SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Overnight summer camps will be allowed in all 50 states this season, but COVID-19 rules and a pandemic labor crunch mean that many fewer young campers will attend, and those who do will have to observe coronavirus precautions for the second consecutive year.
The Southeast is the first region to kick off camps this month, with other parts of the country to follow in July.
Camp might look a little different, but camp is going to look a lot better in 2021 than it did in 2020, when it didnt happen, said Matt Norman of Atlanta, who is getting ready to send his 12-year-old daughter to camp.
Even though most camps will be open, reduced capacity necessitated by COVID-19 restrictions and the labor shortage will keep numbers well below a normal threshold of about 26 million summer campers, said Tom Rosenberg of the American Camp Association.
Across the country, many camps face competition for counselors in a tight job market. Traditional recruitment tactics like job fairs on college campuses have been canceled.
Its been hard to get people to work, said Josh Nelson, at Glorieta Adventure Camp, a facility in pine-covered foothills outside Sante Fe, New Mexico.
A group of Glorieta camp staffers started their orientation by rolling up their sleeves and getting vaccinated in an area between the mess hall and the water slides. But many campers are too young to get the shots because the vaccines have not been approved for children under 12.
That means this years camp experience will still involve many of the same prevention practices that were adopted at the small number of camps that operated last year. Those measures include grouping kids in cohorts, mandating masks, emphasizing social distancing and lots of hand washing. Some states, like Vermont, are offering free virus testing for campers.
At an all-girls camp called Fernwood in Maine, about 200 of the 300 counselors and campers will be vaccinated by the time the six-week term starts.
Going into it, its a much better scenario for us. Because instead of being worried about 300 people, were worried about 100 people, Fernwood Director Fritz Seving said.
Norman plans to send daughter Jane Ellen to Camp Illahee in Brevard, North Carolina, and hes glad the camp is encouraging vaccinations.
Jane Ellen agreed and said the focus on vaccines is a good idea.
If most people are vaccinated, the more people can go, she said.
Back at Glorieta, staff arrived in May from Oklahoma, Texas and a college town in Mexico called Puebla, where an in-person recruiting fair took place. They have been training on safety protocols, including virus protection, zip lining and life guarding.
The camp is running at one-third capacity 1,100 out of 3,000 slots are filled and staff will be grouped in pods. Kids are expected to wear masks, even outdoors, except when the are eating meals or in their sleeping dorm.
More than 90% of the staff agreed to be vaccinated, but there was no mandate for vaccinations.
Even with those limitations, the outlook is much better than last year, when camp was canceled and 80% of the staff was laid off by March, Nelson said. Federal Paycheck Protection Program loans helped but didnt alleviate all of the financial pain, he said.
Rosenberg said camp is more important than ever in terms of providing normalcy for kids who have dealt with remote learning, canceled events and boredom at home, not to mention health worries.
Kids have been traumatized. Theyve had some real academic losses. We still havent talked enough about the social and emotional learning losses, he said.
Camp will let them practice engaging peer to peer and offer a chance to to try new activities, take positive risks and be out in nature, and sort of regain some of the humanity theyve lost over the past year.
Last year, about 19.5 million kids missed out on camp, but most of the overnight camps that opened operated successfully. There were a few notable outbreaks. More than 250 people were infected at a camp in Georgia, and more than 80 infected at a camp in Missouri.
By Dr. Erica Pan, California State Epidemiologist and Deputy Director of the Center for Infectious Diseases
Californias future is brighter now that protection from COVID-19 is within reach for even more of our loved ones. Adolescents aged 12 to 15 can join older teens in getting the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine the same vaccine that has been safely administered to millions of California adults, including more than 30 percent of 16 and 17-year-olds in just the first month of eligibility.
As a pediatric infectious disease specialist and a parent of two eligible adolescents, this was exciting news. My husband who is also a pediatrician and I immediately scheduled an appointment to get our teenagers first dose once available. The past year has been hard on all of us, but especially difficult for our teens who have had to put their lives on hold. Now that eligibility has expanded, we can confidently give our kids a shot at being kids again with the comfort of knowing they are protected from COVID-19.
