North Carolina providers have now administered more than10 million dosesof COVID-19 vaccine, with vaccinations trending upward as the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus spreads through the state, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced today.
COVID-19 vaccines are tested, safe and have been shown to be highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Sixty-two percent of adults 18 and older in the state have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 58% of the adult population is fully vaccinated against the virus.
Last week, overall doses administered for COVID-19 vaccines were up more than 16% and first doses increased more than 30% compared to two weeks prior.
Thank you to the many North Carolinians who are protecting themselves and their friends, family and neighbors by getting a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination, said Kody Kinsley, NCDHHS Chief Deputy Secretary for Health. This pandemic is not over. The Delta variant is racing across the state, fueled by high rates of unvaccinated individuals. COVID-19 vaccines are our best tool to slow the spread, save lives and put this pandemic in the rearview mirror. Dont wait vaccinate.
The highly contagious Delta variant is currently spreading rapidly throughout the state and North Carolinas COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are increasing, particularly among those ages 18-49. An average of more than 5,100 new cases have been reported each day over the last week, more than doubling since July 31, 2021.Hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 27 and are at the highest they have been since Feb. 5, 2021.
NCDHHS recommends that everyone wear a mask in indoor public spaces if you live in area of high or substantial levels of transmission asdefined by the CDCuntil more people are vaccinated and viral transmission decreases. In North Carolina, that is now all 100 counties. We are at a critical point in the trajectory of this pandemic. Layered protection is crucial to fight this more contagious Delta variant and weather the storm vax up, mask up and urge others to do the same, said Dr. Elizabeth Tilson, NCDHHS State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer.
All unvaccinated North Carolinians age 12 and older are encouraged to get a COVID-19 vaccine to protect against severe illness, hospitalization and death. Rigorous clinical trials among thousands of people ages 12 and older have proven vaccines are safe and effective. More than 165 million Americans have been safely vaccinated. Vaccines are the best protection from COVID-19 related hospitalizations and deaths, as well as complications from the virus. Research has shown even people who had a mild case of COVID-19 may struggle with long-term effects like shortness of breath, chest pain and brain fog.
Free COVID-19 vaccines are widely available across the state to anyone 12 and older. To get a vaccine near you, visit MySpot.nc.gov or call 888-675-4567. You can also text your zip code to 438829 to find vaccine locations near you.
U.S. Customs and Border Protectionhas seized thousands of falsified COVID-19 vaccine cards from China in Memphis, Tenn.
Border Patrol agents have had 121 seizures of fake vaccination cards so far this fiscal year, amounting to 3,017 falsified cards confiscated, according to a statement from the agency on released Friday.
One of the shipments described in the statement included was a package from Shenzhen, China, going to New Orleans labeled PAPER CARD, PAPER. The shipment contained 51 falsified vaccination cards.
Officers already knew the shipment would contain false documents, according to the statement. The shipments with fake vaccination cards are always from China and are commonly labeled Paper Greeting Cards/ Use For-Greeting Card and PAPER PAPER CARD.
The fake cards have the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) logo along with blank lines to fill in information such as name and the dates the shots were given. The cards normally come in packs of 20, 50 or 100.
However, the statement says there are multiple ways to tell these cards are fake. For example, the cards contain typos, misspelled Spanish verbiage on the back and they are not imported from a medical facility.
These vaccinations are free and available everywhere, Michael Neipert, Area Port Director of Memphis, said.
If you do not wish to receive a vaccine, that is your decision. But dont order a counterfeit, waste my officers time, break the law, and misrepresent yourself. CBP Officers at the Area Port of Memphis remain committed to stopping counterfeit smuggling and helping to protect our communities. But just know that when you order a fake vaxx card, you are using my officers time as they also seize fentanyl and methamphetamines, Neipert added.
Falsifying vaccination cards is a crime that can land someone a fine and five years of prison time.
News of the false cards come as cities across the U.S. have begun to mandate proof of vaccination via a vaccine card in restaurants, theaters and other indoor businesses.
The newest requirement by localities was driven in part by the spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus, which has shown to penetrate the vaccine, causing breakthrough infections. However, the majority of those with breakthrough infections have reported mild symptoms.
