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Watching the markets with an eye to the main chance, Raymond James strategist Tavis McCourt sees both risk and opportunity in current market conditions. The opportunity, in his opinion, stems from the obvious factors: the Democrats won both Georgia Senate seats in the recent runoff vote, giving the incoming Biden Administration majority support in both Houses of Congress and increasing the odds of meaningful fiscal support getting signed into law in the near term. More importantly, the coronavirus vaccination program is proceeding, and reports are showing that Pfizers vaccine, one of two approved in the US, is effective against the new strain of the virus. A successful vaccination program will speed up the economic recovery, allowing states to loosen lockdown regulations and get people back to work. The risks are also coming from the political and public health realms. The House Democrats have passed articles of impeachment against President Trump, despite the imminent natural closure of his term of office, and that passage reduces the chances of political reconciliation in a heavily polarized environment. And while the COVID strain is matched by current vaccines, there is still a risk that a new strain will develop that is not covered by existing vaccinations which could restart the cycle of lockdowns and economic decline. Another risk McCourt sees, beyond those two, would be a sharp rise in inflation. He doesnt discount that, but sees it as unlikely to happen soon. product/service inflation is only really a possibility AFTER re-openings, so the market feels a bit bullet proof in the very near term, and thus the continued rally, with Dems winning the GA races just adding fuel to the stimulus fire, McCourt noted. Some of McCourts colleagues among the Raymond James analyst cadre are keeping these risks in mind, and putting their imprimatur on strong dividend stocks. Weve looked into Raymond James' recent calls, and using the TipRanks database, weve chosen two stocks with high-yield dividends. These Buy-rated tickers bring a dividend yield of 7%, a strong attraction for investors interested in using the current good times to set up a defensive firewall should the risks materialize. Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) Well start in the energy sector, a business segment long known for both high cash flows and high dividends. Enterprise Products Partners is a midstream company, part of the network that moves hydrocarbon products from the wellheads to the storage farms, refineries, and distribution points. Enterprise controls over 50,000 miles worth of pipelines, shipping terminals on Texas Gulf coast, and storage facilities for 160 million barrels oil and 14 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The company was hurt by low prices and low demand in 1H20, but partially recovered in the second half. Revenues turned around, growing 27% sequentially to reach $6.9 billion in Q3. That number was down year-over-year, slipping 5.4%, but came in more than 6% above the Q3 forecast. Q3 earnings, at 48 cents per share, were just under the forecast, but were up 4% year-over-year and 2% sequentially. EPD has recently declared its 4Q20 dividend distribution, at 45 cents per common share. This is up from the previous payment of 44 cents, and marks the first increase in two years. At $1.80 annualized, the payment yields 7.9%. Among the bulls is Raymond James' Justin Jenkins, who rates EPD a Strong Buy. The analyst gives the stock a $26 price target, which implies a 15% upside from current levels. (To watch Jenkins track record, click here) Backing his bullish stance, Jenkins noted, "In our view, EPD's unique combination of integration, balance sheet strength, and ROIC track record remains best in class. We see EPD as arguably best positioned to withstand the volatile landscape With EPD's footprint, demand gains, project growth, and contracted ramps should more than offset supply headwinds and lower y/y marketing results" Its not often that the analysts all agree on a stock, so when it does happen, take note. EPDs Strong Buy consensus rating is based on a unanimous 9 Buys. The stocks $24.63 average price target suggests an upside of 9% from the current share price of $22.65. (See EPD stock analysis on TipRanks) AT&T, Inc. (T) AT&T is one of the markets instantly recognizable stock. The company is a member in long standing of the S&P 500, and it has reputation as one of the stock markets best dividend payers. AT&T is a true large-cap industry giant, with a market cap of $208 billion and the largest network of mobile and landline phone services in the US. Its acquisition of TimeWarner (now WarnerMedia), in a process running between 2016 and 2018, has given the company a large stake in the mobile content streaming business. AT&T saw revenues and earnings decline in 2020, under pressure from the corona pandemic but the decline was modest, as that same pandemic also put a premium on telecom and networking systems, which tended to support AT&Ts business. Revenues in 3Q20 were $42.3 billion, 5% below the year-ago quarter. On positive notes, free cash flow rose yoy from $11.4 billion to $12.1 billion, and the company reported a net gain of 5.5 million new subscribers. The subscriber growth was driven by the new 5G network rollout and by premium content services. The company held up its reputation as a dividend champ, and has made its most recent dividend declaration for payment in February 2021. The payment, at 52 per common share, is the fifth in a row at current level and annualizes to $2.08, giving a yield of 7.2%. For comparison, the average dividend among tech sector peer companies is only 0.9%. AT&T has kept its dividend strong for the past 12 years. Raymond James analyst Frank Louthan sees AT&T as a classic defensive value stock, and describes Ts current state as one with the bad news baked in. [We] believe there is more that can go right during the next 12 months than can get worse for AT&T. Throw in the fact that shares are heavily shorted, and we believe this is a recipe for upside. Large cap value names are hard to come by, and we think investors who can wait a few months for a mean reversion while locking in a 7% yield should be rewarded for buying AT&T at current levels, Louthan opined. In line with these comments, Louthan rates T an Outperform (i.e. Buy), and his $32 price target implies room for 10% growth from current levels. (To watch Louthans track record, click here) What does the rest of the Street think? Looking at the consensus breakdown, opinions from other analysts are more spread out. 7 Buy ratings, 6 Holds and 2 Sells add up to a Moderate Buy consensus. In addition, the $31.54 average price target indicates ~9% upside potential. (See AT&T stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for dividend stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.