I have spent my career treating and preventing infectious diseases in children as a pediatric infectious disease physician and a public health official. I understand the concerns that parents have when thinking about their childrens health and wellness. I am incredibly grateful that science and technology have brought us this gift of vaccines to protect us and end this pandemic in an unprecedented timeline. It is incredible to see how quickly weve vaccinated millions of people to increase our confidence in both the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines. While continuing to vaccinate more of our population is a critical step to getting back to our normal lives, this news likely brings up many questions.
We know our teens have questions, too and thats OK. Its important for everyone to get the facts on vaccination. Here are the facts:
COVID-19 vaccines are free to everyone, even if youre undocumented or dont have health insurance. Your immigration status will not be asked when you or your child is vaccinated, and information will not be shared with immigration agencies.
Young people have been heroic throughout this pandemic. They have suffered stress and isolation. Now it is their turn to join grandma and grandpa, mom and dad, aunts and uncles, guardians and neighbors, teammates, and friends in getting vaccinated so that they can safely return to fully-in person schooling and hang out more often with friends.
###
ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Football Team defensive end Montez Sweat said Wednesday he wasn't persuaded to take the COVID-19 vaccine after listening to an expert discuss the matter with him and his teammates, highlighting an issue that remains not only in the NFL but in society as well.
Washington coach Ron Rivera had an immunologist who is a leading coronavirus vaccine researcher speak to the team Tuesday. Kizzmekia Corbett answered questions and provided information about the vaccine via videoconference, hoping to lessen fears.
Rivera said his players are approaching a 50% vaccination rate, while his staff and the rest of the employees in the building have all been vaccinated. Rivera has also met privately with players, trying to present information or have a conversation about their concerns.
"I'm not a fan of it," Sweat said Wednesday of the vaccine. "I probably won't get vaccinated until I get more facts and that stuff. I'm not a fan of it at all.
"I haven't caught COVID yet so I don't see me treating COVID until I actually get COVID."
The NFL has loosened restrictions for those who have been vaccinated, allowing them to go without masks and to not be tested daily for COVID-19.
Unvaccinated players are still subject to all this, as well as contact tracing quarantine policies. They also will be unable to interact with other players when traveling, or with family and friends on the road. They can't eat in the cafeteria and must adhere to capacity limits in the weight room.
"Obviously they want everybody to be vaccinated to move freely around the facility and with traveling," Sweat said. "But everybody has their own beliefs and they're entitled to their own decision."
Sweat said the players have a "constant conversation" about this topic. Rivera called it a choice for players, one that he'd like them to make in favor of the vaccine -- but he doesn't want to force it upon them.
"The big thing is we've got to be able to facilitate the opportunity for these guys to understand," Rivera said. "There's a lot of messaging that's out there; they get it off of Twitter and some of it is good, some of it is bad. I'm not sure if these guys watch the news as much as I do and try to gather enough information, but we are really trying to help them, because if we can get to that herd immunity, we can really cut it loose and really be able to spend time with each other."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 tracker, 63.8% of U.S. adults have received at least one dose of a vaccination; 42.3% have been fully vaccinated.
"I know myself and all these other guys were exposed to what you might call fake news or just rumors on social media about the vaccines, and maybe conspiracies and stuff like that," Washington rookie wide receiver Dax Milne said. "Some guys are obviously for it -- getting the vaccine -- some guys still have a little bit of hesitancy. But personally, it was good to hear the real facts, and I plan on seeing a lot more people getting the vaccine on the team."
Milne said he had heard about deaths and other side effects from vaccines. But, he said, Corbett told them there were a lot of fake articles that peddled misinformation.
Milne said she also told them "that when it gets down to the real facts and the actual studies that they've done, with real information, there's been no deaths from it."
"I don't want to speak out of turn," he said, "but it sounded a lot more safe than we all thought it was. I think we're feeling a lot more comfortable with it now."
Offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles said, "Learning new stuff like that -- I learned plenty of stuff yesterday about the vaccine that I had never heard, so it was good to hear."
