in a statement Tuesday.
This represents 1,000 people who spent the night in the hospital being away from their families and being cared for by health care providers who, even in their exhausted states, are continuing to care for those who are sick with this virus, Sidelinger said.
Where the new cases are by county: Baker (7), Benton (37), Clackamas (171), Clatsop (46), Columbia (15), Coos (65), Crook (22), Curry (24), Deschutes (135), Douglas (240), Gilliam (1), Grant (4), Harney (7), Hood River (12), Jackson (242), Jefferson (7), Josephine (195), Klamath (25), Lake (3), Lane (195), Lincoln (72), Linn (110), Malheur (47), Marion (464), Morrow (10), Multnomah (152), Polk (45), Sherman (3), Tillamook (26) Umatilla (87), Union (15), Wallowa (4), Wasco (50), Washington (162) and Yamhill (104).
Who died: The state on Tuesday reported 30 new COVID-19 deaths linked to COVID-19:
A 61-year-old Douglas County man who tested positive Aug. 18 and died Aug. 21 at Mercy Medical Center.
A 72-year-old Douglas County man who tested positive Aug. 8 and died Aug. 22 at Mercy Medical Center.
A 90-year-old Coos County man who tested positive Aug. 18 and died Aug. 22. Location of death is being confirmed.
An 81-year-old Coos County woman who tested positive Aug. 18 and died Aug. 23 at her residence.
A 74-year-old Benton County woman who tested positive Aug. 16 and died Aug. 21 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.
An 84-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive Aug. 2 and died Aug. 11 at his residence.
A 70-year-old Jackson County woman who tested positive Aug. 2 and died Aug. 11 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.
A 73-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive Aug. 8 and died Aug. 21 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.
An 88-year-old Jackson County woman who tested positive July 11 and died Aug. 17 at her residence.
A 59-year-old Jackson County woman who tested positive Aug. 16 and died Aug. 21 at Providence Medford Medical Center.
A 95-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive Aug. 19 and died Aug. 21 at Providence Medford Medical Center.
A 67-year-old Jackson County woman who tested positive July 31 and died Aug. 20 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.
An 81-year-old Josephine County man who tested positive Aug. 14 and died Aug. 21 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.
An 80-year-old Josephine County man who tested positive Aug. 10 and died Aug. 21 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.
An 83-year-old Josephine County man who tested positive Aug. 12 and died Aug. 21 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
A 77-year-old Josephine County woman who tested positive Aug. 12 and died Aug. 22 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.
A 77-year-old Josephine County man who tested positive Aug. 8 and died Aug. 21 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.
A 50-year-old Lane County man who tested positive July 28 and died Aug. 11. Location of death is being confirmed.
A 75-year-old Multnomah County woman who tested positive on Aug. 5 and died on Aug. 21. Location of death is being confirmed.
An 83-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Aug. 15 and died Aug. 21 at Salem Hospital.
A 61-year-old Marion County woman who tested positive Aug. 12 and died Aug. 21 at Salem Hospital.
An 87-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Aug. 9 and died Aug. 22 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center.
A 53-year-old Marion County man who tested positive July 30 and died Aug. 18 at his residence.
A 67-year-old Tillamook County man who tested positive Aug. 21 and died Aug. 21. Location of death is being confirmed.
A 92-year-old Tillamook County man who tested positive Aug. 20 and died Aug. 23. Location of death is being confirmed.
An 80-year-old Tillamook County man who tested positive Aug. 15 and died Aug. 21. Location of death is being confirmed.
A 31-year-old Tillamook County woman who tested positive Aug. 13 and died Aug. 22. Location of death is being confirmed.
A 74-year-old Yamhill County woman who tested positive Aug. 11 and died Aug. 22 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center.
A 74-year-old Washington County man who tested positive Aug. 21 and died Aug. 22 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center.
A 71-year-old Deschutes County man who tested positive Aug. 5 and died Aug. 21 at St. Charles Bend Hospital.
Each person had underlying health conditions or officials were determining the presence of underlying conditions.
Hospitalizations: 1,000 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 are hospitalized, up 63 from Monday. That includes 283 people in intensive care, up 30 from Monday.
Vaccines: Oregon reported 7,928 newly administered COVID-19 vaccine doses, including 3,450 on Monday and the remainder from previous days.