Matthew Dyman, a public affairs specialist for the CBP, told The Hill he has looked to see if fake vaccine cards were confiscated by border patrol agents in other areas, but as of right now the cards are only being found shipped through Memphis.
The cards have only been found in Memphis as it is the "shipping hub location" for the CBP and "has the ability to screen cargo," Dyman said.
Updated 10:30 p.m.
(WXYZ) The last year-and-a-half has been challenging for almost everyone, but even more so for Highland Township resident Mary Ann Massard and seven million other Americans like her who are immunocompromised.
Ive been worried all along, because of the medication I take, that I didn't get a good response (to the vaccine), Massard said.
Massard has been fully-vaccinated since February, but her medication for rheumatoid arthritis weakens her immune system. In recent weeks, she's been anxious for a boost.
Oh, I was waiting. Just waiting to pull the trigger," Massard said. "Thats why as soon as it was announced yesterday or late yesterday, I was ready to go today. And I did.
Roughly 24 hours after that final vote from the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Massard was one of the first to receive an authorized third COVID-19 vaccine. It's now available for anyone 12 and up who is considered immunocompromised.
"They didn't define that super tightly, so its going to be up to the patient and the doctors who fits that, said Dr. Matthew Sims, Director of Infectious Disease Research at Beaumont Health.
Dr. Sims said he recommends everyone whos immunocompromised to talk with their doctor. The booster is just another dose of the same shot, so similar symptoms should be expected.
With the first shot, the side effects were low. With the second shot, they were a little higher," Dr. Sims said. "The third shot? They may still be a little high. We dont know because not many people have gotten the third shot yet.
In the meantime, Massard said shell continue to wear a mask and social distance with the delta variant spreading. However, she's thankful people like her will have another layer of protection.
I feel like I've done everything I can do at this point now to protect myself, Massard said.
The third shot is currently only available for those who are immunocompromised. Studies are still underway to determine if a third dose will be needed for the general public.
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
HARRISBURG (KDKA) After the FDA and CDC approved an additional dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for certain immunocompromised individuals on Thursday and Friday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health on Saturday announced it has notified vaccine providers that those people in Pennsylvania can receive a third dose.
We are pleased that the federal government is taking steps to ensure individuals who are immunocompromised have the opportunity to receive another layer of protection against COVID-19, Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said in a release. The department is already working with vaccine providers on this important protection for these vulnerable Pennsylvanians. We are confident in our ability to meet the needs of this critical population by our previous successful vaccination efforts and current vaccine supply.
The FDA specified in its release that this allowance only applies to those who have undergone organ transplants, certain cancers and other types of disorders that put their immune systems at the same level of vulnerability.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health recommends the individuals who this applies to speak to their health care provider before scheduling an appointment.
A third dose is not approved or recommended for those who are fully vaccinated and have no health conditions that would make the potential fight against COVID-19 difficult.
The recommendation was made as the Delta variant continues to surge across the United States.
More information on the Coronavirus pandemic:
CICERO, NY When Walker Clary, 9. saw a poster at his doctors office saying he could sign up for the Covid-19 vaccine trials for younger kids, he immediately wanted to volunteer.
His older brother, Jack, 14, had participated in the earlier trials last year, and Walker said he wanted to help, too.
I want to help out other kids,' said Walker, who will be in fourth grade in the fall at Cicero Elementary School. And its exciting to be one of the first my age to get the shot.
Walker is enrolled in whats called the KidCOVE research Covid-19 vaccine study conducted by Moderna for kids ages 6 months to 11 years. Walker is one of about 7,000 participants in the trial, according to Moderna.
The trial is staggered and is starting with children between the ages of 6 years to less than 12 years old. Participants have to be in good health and never contracted Covid-19.
Walker got his shot at Child Health Care Associates, an Upstate University Hospital study, in Kirkville Wednesday, said his dad, Bob Clary. Clary said Walkers arm was sore and he had trouble sleeping last night. Clary said that makes him think his son got the actual vaccine rather than the placebo.
He will get his second shot after 28 days.
Clary said the trial is well-organized, and theres an app to record side effects and a number he can call with questions or concerns.