Japan is set on going ahead with the Olympics in July, despite Tokyos ongoing state of emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Dennis NormileJun. 9, 2021 , 12:35 PM
Sciences COVID-19 reporting is supported by the Heising-Simons Foundation.
A group of Japanese scientists, including some of the nations most senior advisers on the COVID-19 pandemic, is warning that allowing spectators at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will help the virus spread domestically and internationally. Their recommendation to bar or at least limit spectators, not yet formally published but described to ScienceInsider in general terms, represents an increasingly outspoken challenge from scientists to the government and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which remain adamant about going ahead with the games just 6 weeks before the 23 July opening ceremony.
Japan and IOC have already barred tourists from entering Japan to watch the games in person. But millions of people in Japan could attend competitions at more than 40 venues in and around Tokyo.
That would be a bad idea, says the informal group of 15 to 20 top public health experts, who have met virtually on Sundays since last year to discuss the pandemic. But they worry their warning will fall on deaf ears. Most of the group members likely favor canceling the games, says one member who did not want to be identified. But given the current stance of Japans government and IOC, the discussion has shifted as to whether we should welcome a domestic audience or not, this scientist says. But it may be too late to consider any drastic changes in the way that the Tokyo Olympic Games are organized, says another member, Hiroshi Nishiura, an epidemiologist at Kyoto University. He says the governmental coronavirus control headquarters, which is under the Cabinet Office, has never publicly discussed the risks of holding the games.
Shigeru Omi,chair of the governments top COVID-19 advisory panel, which reports to the coronavirus headquarters, and leader of the informal group, has said he will unveil the recommendations before 20 June. It is unclear whether Omi will present the report as coming from the informal group of experts or get his official panel to endorse it. The precise timing of the release and whether it should go to the government or IOC is still under discussion, Nishiura says.
The Olympics, originally scheduled for summer 2020, were postponed 1 year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Tokyo and other major cities remain under a COVID-19 state of emergency, and a slow vaccination rollout has led to calls for further postponement or even outright cancellation of the games. Recent public opinion polls indicate 60% to 80% of the country favors cancellation. Yet IOC officials and Japanese politicians, mindful of the billions of dollars at stake, are pressing ahead. When asked at a 21 May virtual news conference whether the games would go forward even if Tokyo were under a COVID-19 state of emergency, John Coates, an IOC vice president, said: The answer is absolutely yes.
The fraught relationship between the experts and Japans politicians and IOC officials was on display last week when Omi appeared before two legislative committees. Holding the Olympic Games is not normal under current circumstances, he said at a 2 June appearance before a health committee of the lower legislative chamber, according to local press reports. The next day, he told the upper chambers health committee that Olympic organizers should impose stringent preparations to minimize the risk of spreading infection. He added that giving opinions was meaningless, unless they reach the International Olympic Committee. But Norihisa Tamura, Japans minister of health, labor and welfare, brushed off Omis remarks, calling them just a voluntary report of research results in comments to reporters.
Nishiura says one concern is that the games could help spread more contagious COVID-19 variants, particularly given the large numbers of athletes, coaches, officials, media, local volunteers, and domestic spectators. Guidelines from the Japanese Olympic Committee ask athletes and support staff to limit travel to official accommodations and venues; avoid public transportation, tourist attractions, restaurants, and bars; and leave the country within 2 days of the conclusion of their events. Although the guidelines say noncompliance could lead to being barred from competing, Nishiura says there is no indication of how these restrictions will be enforced. As yet, there are no contingency plans for handling clusters of cases that might overstretch health care facilities. Because of a shortage of hospital beds and oxygen supplies during the recent fourth wave of infections, a substantial number of people died in their own homes, Nishiura says. In a bit of lucky timing, however, Japan is coming off its fourth wave of infection. Daily new cases have dropped from a peak of more than 7000 on 12 May to just over 2000 on 6 June.