Since it began: Oregon has reported 260,425 confirmed or presumptive coronavirus infections and 3,066 deaths, still among the lowest per capita numbers in the nation. To date, 2,591,903 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,377,102 people are fully vaccinated.
To see more data and trends, visit https://projects.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/
-- Catalina Gaitn; @catalinagaitan_
Dr. Thomas Dobbs and other Mississippi state health officials are urging residents not to take ivermectin formulated for livestock as a way to treat or prevent COVID-19. Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption
Dr. Thomas Dobbs and other Mississippi state health officials are urging residents not to take ivermectin formulated for livestock as a way to treat or prevent COVID-19.
Mississippi health officials are pleading with residents not to take a medicine meant for cows and horses as an alternative to getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
In a state with the nation's second lowest rate of vaccination against the coronavirus, a jump in the number of calls to poison control prompted an alert Friday from the Mississippi State Department of Health about ingesting the drug ivermectin. The department said that at least 70% of recent calls to the state poison control center were related to people who ingested a version of the drug that is formulated to treat parasites in cows and horses.
Ingesting the drug can lead to a rash, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, neurologic disorders and potentially severe hepatitis requiring hospitalization, according to the alert written by Dr. Paul Byers, the state's top epidemiologist.
Byers said that 85% of the people calling after using ivermectin had mild symptoms, but at least one person has been hospitalized due to ivermectin toxicity, according to the Mississippi Free Press.
Ivermectin is sometimes prescribed to people for head lice or skin conditions, but the formulas are different for humans and animals.
"Animal drugs are highly concentrated for large animals and can be highly toxic in humans," Byers wrote in the alert.
Given that cows and horses can easily weigh more than 1,000 pounds, and sometimes more than a ton, the amount of ivermectin meant for livestock would not be suitable for a human who weighs a fraction of that.
The Food and Drug Administration has also weighed in, writing in a tweet this weekend, "You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, y'all. Stop it."
The tweet included a link to information about the approved uses of ivermectin, and why it should not be taken for COVID-19 prevention or treatment. The FDA has also warned about the differences in ivermectin formulated for animals and humans, noting that inactive ingredients in the formula meant for animals could cause problems in humans.
"Many inactive ingredients found in animal products aren't evaluated for use in people," the statement from the agency said. "Or they are included in much greater quantity than those used in people. In some cases, we don't know how those inactive ingredients will affect how ivermectin is absorbed in the human body."
The FDA has not approved ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19, but the vaccines have been proven to reduce the risk of serious illness or death dramatically. On Monday, Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine became the first to receive full approval from the FDA.
"While this and other vaccines have met the FDA's rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, the public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product," acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement.
Both the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines remain available under emergency use authorization. The FDA is also reviewing a request from Moderna for full approval, and a decision is expected to come soon.
Public health officials are hopeful that full approval will boost confidence among those who have been hesitant to get the vaccine so far, something that Woodcock acknowledged Monday.
"While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated," Woodcock said.
Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs urged people to work with their personal doctors to get vaccinated and get the facts about ivermectin in a Zoom call last week.
"This is medical treatment. You wouldn't get your chemotherapy at a feed store," Dobbs said. "I mean, you wouldn't want to treat your pneumonia with your animal's medication. It can be dangerous to get the wrong doses of medication, especially for something that's meant for a horse or a cow. So we understand the environment we live in. But it's really important if people have medical needs to go through your physician or provider."
The misinformation surrounding ivermectin is similar to earlier in the pandemic when many people believed without evidence that taking the drug hydroxychloroquine could help prevent COVID-19. Studies later concluded that there was not evidence that hydroxychloroquine helped in preventing the disease.
"There's a lot of misinformation around, and you may have heard that it's okay to take large doses of ivermectin. That is wrong," according to one FDA post.
The rise in use of ivermectin comes at a time when the delta variant is driving a surge in cases across the country, including in Mississippi, where only 36.8% of the population is fully vaccinated. The only state with a lower vaccination rate is neighboring Alabama, with 36.3% of the population being fully vaccinated.
More than 7,200 new cases and 56 new deaths were reported in the state on Sunday. This latest surge in COVID-19 cases led the University of Mississippi Medical Center to open a field hospital in a parking garage this month.