Despite his arm, Walker said hes not concerned. His brother, 12-year-old sister Stella and parents all are vaccinated.
Im not really worried about it at all,' he said. I dont want to get Covid.
Walker said he hopes he can reassure other kids who are hesitant to get the vaccine.
His father said he was cautious about getting the vaccine at first until he educated himself on it. He said his family believes in the vaccine. There is so much misinformation out there that he hopes his sons experience will convince others.
We trust in the science of the vaccines,' he said. We are proud of Walker for volunteering.
Elizabeth Doran covers education, suburban government and development, breaking news and more. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact her anytime at 315-470-3012 or email edoran@syracuse.com
CENTERVILLE Protesters gathered outside of Miami Valley Hospital South in Centerville to speak out against mandatory COVID-19 vaccines for employees.
People began gathering around 3:30 p.m. across from the hospital on Wilmington Pike.
Members of the Ohio Says No group told News Center 7 that this is their 26th protest in recent weeks and that their protests against vaccine mandates are part of a larger national effort to overturn them in all work places.
Similar protests have ramped up locally this week in response to the mandates announced by three of the major hospital networks in the Miami Valley including Kettering Health, Premier Health, and Dayton Childrens.
>> Premier Health, Kettering Health, Dayton Childrens to require COVID-19 vaccines for all employees
We called them heroes last year and now we are threatening to take their jobs, sowhen you see the faces of these men and women and of their families,as in the Wednesday and previous Saturday protest, bringing kids with them, maybe it will hit home. Because the next group of people who could maybe be mandated could be you, said Angil Corey, founder of Ohio Says No.
Questions were also raised during the protest about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines by protesters.
Doctor John Corker, a physician and emergency medical specialist in the Miami Valley, spoke to News Center 7 on Friday about the safety of the vaccine.
These vaccines have been proven safe and effective, and the more people that get vaccinated the quicker we get back to something reasonably resembling normal life, Corker said.
Premier Health issued a statement Wednesday, saying they respect the right to protest peacefully but are committed to having additional conversations surrounding vaccination.
>> Protestors demonstrate in response to COVID-19 vaccine mandates by area health care networks
We respect the rights of all individuals, including employees, to protest peacefully and in ways that do not disrupt or distract from the provision of quality patient care. Within Premier Health, we continue to have respectful conversations with each other about why vaccination against COVID-19 is vital to our delivery of quality care going forward, a Premier Health spokesperson said.
News Center 7 will update this story with new developments as they happen.
2021 Cox Media Group
DHR Health announced in a Friday press conference that beginning next week, anyone that qualifies can receive a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine every Tuesday through Friday at the DHR Conference Center at Renaissance.
The announcement came hours after a final approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saying that only people with weakened immune systems will receive those third shots.
DHR Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Martinez said studies show immune-compromised patients can really benefit from a third dose.
RELATED: Extra COVID vaccine OK'd for those with weak immune systems
We expect that in the coming weeks and months that there will be a change in who might benefit from that vaccine, Dr. Martinez said. A third dose, they will be expanding that, but for now the list is pretty clear, and it's severely immune-compromised patients."
Hospital officials also addressed the recent rise in hospitalized COVID patients, saying that many of those patients right now are children, one as young as 20 months. They are also actively recruiting more nurses as they prepare to open a second COVID unit to accommodate the spike.
The announcement comes as Hidalgo County sees an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations. There are currently 489 COVID hospitalizations in the county, with 106 of those in intensive care units.
The county reported nine coronavirus-related deaths and 524 positive cases on Friday.
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On Aug. 11, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the COVID-19 vaccine for all people 12 years and older, including pregnant people, saying theres no evidence that the vaccine leads to fertility problems, miscarriage or other health issues.
The vaccines are safe and effective, and it has never been more urgent to increase vaccinations as we face the highly transmissible Delta variant and see severe outcomes from COVID-19 among unvaccinated pregnant people, said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky in a news release.
The federal agencys endorsement follows an increase in the number of infections among pregnant individuals in recent weeks.
As of Aug. 9, more than 105,600 pregnant people in the U.S. had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 124 have died since the pandemic started, according to the latest available data from the CDC, which is updated weekly. Thats nearly twice as many infections and deaths reported in January.