Japans late and slow-moving vaccination drive adds to these worries. Japan has administered more than 17 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines primarily to medical workers and those 65 and older, covering about 6.8% of the population. Vaccination will start for those younger than 65 in the middle of this month. But the slow pace of vaccination means the Olympics will be going on when only elderly people are vaccinated, Nishiura says.
The impact of any Olympic-related infections could spread throughout the country and even globally, says Hitoshi Oshitani, a public health specialist at Tohoku University who is an occasional member of the Sunday study group. Over the past year and a half, new cases rose nationwide after most long holiday periods, such as the New Year and the spring Golden Week when most workers can take a full week off. The Olympics will run into the August summer vacation period when many urban residents return to their hometowns to visit parents or grandparents. Last year, a public information campaign successfully convinced many to spend their vacations at home and new cases did not rise significantly, Oshitani says. But with the excitement surrounding the Olympics, he says, Im not sure people will listen to recommendations to limit travel.
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) Virginia Health officials announced new dates for mobile vaccination clinics in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and on the Eastern Shore.
The mobile clinics will offer free COVID-19 vaccines in a series of local clinics, primarily in rural and underserved areas where vaccine access can be challenging. No appointments are necessary.
These vendor-operated, mobile vaccination clinics will move from place to place to support local health department efforts in the region and across the state. The mobile clinics will offer the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine and eliminating the need for second-dose shots.
The schedule for the clinics is:
Virginia Beach
Norfolk
Eastern Shore
To find a vaccination site near you, please visitvaccinate.virginia.govorvaccinefinder.org.You can learn more about the vaccine, its safety and answers to frequently asked questions atVDHswebsiteandCDCs website.
Dr. Anthony Fauci is warning about a COVID-19 variant, "Delta," that has become the dominant strain in the United Kingdom. "We cannot let is happen here," he said, as U.S. health officials reported overall positive trends. (June 8) AP Domestic
As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted andthe pace of vaccinations has slowed in the U.S., the rise of a new coronavirus variant worries some health experts. The variant,known as the Delta orB.1.617.2 , was first detected in India and has spread to more than 60 countries. In the United Kingdom, it accounts for about 60% of coronavirus cases.
In the U.S.,it currently accountsfor 6% of infections, though in some states it accounts for over 18% of sampled coronavirus cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
So what is it about the Delta variant that has health experts worried?USA TODAY spoke to two experts for their take.
Dr. Bhakti Hansoti is an associate professor of emergency medicine and international health at Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg School of Public Health. Hansoti said Delta variant infections in India and the U.S.come with all the samesymptoms of the original Sars-CoV-2 virus, just more severe.
Hansoti said doctors have seen an increased likelihood of hearing loss, severe stomach pains and nauseain patients infected with the new variant. In most cases, patients are more likely to be hospitalized, require oxygen treatments and endure other complications.
Coronavirus variant that first appeared in India arrives in U.S.: Here's what to know.
No, if you received your second dose.
Anew study from Public Health Englandshowed two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were 88% effective against symptomatic disease from the Delta variant, and even more successful at preventing hospitalizationand death.The study, however, found one dose of the Pfizer vaccine was only 33% protective.
"So without that (second dose)it still leaves them very vulnerable [to sickness] and this variant is highly transmissible,"Hansoti told USA TODAY.
Jonathan Baktari,CEO ofe7 Healtha health care and wellness company,said the Delta variant is a testament to why it's important to get both doses of the vaccine.
Vaccines against variants: Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine protects against virus variants, study shows
The CDCsays coronavirus variants are the result ofchanges to the virus' genes. Every time a virus replicates, mutations naturally occur in its genetic material. The CDC lists a total of nine common variants it'smonitoring.
Fact check: Coronavirus variants come from mutations, not vaccines
Baktari said the biggest threat with the Delta variant is its ability to infect easily and quickly. He compared it to a sticky object if one infected person is in a room and talks or sneezes, it will easier stick to another person.
"The aerosol will release the virus and the virus has an easier time sticking to its next victim as it were," Baktari said.
Hansoti's concerns lie not just with the variant but with Americans'urge to return to normal this summer. People are burned out from months of social distancing and isolation. It's time for socializing, holidays and vacations.Those activities mixed with a highly transmissible variant is a worry, especially among the unvaccinated.