FRISCO The Cowboys didnt conduct any practice drills Tuesday with their third-team defense.
Right now, they dont have one.
Dallas went from having eight safeties in uniform for Saturdays exhibition against the Houston Texans to six on the active roster Monday to only four available by the end of Tuesdays practice. Starters Damontae Kazee and Donovan Wilson were the latest to be removed from the fold.
The Cowboys instructed Kazee to keep away from The Star on Tuesday, a source said, while awaiting test clarity on his COVID-19 clearance status. He hasnt joined the four teammates who were placed Monday on reserve/COVID-19.
Further update on Kazees status is expected Wednesday.
Wilson exited early in Tuesdays practice with a groin issue, being escorted off the field by head athletic trainer Jim Maurer.
Their situations came one day after four players, including safeties Malik Hooker and Israel Mukuamu, were placed on reserve/COVID-19. That designation does not necessarily mean a player tested positive; Mukuamu, for example, is known to have been a close contact while not fully vaccinated.
Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and defensive tackle Carlos Watkins also are on reserve/COVID-19. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn tested positive Saturday, being sent home from the preseason game.
With Kazee, Wilson, Hooker and Mukuamu unavailable, Darian Thompson and Jayron Kearse handled first-team reps in practice at free and strong safety. Steven Parker and undrafted rookie Tyler Coyle were on the second team.
The Cowboys held virtual meetings Sunday and Monday.
On Tuesday, they returned to an in-person format, except the team meeting was canceled and the meeting spaces were reimagined to allow for social distancing.
The vast majority of Cowboys players are fully vaccinated.
Team owner Jerry Jones would like to see the general public follow suit.
One day after the Pfizer vaccine received full FDA approval, Jones encouraged the public to get vaccinated. A team spokesperson said that, as of Saturday, 93% of Cowboys players are fully vaccinated.
During a local radio interview, Jones expressed pride in his teams vaccination status.
Everyone has a right to make their own decisions regarding their health and their body, Jones said on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM). I believe in that completely until your decisions as to yourself impact negatively many others. Then, the common good takes over. And Im arm-waving here, but that has everything to do with the way I look at our team, the Cowboys, or the way I look at our society. We have got to check I at the door and go forward with we. Your Dallas Cowboys are doing that.
Briefly: The Cowboys needed to reduce from an 85- to 80-man roster by 3 p.m. Tuesday. Four of those roster spots were accounted for when Lamb, Watkins, Hooker and Mukuamu landed on reserve/COVID-19. For the fifth, the team waived Lirim Hajrullahu, a stopgap kicker who filled in during Saturdays exhibition. This is the latest indication that kicker Greg Zuerlein is not only on track for Week 1 but will make his preseason debut Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Zuerlein, out since the spring recovering from back surgery, could be activated from the physically unable to perform list as early as Wednesday. Quarterback Dak Prescott expanded his participation some, throwing to several receivers in the group pass period of practice. He has yet to do competitive periods like 7-on-7 or full team drills since his July 28 exit with a right latissimus strain. The Cowboys practiced outdoors in sweltering conditions. Wide receiver Amari Cooper punctuated the session with a touchdown following maybe a push-off against cornerback Trevon Diggs. Cooper (ankle) continues to distinguish himself, eight days after his first training camp practice. As expected, Cooper Rush handled the first-team reps in favor of Garrett Gilbert.