SALT LAKE CITY A much more infectious mutation of COVID-19 has been confirmed by state health officials to be in Utah.
The "UK variant" of COVID-19 was found in a Salt Lake County man between the ages of 25-44 who had not traveled outside the state of Utah recently, the Utah Public Health Laboratory said. The man experienced mild symptoms and the B117 variant was found in a genetic sequence of a COVID-19 test.
It was something the Utah Department of Health had been anticipating. The man involved is not believed to be the only one with it in the state.
"If we detected it this quickly since we were looking for it, it indicates to us it is more widespread than this one individual," said Dr. Kelly Oakeson, the director of the state public health lab.
RELATED: What makes the UK coronavirus strain more contagious?
State epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn said what makes this particular strain different is it is much more contagious. The UK variant spreads the same as other forms of COVID-19 (through droplets and the air) but it is more infectious.
"What has changed,is how easy it is for the virus to cause you to be sick. So for every individual that is infected with this new variant, theyre able to spread it to more individuals," she said.
That has the potential to further overwhelm Utah's hospitals, which have been operating near capacity since Christmas when many disregarded health guidelines and gathered. But the good news is the vaccines available do work against the UK variant.
"Now more than ever, we really need to be practicing good public health by wearing a face mask, staying home when sick, avoiding large gatherings and physical distancing as much as we can," Dr. Dunn said.
The state is now in a race to try to vaccinate more people as the new UK variant spreads. Recently, FOX 13 reported the Utah Department of Health yanked vaccine doses from hospitals, who have spent the past month inoculating frontline health care workers, to give them to long-term care facilities with vulnerable adults. That leaves lower-tiered workers without a shot for now.
"This is a hard time to have a more contagious strain given that its winter, people are inside more, the holiday season just passed and people are quite frankly fatigued with all the public health recommendations that weve made," Dr. Dunn said. "That in combination with not enough vaccine to go around is concerning. But i will say that the vaccine gives us hope."
Governor Spencer Cox has ordered vaccination efforts to speed up in Utah. He has even volunteered the Utah National Guard to help local health departments.
The Utah Department of Health said it would not recommend further restrictions in the state. Gov. Cox has kept in place a statewide mask mandate and health orders limiting capacity in restaurants and businesses.
Reacting to reports that the federal government may not have a reserve of COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. Cox's office told FOX 13 in a statement: "We continue to work with the outgoing and incoming administrations to gain more clarity on the amount and rhythm of vaccines coming to our state. We are hopeful that we will see an increased amount of vaccines soon."
RELATED: How is the COVID-19 variant different from the virus we already know?
They did tests for heart or stroke stuff, but it did turn out to be COVID and the two strains of flu, Roberts told KXAS. We thought of it because of her age, of course, and thats why we were completely surprised and happy when they said shes doing great!
Simpler schemas are less likely to be gamed by the privileged. The C.D.C. has recommended that everyone over 65 be eligible for vaccination, and that requires nothing more than an ID or a declaration required for proof were not going to get overrun by 20-year-olds showing up pretending they are 65.
While the exact order of vaccine recipients may vary by state, most will likely put medical workers and residents of long-term care facilities first. If you want to understand how this decision is getting made, this article will help.
Life will return to normal only when society as a wholegains enough protection against the coronavirus. Once countries authorize a vaccine, theyll only be able to vaccinate a few percent of their citizens at most in the first couple months. The unvaccinated majority will still remain vulnerable to getting infected. A growing number of coronavirus vaccines are showing robust protection against becoming sick. But its also possible for people to spread the virus without even knowing theyre infected because they experience only mild symptoms or none at all. Scientists dont yet know if the vaccines also block the transmission of the coronavirus. So for the time being, even vaccinated people will need to wear masks, avoid indoor crowds, and so on. Once enough people get vaccinated, it will become very difficult for the coronavirus to find vulnerable people to infect. Depending on how quickly we as a society achieve that goal, life might start approaching something like normal by the fall 2021.
Yes, but not forever. The two vaccines that will potentially get authorized this month clearly protect people from getting sick with Covid-19. But the clinical trials that delivered these results were not designed to determine whether vaccinated people could still spread the coronavirus without developing symptoms. That remains a possibility. We know that people who are naturally infected by the coronavirus can spread it while theyre not experiencing any cough or other symptoms. Researcherswill be intensely studying this question as the vaccines roll out. In the meantime, even vaccinated people will need to think of themselves as possible spreaders.