"It's the confluence of all of these things,decreasing restrictions and then a highly transmissible variant with increased severity of illnesson a platform of a burned-out, overstretched health system, which could potentially be a chaotic third wave for America," Hansoti said.
"Get vaccinated and wait two weeks. Remain careful and stay home if you feel any type of sickness," Baktarirecommends.He added that combatting vaccine hesitancy and reaching herd immunity is the key to reducing the spread of the Delta variant and all coronavirus variants.
Rather than resorting to an "all or nothing" response, Hansoti said it's time to establish a "new normal"to prevent further surges.
"We need masking in public areas, limited gathering sizes and increased scrutiny in schools and public spaces where people can besymptomatic," Hansoti said. "If not, after the Delta variant, another variant will just come and surge again."
Autoplay
Show Thumbnails
Show Captions
Follow Gabriela Miranda on Twitter: @itsgabbymiranda
Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/06/11/new-coronavirus-delta-variant-shows-severe-symptoms-concerns-experts/7639046002/
The pandemic is far from over in D.C., but as COVID-19 positivity and transmission rates decline and more people get vaccinated, the city is lifting the last of its coronavirus restrictions.
The pandemic is far from over in D.C., but as COVID-19 positivity and transmission rates decline and more people get vaccinated, the city is lifting the last of its coronavirus restrictions.
Starting Friday, bars and nightclubs can open at full capacity again, meaning you can hit the dance floor of your favorite downtown club or head into the uptown dive that serves beer just the way you like it.
Likewise, there are no more capacity restrictions or waivers needed at the citys biggest sports venues. The seating restrictions were actually lifted in time for Thursday nights Nationals game, though it was rained out.
The next home games for the Mystics and D.C. United can be played in front of a full house when those teams host visiting squads next week.
Right now D.C. is estimated to have about 57.6% of its total population (and just under 70% of D.C.s adults) at least partially vaccinated, with about 48% fully inoculated against the coronavirus.
Like WTOP on Facebook and follow @WTOP on Twitter to engage in conversation about this article and others.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
2021 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
The Delta variant, or B.1.617.2, is now the dominant strain of SARS-CoV-2 in the U.K. and is causing surges of COVID-19 in parts of the country. Mark Kerrison/Getty Images hide caption
The Delta variant, or B.1.617.2, is now the dominant strain of SARS-CoV-2 in the U.K. and is causing surges of COVID-19 in parts of the country.
The Delta variant, which was first detected in India, now accounts for more than 6% of all infections in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And this highly transmissible variant may be responsible for more than 18% of cases in some Western U.S. states.
The variant, also known as B.1.617.2, is spreading rapidly in the United Kingdom and has quickly become the dominant strain there, responsible for more than 90% of infections and causing surges of COVID-19 in some parts of England.
"We cannot let that happen in the United States," Dr. Anthony Fauci said.
Speaking at a White House COVID-19 briefing Tuesday, Fauci warned that the Delta variant may be associated with more severe disease and a higher risk of hospitalization.
The good news is that the vaccines look like they can protect people against the Delta variant. A new study from Public Health England showed two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were 88% effective against symptomatic disease from the Delta variant compared with 93% effectiveness against the Alpha variant, the variant first detected in the U.K. The vaccine only provided 33% protection after just one dose.
Fauci urged everyone who has received the first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to make sure to sign up for a second. "And for those who have still not been vaccinated yet, please get vaccinated," he said.
He said vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and to stop this variant from spreading and becoming dominant in the U.S.
Student Mental Health Is Worse During COVID-19
June 11, 6:17 a.m. Another study has found that student mental health worsened during the pandemic, The Washington Post reported.
In the study, researchers tracked 217 students who were freshmen in 2017.
Prior to the pandemic, students stress levels rose and fell, usually in tandem with midterm and final exams. Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, rates of depression and anxiety have soared.