1/18Dallas Cowboys equipment manager Mike McCord pulls a rack of shoulder pads after players shed them following Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
2/18Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws passes after Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
3/18Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) throws a pass during Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
4/18Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) waves to teammates following Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
5/18Dallas Cowboys athletic trainer Jim Maurer (left) briefs head coach Mike McCarthy as he arrives for Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
6/18Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz has help shedding his shoulder pads following Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
7/18Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (27) trees to knock the ball from Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Noah Brown's (85) hands during Training Camp practice drills at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
8/18Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) runs sprints up and down the sideline after Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
9/18Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup (13) catches a ball as he fights off cornerback Deante Burton (33) during Training Camp drills at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
10/18Dallas Cowboys kicker Lirim Hajrullahu (7) follows through on a field goal during Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
11/18Dallas Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson (6) is walked to the locker room by athletic trainer Jim Maurer as Training Camp practice was starting at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
12/18Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Cooper Rush (10) and Dak Prescott (4) jog to the field as they arrive for Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
13/18Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz (86) fights off cornerback Anthony Brown (30) after making a long pass completion during Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
14/18Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (55) catches a throw during a Training Camp drills at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
15/18Dallas Cowboys running back Brenden Knox (36) escapes a defenders grasp as he carries the ball during Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
16/18Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) tries to elude defensive end Dorance Armstrong (92) as he looks for a receiver during Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
17/18Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup (13) hauls in a pass as he's covered by cornerback Anthony Brown (30) during Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
18/18Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) worked out on the field after Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
(CNN) The Bahamas and Morocco are now among the highest-risk destinations for travelers, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's regularly revised travel advisories list.People should avoid traveling to locations designated with the "Level 4: Covid-19 Very High" notice, the CDC recommends. Anyone who must travel should be fully vaccinated first, the agency advises.
The CDC's evolving list of travel notices ranges from Level 1 ("low") to Level 4 ("very high").
Destinations that fall into the "Covid-19 Very High" Level 4 category have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days, according to CDC criteria. The Level 3 category applies to destinations that have had between 100 and 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.
All six destinations newly added to Level 4 were previously ranked at "Level 3: Covid-19 High."
New 'Level 3' destinations
CDC guidance for destinations on Level 3 urges unvaccinated travelers to avoid nonessential travel to those locations.
"Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread Covid-19. However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some Covid-19 variants," the agency said.
Top photo: Old Bahama Bay West End is shown.
The actress recently revealed that despite being fully vaccinated, that she is sick with the virus."I'm just sending an update because so many people have been checking on me," the actress said Sunday on her Instagram. "I want to let you know that I'm doing so much better. I feel like I'm probably at like 75%. At the last video, I was probably like 20-25%."
"It's been a rough week, but I'm feeling better," she added.
The "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" star shared last week in a separate video that her 15-year-old son had contracted the virus as well. On Monday, she said he was "feeling better."
Hart shares three sons with husband Mark Wilkerson. Their youngest child also tested positive for Covid-19, according to Hart, but is not experiencing symptoms.
"I'm staying very isolated and separate, and just wanted to send love to everybody out there," Hart said. "Thanks for checking on us, thanks for all the chicken soup. I really felt the outpouring of love, and I just want to thank you. Stay safe everybody."
Two women wearing protective face masks amid COVID-19 pandemic visit the Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill in Athens, Greece, June 8, 2021. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis/File Photo
ATHENS, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Greece said on Tuesday it would end free testing for unvaccinated people to encourage them to get inoculated and head off any renewed spike in Delta variant infections of the coronavirus.
Health authorities reported 4,608 new confirmed cases and 32 related deaths on Tuesday, with the daily tally of infections hitting a new record, surpassing 4,340 cases in March this year.
The country has recorded a total of 566,812 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections and 13,466 deaths since reporting its first COVID-19 outbreak in February 2020.
Health authorities said that only 27 cases in Tuesday's infection tally were "imported", meaning they were detected after checks at border entry points.
New measures to come into effect on Sept. 13 stop short of forcing people to take a jab, but end free testing and oblige unvaccinated persons to test either once or twice a week, depending on their profession.
The costs of the rapid test, set at 10 euros ($12), is a sizeable chunk of money for people in crisis-hit Greece where salaries average 1,161 euros ($1,363.48) a month.
Authorities said some six million people in the country of 11 million had already received one or two doses of a coronavirus vaccine, but that a million more were needed to build adequate immunity through the population.
"In contrast to autumn of last year, this autumn everyone can be vaccinated," said Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias. "Do we live, or play Russian roulette with the coronavirus?"
Free testing for vaccinated people will continue, he said.
"These measures are not punitive. They are our duty to all those who went through 18 months of the pandemic carefully, those who lost their shops, jobs, had to work from home to protect themselves."
About 53 percent of the Greek population is fully vaccinated. Authorities hope to increase that figure to 70 percent by the autumn.
($1 = 0.8515 euros)
Reporting by George GeorgiopoulosEditing by David Holmes and Mark Heinrich
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
The already high number of hospitalizations for COVID-19 in North Texas is expected to rise dramatically in the coming weeks as the delta variant of the coronavirus spreads nearly unchecked through the regions unvaccinated residents.