CDC officials say the increase is fueled by the circulation of the highly-contagious Delta variant and the low vaccine uptake among pregnant people. As of Aug. 7, 23.2% of pregnant people in the U.S. had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, CDC data show. Thats compared with 71% of all U.S. adults 18 years and older.
The agency isnt alone in recommending the vaccine. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG, and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine the two leading groups in the U.S. representing specialists providing health care for women issued a joint statement in July, recommending that all pregnant people get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The World Health Organization recommends pregnant women get COVID-19 vaccines in consultation with their health-care provider. Also, in an interim guidance published in June, it recommends vaccination in pregnant women when the benefits outweigh potential risk, particularly for women who are at a high risk of exposure to COVID-19 and those whose comorbidities put them at a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19.
Even though the overall risk for severe COVID-19 infection remains low, studies have shown that pregnant people are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 compared with those who are not pregnant.
Underlying medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease and obesity can increase the risk of complications even more for pregnant people. Pregnant individuals of color face higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 due to persisting racial inequalities in the U.S., the CDC says.
In addition, pregnant people who were infected with COVID-19 during the third trimester are at an increased risk of having a preterm birth, which is delivery earlier than 37 weeks, compared with pregnant women who arent infected with the virus, according to a CDC study.
Studies are still underway and long-term safety data arent available yet, but relying on a growing body of evidence, the CDC says that at this point the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy.
But belief in misinformation continues to hamper vaccination efforts. A national survey by The COVID States Project conducted between June and July, finds that 11% of Americans believe the that COVID-19 vaccines can cause infertility, even though the claim has been debunked. About 20% of Americans also falsely believe that COVID-19 vaccines will alter peoples DNA, contain microchips to track people or contain the lung tissue of aborted fetuses, the survey shows. The COVID States Project was launched in March 2020 by a multi-university group of researchers, focusing on social behaviors and the impact of messaging on the pandemic.
In addition, pregnant people were excluded from the initial COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials, which also may have fueled vaccine hesitancy sentiments. Some COVID-19 vaccine makers have since planned to enroll pregnant people in their clinical trials.
We have summarized several academic papers that investigate outcomes of COVID-19 infection, and the vaccines against it among pregnant individuals, to help journalists bolster their reporting with data. Please note that while the studies in this roundup have undergone the peer review process, the findings from most are still from a limited time frame, given that the pandemic arrived less than two years ago and the vaccines became available to the public less than a year ago. Periodically, well update this roundup with new studies as new information comes to light.
Characteristics and Outcomes of Women With COVID-19 Giving Birth at US Academic Centers During the COVID-19 Pandemic Justine Chinn; et al. JAMA Network Open, August 2021.
The study shows that pregnant women with COVID-19 had higher rates of preterm birth, ICU admission, respiratory failure requiring intubation, and death compared with pregnant women who didnt have COVID-19.
Using a large national database without patient-identifying information, researchers looked at records for 869,079 women who gave birth at 499 U.S. medical centers between March 2020 and February 2021. Of those, 18,715 (2.2%) had COVID-19.
Researchers didnt control for confounders like age, race and co-morbidities such as obesity when calculating outcomes.
The study finds that pregnant women with COVID-19 had a higher risk of preterm delivery 16.4% versus 11.5%. Thats an increased risk of 42%.
The comparison of pregnant women with and without COVID-19 also shows that those with the infection were nearly six times more likely to be admitted to the ICU, 14 times more likely to require mechanical ventilation, and 15 more times likely to die in the hospital.
Its important to note the risk of ICU admission, mechanical ventilation and death were still low in each group, relative to the total number of women in the sample. For instance, of the 18,715 pregnant women with COVID-19, 24 died. Thats about 13 deaths in 10,000. For pregnant women without COVID, there were 71 deaths in 850,364, or about 8 deaths in 10,000.
Researchers add that pregnant individuals with COVID-19 were more likely to be Hispanic or Black.
This information is critically important given the ongoing issues surrounding health care disparities and race, the authors write in the study. When considering mortality during childbirth, it is important to understand that racial disparities have been well established preceding the COVID-19 pandemic; however, they have likely been augmented by the pandemic.