-- Scott Jaschik
Rhodes to Charge Unvaccinated Students $1,500 a Semester
June 10, 6:20 a.m. Rhodes College will charge students who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 a $1,500 fee per semester, The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported.
The fees will cover testing costs.
"A campus-wide commitment to vaccination will mean that we can move towards full capacity and reduced masking allowing for the intentional in-person campus life experience that we all love about Rhodes," said Meghan Harte Weyant, vice president for student life. "We hope our students will choose to be vaccinated to keep themselves, our campus and community safe."
-- Scott Jaschik
Marquette to Require Students to Get Vaccines
June 8, 6:18 a.m. Marquette University announced that it would require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19, The Wisconsin State Journal reported.
It is the third Wisconsin private institution to require the vaccines. Beloit College and Lawrence University have also done so.
The University of Wisconsin system is not requiring vaccines at this time. Last week, Republicans held a hearing on a bill that would ban UW campuses and state technical colleges from requiring vaccines or mandating testing as a condition of being on campus.
-- Scott Jaschik
Stetson Offers Vaccinated Students Chance to Win Free Tuition
June 7, 6:06 a.m. Stetson University, a private institution in Florida, is giving two undergraduate students full tuition for one year as part of a COVID-19 vaccination incentive program.
Undergraduate students who provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 by July25 will be eligible for a drawing to win one of two one-year, full-tuition awards. Vaccinated undergraduate and graduate students will also be eligible to win a $1,000 award in one of eight weekly drawings Stetson is hosting between June11 and July30. To be eligible for the drawings, students must be attending classes in person and be enrolled full-time.
Stetsons goal is for 70 to 80percent of its population to be vaccinated against COVID-19. As of Friday, 28percent of members of the university community had reported to Stetson they were fully vaccinated.
-- Elizabeth Redden
LSU Faculty Demand COVID-19 Vaccine Rule
June 3, 6:20 a.m. The Faculty Council at Louisiana State University has passed a resolution calling for the university to require all students to be vaccinated by the fall.
Kevin Cope, a faculty member, told WWL News, It has not been clear to the administration the depth at which the faculty feels anxiety or concern about the situation on campus.
However, state attorney general Jeff Landry sent a letter to university leaders saying a mandate would violate state and federal laws.
-- Scott Jaschik
Indiana U Will Require Vaccination, but Not Proof
June 2, 6:19 a.m. Indiana University on Monday announced that it will keep a vaccine requirement announced last month to fight COVID-19, but it will drop a requirement that students and employees provide proof that they have been vaccinated.
"As part of the accelerated exemption process, those receiving the vaccine are no longer required to upload documentation," the university announcement said. "Instead, they can certify their status as part of a simple attestation form that will be available on June2. Special incentives will be offered to those opting to upload documentation, as well. Details on the incentive program will be announced later this week."
The attorney general of Indiana last week said the university could not require people to submit proof that they have been vaccinated.
-- Scott Jaschik
Catholic U Is Only College in D.C. Without Vaccine Requirement
June 1, 6:15 a.m. Catholic University of America is the only college in Washington without a vaccine requirement, The Washington Post reported.
John Garvey, the universitys president, said he believes most people on campus will get vaccinated on their own before the fall semester starts. We found that 70percent of the community had already been vaccinated with at least one shot, and this was nearly a month ago, said Garvey, referencing a recent universitywide survey. It was clear we would get to 80, 85percent in a couple of months.
But some students are pushing for a requirement. I think its too big of a risk to not look into enforcing it, said Nathan Highley, a rising senior. When students are participating in the community, going to stores, going to restaurants, it puts those unvaccinated and elderly members of the community at risk.
-- Scott Jaschik
Indiana U Responds to Attorney General
May 28, 6:15 a.m. Indiana University responded Thursday to a ruling by Attorney General Todd Rokita that the institution could require all students, faculty members and other employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but not require them to demonstrate that they have been vaccinated.