The latest model from forecasters at UT Southwestern Medical Center shows that hospitalizations for the virus in Dallas and Tarrant counties could eclipse their winter peaks by early September.
Dallas County is predicted to have 1,500 or more hospitalizations by Sept. 9, along with 1,600 new cases each day. The same model shows 1,900 hospitalizations and 1,700 daily cases in Tarrant County on the same date.
In early January, Dallas County reached its high of more than 1,200 COVID-19 patients, and Tarrant County peaked above 1,500.
UTSW said the more-contagious delta variant now accounts for 95% of its positive coronavirus tests and that, compared to earlier surges, it is leading to a greater number of severe cases in younger people who have lower vaccination rates. About 50% more children are hospitalized with COVID-19 now than at the January peak in Dallas, Collin, Denton and Tarrant counties, and about 30% more people ages 18-49.
But there is some good news, the forecasters said: Wearing of masks in public has increased in North Texas in recent weeks, according to a Carnegie Mellon University survey. The forecast said this simple but powerful intervention can help mitigate the spread of the virus as the pace of vaccinations continues to increase.
The current rate of vaccinations, however, needs to rise further to avoid the worst scenarios, the forecast found.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a written statement that Mondays full approval of Pfizers vaccine by the FDA showed just how effective and safe it is, adding that he hoped it would spur more people to get inoculated.
Although the pace of vaccinations has accelerated in Dallas County during the past month, we need to see it increase even more to turn the tide against delta, Jenkins said.
Dallas County reported 32 more COVID-19 deaths and 9,138 new coronavirus cases in the past week.
Of the new cases, 7,372 were confirmed and 1,766 were probable. The numbers bring the countys overall case total to 340,244, including 290,954 confirmed and 49,290 probable. The death toll is 4,280.
The average number of new daily cases in the county for the last two weeks is 1,184. For the previous 14-day period, the average was 768.
The county reported that 846 people were hospitalized with the virus.
According to the state, 1,457,952 people in Dallas County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 1,201,072 55.1% of the countys population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.
The state reported 122,627 more cases in the past week, including 101,272 confirmed cases and 21,355 probable cases.
The state also reported 923 COVID-19 deaths over the past week, raising its toll to 54,023. The deaths were the most in a week since March.
The states case total is now 3,450,934, including 2,914,188 confirmed and 536,746 probable.
There are a total of 13,163 hospitalizations in the state, including 3,137 in North Texas.
According to the state, 16,096,758 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 13,370,501 55.6% of the states population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.
Tarrant County reported 48 deaths and 7,254 cases in the past week. The number of deaths was nearly double the previous weeks 26.
Of the new cases, 5,997 were confirmed and 1,257 were probable. The numbers bring the countys case total to 294,498, including 245,613 confirmed and 48,885 probable. The death toll is 3,755.
The county reported that 1,067 people were hospitalized with the virus.
According to the state, 1,087,092 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 924,796 53.2% of the countys population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.
The state added seven deaths and 2,775 cases to Collin Countys totals in the past week.
Of the new cases, 2,439 were confirmed and 336 were probable. The numbers bring the countys case total to 105,208, including 86,161 confirmed and 19,047 probable. The death toll is 883.
The county reported that 451 people were hospitalized with the virus.
According to the state, 650,275 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 565,371 65.3% of the countys population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.
Denton County reported eight deaths and 2,271 cases in the past week.
The numbers bring the countys case total to 86,481, including 63,106 confirmed and 23,375 probable. The death toll is 642.
The county reported that 180 people were hospitalized with the virus.
According to the state, 507,253 people in Denton County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 446,264 59.5% of the countys population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.
The Texas Department of State Health Services has taken over reporting for these other North Texas counties. In some counties, new data may not be reported every day.
The latest numbers are:
For Immediate Release: August 23, 2021
Espaol
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.
The FDAs approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. While this and other vaccines have met the FDAs rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, the public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product, said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated. Todays milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S.
Since Dec. 11, 2020, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine has been available under EUA in individuals 16 years of age and older, and the authorization was expanded to include those 12 through 15 years of age on May 10, 2021. EUAs can be used by the FDA during public health emergencies to provide access to medical products that may be effective in preventing, diagnosing, or treating a disease, provided that the FDA determines that the known and potential benefits of a product, when used to prevent, diagnose, or treat the disease, outweigh the known and potential risks of the product.