They found no significant increase in C-sections among pregnant women with and without COVID-19.
Preliminary Findings of mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine Safety in Pregnant Persons Dr. Tom Shimabukuro; et al. The New England Journal of Medicine, June 2021.
In this study, the authors use data from three U.S. vaccine monitoring systems and find no safety concerns among pregnant individuals who received COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, both of which are based on mRNA technology.
Researchers look at data for 35,691 pregnant individuals, using the V-safe Surveillance System and Pregnancy Registry, a new CDC smartphone-based surveillance app developed for the COVID-19 vaccination program, the V-safe Pregnancy Registry and the national Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VARES, between December 2020 and February 2021. They compared the data with published studies of pregnant populations before the pandemic.
They find that pregnant individuals didnt report having any more severe reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines compared with women who were not pregnant except for nausea and vomiting, which were reported slightly more frequently among vaccinated pregnant individuals after the second dose of the vaccine. Researchers also report similar pregnancy outcomes, including for preterm birth. No newborns, regardless of whether their mothers had received the COVID-19 vaccine, had birth defects.
The authors note that the registry data are preliminary and from a relatively small sample, describing pregnancy outcomes primarily from women who were vaccinated during the third trimester of pregnancy. Long-term studies with large numbers of women vaccinated earlier in pregnancy is needed to assess outcomes, the authors write.
They point out that the vaccines not only protect pregnant individuals from a severe COVID-19 infection, they may also provide some level of protection in newborn babies, although theres a need for more research.
Update: Characteristics of Symptomatic Women of Reproductive Age with Laboratory-Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection by Pregnancy Status United States, January 22October 3, 2020 Laura Zambrano; et al. CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, November 2020
This study compares COVID-19 infection in women who are and arent pregnant, finding that pregnant women with COVID-19 are at a higher risk for severe health outcomes.
Researchers use data from the CDCs National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System for 409,462 women who had COVID-19 symptoms between January and October 2020. About 6%, or 23,434, of the study population were pregnant.
The authors adjusted for age, race and ethnicity and underlying medical conditions.
Their analysis shows that pregnant women with COVID-19 had three times the risk of being admitted to the ICU and requiring intubation, compared with women who were diagnosed with the infection but were not pregnant. They also had a 2.4 times higher risk of requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, which is a heart-lung machine used in critically-ill patients. The pregnant women had a 70% increased risk of death.
Risk Factors for Illness Severity Among Pregnant Women With Confirmed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network, 22 State, Local, and Territorial Health Departments, 29 March 2020-5 March 2021 Dr. Romeo Galang; et al. Clinical Infectious Diseases, July 2021.
The aim of this study is to determine the risk factors associated with developing severe COVID-19 illness in pregnant women.
The authors used the CDCs Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network, or SET-NET, which collects information on pregnant individuals and their children for the first three years of their life from 31 state, local and territorial health departments in the U.S. They analyze data for 7,950 pregnant women who had a COVID-19 infection between March 2020 and March 2021.
They find that severe illness from COVID-19 in pregnant women is associated with being 25 years or older, having a job in the health care profession, obesity, chronic lung disease, chronic high blood pressure and diabetes. The severity of the COVID-related illness increased with the number of underlying medical conditions.
Having any underlying medical condition such as asthma or diabetes was associated with a 39% increased risk of severe or critical COVID-19 illness in pregnant women, while having three or more underlying conditions was associated with more than twice the risk, when compared with pregnant women who didnt have any underlying medical conditions.
The authors note that the findings on risk factors are similar to whats observed among nonpregnant adults.
These data can help counsel pregnant women about their risk for moderate-to-severe or critical COVID-19 illness and guide their choice of prevention strategies, target public health messaging, and inform decisions around resource allocation, the authors write.
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine in Pregnancy: Risks, Benefits, and Recommendations Dr. Irene Stafford, Dr. Jacqueline Parchem and Dr. Baha Sibai. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, January 2021.
This study stands out because the authors look back at history to show that this is not the first pandemic to pose a higher risk of severe disease for pregnant individuals.
During the 2002 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, pandemic, 25% of infected pregnant women died and 57% had miscarriages, the authors write.