A spokesman told WANE News, Indiana University is requiring the COVID-19 vaccine because its the only way the university can confidently return to the experiences and traditions our students, faculty and staff have told us are important to them: in-person classes, more in-person events and a more typical university experience. In yesterdays opinion, the attorney general affirmed that it is legal for us to require a vaccine, including one under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). His opinion questioned specifically the manner in which we gathered proof of vaccination. Although we disagree with that portion of his opinion, we will further consider our process for verifying the requirement.
-- Scott Jaschik
Indiana Attorney General Says IU May Not Require Proof of Vaccination
May 27, 6:16 a.m. Todd Rokita, the attorney general of Indiana, has ruled that Indiana University may not require students, faculty members and other employees at the university's campuses to demonstrate that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
The requirement of proof violates a new state law against any unit of state government requiring an "immunization passport," Rokita said.
However, the new law does not ban Indiana University from requiring vaccination, he said.
The new law "only prohibits public universities from requiring proof of the COVID-19 vaccine; it does not prohibit them from requiring the vaccination itself," Rokita said.
-- Scott Jaschik
North Carolina Governor Will Use COVID-19 Funds for Student Aid
May 26, 6:17 a.m. North Carolina governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, has directed that $51.4million in COVID-19 relief funds from the federal government be used for student access to higher education.
The funds will primarily help community college students. Cooper will create the Longleaf Commitment program with $31.5million to guarantee that graduating high school seniors from low- and middle-income families receive at least $2,800 in federal and state grants to cover tuition and most fees at any of the states 58 community colleges.
The governor will also spend $5million to support mental health initiatives at state postsecondary institutions.
-- Scott Jaschik
Tulane to Pay $500 to Employees Who Get Vaccinated
May 25, 6:20 a.m. Tulane University announced that it will pay $500 to employees who show that they are completely vaccinated against COVID-19, 4WWL News reported.
Michael A. Fitts, president of Tulane, said that currently, 66percent of faculty and staff have reported their COVID-19 vaccination. The university wants to reach 90percent by July31. Part-time employees may receive $250.
Students are required to get the vaccine.
-- Scott Jaschik
Indiana U to Require Vaccine
May 24, 6:16 a.m. All students, faculty members and other employees at all Indiana University campuses will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccinations before the fall semester starts.
The move is relatively unusual for a public university in a conservative state.
"This new requirement will allow the university to lift most restrictions on masking and physical distancing this fall. Knowing that the vast majority of the IU community is vaccinated is the only way the university can confidently return to in-person classes, more in-person events and a more typical university experience," said a statement from the university.
-- Scott Jaschik
Washington State Public Four-Year Colleges Go Test Optional, Permanently
May 21, 6:18 a.m. Public four-year colleges in Washington State have gone test optional, permanently.
"The decision to move to permanent test-optional policies reaffirm our sectors commitment to reduce barriers for students. Further, as we enter a period of post-COVID-19 recovery, we continue our commitment to learn from this historic challenge and embrace long-term changes that best serve our students and state," said a joint statement from the provosts or vice president of academic affairs of the eight universities.
They are Central Washington, Eastern Washington, Washington State and Western Washington Universities, Evergreen State College and the Universities of Washington at Bothell, Seattle and Tacoma.
-- Scott Jaschik
Penn Health to Require Employee Vaccinations
May 20, 6:16 a.m. The University of Pennsylvania Health System, to set an example for those who remain hesitant, will require all employees to be vaccinated, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Most major employers in the area are encouraging but not requiring vaccinations.
That includes the University of Pennsylvania, which is requiring students but not employees to be vaccinated.
-- Scott Jaschik
Federal Judge Preserves Part of Suits Over Payments Last Spring
May 19, 6:17 a.m. A federal judge has preserved part of suits against the University of Delaware over last spring's period of remote instruction, the Associated Press reported.
Judge Stephanos Bibas ruled that the students are not entitled to sue over tuition. But he said suits over fees for student services were another matter. At a minimum, the fees claims are going to survive and proceed to discovery here, he said.
The university maintained that all payments should be exempt from suits. This is a contract and agreement Once your register, tuition and fees are due in full, a lawyer said.
But a lawyer for the plaintiffs said, They promised one thing, and didnt deliver it.