FDA-approved vaccines undergo the agencys standard process for reviewing the quality, safety and effectiveness of medical products. For all vaccines, the FDA evaluates data and information included in the manufacturers submission of a biologics license application (BLA). A BLA is a comprehensive document that is submitted to the agency providing very specific requirements. For Comirnaty, the BLA builds on the extensive data and information previously submitted that supported the EUA, such as preclinical and clinical data and information, as well as details of the manufacturing process, vaccine testing results to ensure vaccine quality, and inspections of the sites where the vaccine is made. The agency conducts its own analyses of the information in the BLA to make sure the vaccine is safe and effective and meets the FDAs standards for approval.
Comirnaty contains messenger RNA (mRNA), a kind of genetic material. The mRNA is used by the body to make a mimic of one of the proteins in the virus that causes COVID-19. The result of a person receiving this vaccine is that their immune system will ultimately react defensively to the virus that causes COVID-19. The mRNA in Comirnaty is only present in the body for a short time and is not incorporated into - nor does it alter - an individuals genetic material. Comirnaty has the same formulation as the EUA vaccine and is administered as a series of two doses, three weeks apart.
Our scientific and medical experts conducted an incredibly thorough and thoughtful evaluation of this vaccine. We evaluated scientific data and information included in hundreds of thousands of pages, conducted our own analyses of Comirnatys safety and effectiveness, and performed a detailed assessment of the manufacturing processes, including inspections of the manufacturing facilities, said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. We have not lost sight that the COVID-19 public health crisis continues in the U.S. and that the public is counting on safe and effective vaccines. The public and medical community can be confident that although we approved this vaccine expeditiously, it was fully in keeping with our existing high standards for vaccines in the U.S."
The first EUA, issued Dec. 11, for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for individuals 16 years of age and older was based on safety and effectiveness data from a randomized, controlled, blinded ongoing clinical trial of thousands of individuals.
To support the FDAs approval decision today, the FDA reviewed updated data from the clinical trial which supported the EUA and included a longer duration of follow-up in a larger clinical trial population.
Specifically, in the FDAs review for approval, the agency analyzed effectiveness data from approximately 20,000 vaccine and 20,000 placebo recipients ages 16 and older who did not have evidence of the COVID-19 virus infection within a week of receiving the second dose. The safety of Comirnaty was evaluated in approximately 22,000 people who received the vaccine and 22,000 people who received a placebo 16 years of age and older.
Based on results from the clinical trial, the vaccine was 91% effective in preventing COVID-19 disease.
More than half of the clinical trial participants were followed for safety outcomes for at least four months after the second dose. Overall, approximately 12,000 recipients have been followed for at least 6 months.
The most commonly reported side effects by those clinical trial participants who received Comirnaty were pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle or joint pain, chills, and fever. The vaccine is effective in preventing COVID-19 and potentially serious outcomes including hospitalization and death.
Additionally, the FDA conducted a rigorous evaluation of the post-authorization safety surveillance data pertaining to myocarditis and pericarditis following administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and has determined that the data demonstrate increased risks, particularly within the seven days following the second dose. The observed risk is higher among males under 40 years of age compared to females and older males. The observed risk is highest in males 12 through 17 years of age. Available data from short-term follow-up suggest that most individuals have had resolution of symptoms. However, some individuals required intensive care support. Information is not yet available about potential long-term health outcomes. The Comirnaty Prescribing Information includes a warning about these risks.
The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have monitoring systems in place to ensure that any safety concerns continue to be identified and evaluated in a timely manner. In addition, the FDA is requiring the company to conduct postmarketing studies to further assess the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis following vaccination with Comirnaty. These studies will include an evaluation of long-term outcomes among individuals who develop myocarditis following vaccination with Comirnaty. In addition, although not FDA requirements, the company has committed to additional post-marketing safety studies, including conducting a pregnancy registry study to evaluate pregnancy and infant outcomes after receipt of Comirnaty during pregnancy.
The FDA granted this application Priority Review. The approval was granted to BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH.
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Boilerplate
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nations food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