Meanwhile, studies of the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic have shown higher rates of ICU admission and death among infected pregnant individuals than those who were not pregnant, they add.
The authors add that even though pregnant individuals were excluded from the initial mRNA COVID-19 vaccine trials, so far theres no evidence that the vaccines pose a risk to them or their babies.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Pregnancy Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Shu Qin Wei, Marianne Bilodeau-Bertrand, Shiliang Liu and Nathalie Auger. Canadian Medical Association Journal, April 2021.
This study looks at 42 international studies involving a combined 438,548 pregnant people. It finds that COVID-19 during pregnancy was associated with an 82% increased risk of preterm birth and a 33% increased risk of preeclampsia, which is a complication of high blood pressure, compared with no COVID-19 during pregnancy. The infection was also associated with a two-fold increase in the risk of stillbirth.
The Differences in Clinical Presentation, Management, and Prognosis of Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 between Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Durray Shahwar A. Khan; et al. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, May 2021.
This study shows that pregnant women with COVID-19 had twice the risk of ICU admission and requiring mechanical ventilation compared with pregnant women who didnt have COVID-19.
EXCLUSIVE: Some cast and crew members on films and TV shows soon might be required to wear identification that clearly and visibly verifies their Covid vaccination status while working on set. Various things have been discussed, from wristbands to credential badges, a union source tells Deadline.
I have not seen what this is to look like yet, another union source said. My understanding is this would be either a sticker affixed to your current ID or a separate identification card that would have to be on the same lanyard as your working ID.
Another union source noted that while this doesnt appear to have gone into effect yet, it will be up to employers to on a production-by-production basis.
Mandatory Vaccinations On Productions An Option Under Return-To-Work Protocols
Central Casting, the leading casing company for background actors, notes on its website that in order for Producers to enforce rules on the production set that apply to fully vaccinated versus not fully vaccinated individuals, Producers may require workers to wear identification that display fully vaccinated versus not fully vaccinated status while on the production set.
And while it doesnt appear that this has gone into effect yet at least not widely producers are allowed to require their casts and crews to wear some type of vaccination identification as a condition of employment. The terms of the industry-wide Covid safety protocols, adopted in July, state that Producers shall establish a system by which an employees entitlement to work under protocols applicable to vaccinated persons will be clearly and visibly identified while working so that the terms of this Agreement may be properly administered by the Covid Compliance Supervisor.
The protocols give producers the option to implement mandatory vaccination policies for casts and crews in Zone A on a production-by-production basis. Zone A, where unmasked actors work, is the most restrictive of the safe work zones on sets.
In June, SAG-AFTRA authorized producers to implement policies for mandatory vaccinations, provided that vaccination records are maintained securely by employers and available only to those with need to know. According to SAG-AFTRA, productions must also have procedures in place to engage in interactive process with those requesting ADA (Americans with Disability Act) or religious accommodations, and must include the procedure for initiating a request in notices of the vaccination policy.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) Those planning on seeing a late fall show at Virginia Beachs amphitheater must also plan on either being vaccinated against COVID-19 or proving they arent infected to enter.
On Friday, venue operator Live Nation said that beginning Oct. 4 all artists, fans and employees coming to their fully owned and operated venues and festivals must show proof of being vaccinated or a negative test according to a spokesperson for Live Nation.
Vaccines are going to be your ticket back to shows, and as of October 4th we will be following the model we developed for Lollapalooza and requiring this for artists, fans and employees at Live Nation venues and festivals everywhere possible in the US, Michael Rapino, president and CEO of Live Nation Entertainment said in a statement.
This stance comes the day after the entertainment companys chief competitor AEG Present made a similar announcement.
In Hampton Roads, only two concerts are scheduled at Live Nations Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach after the new policy is set to go into effect.
Florida Georgia Line is set to take the stage Oct. 7, with the Jonas Brothers following two days later on Oct. 9.
Earlier this month, Live Nation said it would leave the decision up to artists on whether to require COVID-19 vaccines for shows. At that time, Live Nation had already set the requirement for employees to be vaccinated.
Live Nation has also developed best practices for artists to request these policies at venues they dont own.
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