-- Scott Jaschik
Universities Lift Mask Requirements
May 18, 6:22 a.m. Many universities are lifting mask requirements.
Among them are: Mercer University, the University of Florida, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and Weber State University.
-- Scott Jaschik
U System of Georgia Adjusts Mask Policy
May 17, 6:20 a.m. The University System of Georgia has adjusted its mask policy, WSBTV News reported.
In the fall, fully vaccinated employees and students will not be required to wear a mask while in class or at other activities.
Those who have not been vaccinated are "strongly encouraged" to continue wearing their masks inside.
-- Scott Jaschik
U of Rochester Develops App to Show Vaccine Status
May 14, 6:18 a.m. The University of Rochester has developed an app for students to demonstrate their confirmed vaccination status.
Students must supply the information to the university and then receive a green check mark to show.
The app is ready for use at commencement events.
-- Scott Jaschik
Penn State's Faculty Senate Calls for Mandatory Vaccines
May 13, 6:10 a.m. The Faculty Senate of Pennsylvania State University has voted -- 113 to 31 -- to require students and employees to be vaccinated by the fall, WTAJ News reported.
The vote is not binding on the administration. Provost Nicholas Jones said officials are currently working on incentives to get vaccinated.
So for students, were looking at opportunities to provide discounts at Penn State Eats and the bookstore. Were looking for drawings for resident hall students for free housing, upgraded meal plans, pizza parties, concert tickets, gift cards. For commuter students, drawings for meal plans, pizza parties, bakery gift boxes, snack boxes, concert tickets, gift cards, he said.
-- Scott Jaschik
U of Richmond Eases Restrictions
May 12, 6:16 a.m. The University of Richmond is moving from orange to yellow in its restrictions on campus Saturday, WRIC News reported.
Among the rules changes:
-- Scott Jaschik
UMass Faces Threat Over Suspension of Maskless Students
The number of active COVID-19 cases in Dutchess County is below 100 for the first time in almost 15 months.
Editors note: In the interest of public safety, critical coronavirus coverage is being provided free to all readers. Support reporting like thiswith a subscription to the Freeman.
The county reported Friday that it had 97 active cases of the coronavirus, down from the 102 it reported Thursday and the first sub-100 total since 98 cases were reported on March 22, 2020, less than two weeks into the local outbreak.
The Dutchess County caseload, like that in neighboring Ulster County, has been falling precipitously this year as vaccinations ramp up. Dutchess reported a pandemic high of 2,576 active cases of COVID on Jan. 16, just as vaccinations were starting.
Ulster Countypeaked at 2,622 active cases on Jan. 30. The number it reported Friday was just 33, though that was four more than the total reported the previous day.
Ulster has been under the 100-case mark since May 25.
In Dutchess County, there have been 29,460 confirmed cases of COVID since the local outbreak began in March 2020 and 445 COVID-related deaths. Dutchess reported no new deaths on Friday.
The county reported five-COVID-related hospitalizations on Friday, down one from the previous day, and said itslatest seven-day rolling average of positive test results was 0.48%.
Ulster County has had 15,198 confirmed cases of COVID since March 2020, including 14,901 recoveries and 264 deaths. Like Dutchess, Ulster reported no additional deaths on Friday.
Ulster's latest daily rate of positive test results is 0.9% (nine new diagnoses out of 991 test results).
According toNew York state's online vaccine tracker,109,188 Ulster County residents, or 61.1% percent of the population, had received at least one dose of a two-dose vaccine regimen as of Friday, and 97,550 (54.6%) had completed the vaccination series.
The state also said 70.9% of Ulster residents ages 18 and older had received at least one dose.
In Dutchess County, 164,653 residents, or 56.1% of the population, had received at least one dose as of Friday, and 144,374 (49.2%) were fully vaccinated, according to the state.
The state also said 65.9% of Dutchess residents 18 and older had received at least one shot.
New York state on Friday reportedjust one new case of COVID-19 in area school districts an off-site student of Kerhonkson Elementary School.
For online local coverage related to the coronavirus, go to bit.ly/COVID19DF.