The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is delivered as a shot in the arm, like other typical vaccines. The injection wont be any different from ones youve gotten before. Tens of thousands of people have already received the vaccines, and none of them have reported any serious health problems. But some of them have felt short-lived discomfort, including aches and flu-like symptoms that typically last a day. Its possible that people may need to plan to take a day off work or school after the second shot. While these experiences arent pleasant, they are a good sign: they are the result of your own immune system encountering the vaccine and mounting a potent response that will provide long-lasting immunity.
No. The vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer use a genetic molecule to prime the immune system. That molecule, known as mRNA, is eventually destroyed by the body. The mRNA is packaged in an oily bubble that can fuse to a cell, allowing the molecule to slip in. The cell uses the mRNA to make proteins from the coronavirus, which can stimulate the immune system. At any moment, each of our cells may contain hundreds of thousands of mRNA molecules, which they produce in order to make proteins of their own. Once those proteins are made, our cells then shred the mRNA with special enzymes. The mRNA molecules our cells make can only survive a matter of minutes. The mRNA in vaccines is engineered to withstand the cell's enzymes a bit longer, so that the cells can make extra virus proteins and prompt a stronger immune response. But the mRNA can only last for a few days at most before they are destroyed.
That doesnt mean we should ignore equity concerns, but we should address them by proactively working to provide access. As Mr. Biden emphasized in his speech on Friday, data shows that African-Americans and Hispanics the people working at low-wage jobs that keep society running and allow the rest of us to just stay at home have been suffering and dying disproportionately at younger ages. To ensure equity, we should go to those populations, rather than expecting them to compete with others to navigate the barriers weve set up a competition they are most likely to lose to those more privileged who have the time, experience and resources for jumping over such hurdles.
We can set up vaccination clinics in neighborhoods or workplaces with many African-Americans or Latinos, and set a lower age limit, say 40 or 50 the exact number can be calculated based on vaccine availability. Simple schema like grouping days or hours by the first letter of peoples last name can avoid overcrowding. Lines can be added for the elderly to help them get through more rapidly.
There is also an important technical concern about distribution. The two vaccines authorized in the United States, by Moderna and Pfizer, must be transported or kept in deep freezers or refrigerators, and used shortly after being thawed. They are transported in cumbersome containers for example, the Pfizer vaccine is shipped in boxes of 4,875 doses, divided into pizza boxes of 195 vials, all of which is topped with 50 pounds of dry ice. Under those circumstances, vaccination is most efficient if the vaccine is distributed in large numbers, inoculating people in at neighborhood locations rather than having to go back and forth in batches to meet strict eligibility priority.
For workplaces, it makes sense to vaccinate everyone whos there whos eligible, perhaps with only age as a criterion, simply because if were there, it makes sense to just roll it out rather than attempting to go back again in some future. Hospital? Yes, vaccinate everyone, perhaps only subject to an age limit. Food warehouse, or grocery store? Yep, vaccinate them all, again perhaps only with an age cutoff. Plus, many essential workers live in multigenerational households, and vaccinating them will prevent their bringing the disease home to their more vulnerable relatives.
Given all this, we need a national mobilization, as Mr. Biden called for. The National Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency can be directed to set up tents, especially in poorer neighborhoods, retirement communities, public housing and parking lots. Schools many of which are closed and have parking lots and playgrounds can be turned into vaccination clinics. Drive-through vaccination spots can be opened up around the country, all public health clinics mobilized, pharmacies involved.
Health care workers are overwhelmed, and in short supply everywhere. Thats why we should mobilize everyone we can. All states should do what some have done, authorizing professionals like podiatrists, dentists, dental hygienists, veterinarians, advanced emergency medical technicians, emergency medical technicians with intramuscular epinephrine administration training and any paramedic to help administer the vaccine. We should immediately direct more funding to this effort, not just rely on volunteers who have valiantly shown up.
As the first week of the new spring semester testing wraps up, we want to thank students and employees for their patience and dedication to this new process. Teams across the university are working hard to get everything ready for the start of class on Jan. 25.
As we move toward the start of the semester, we have received many good questions aboutspring requirementsandhavecompiled them in an extensive set ofFrequently Asked Questions, which you may filter bysix topic areas.
Here are some of this weeks top questions:
Q: Im having trouble getting the app to work. Who do I contact for help?
A:We can help.Please contact theDoITHelp Desk, (608) 264-4357, help@doit.wisc.edu
Q: I took a test and it came back rejected. How can I make sure this doesnt happen?
A: What the lab needs to successfully run your test is the liquid portion of your saliva. Your saliva must be clear and not discolored, free of food and mucus, and cannot contain residues such as those from brushing your teeth or smoking.
In the hour before your test:
You may also want to rinse or gargle your mouth with water to remove any discoloration (such as from coffee) or small pieces of food. Be sure to do this at least one hour before your test.
At your test:
These are the most common reasons saliva samples rejected by the lab:
If you notice any of these things as you are submitting your sample, ask to start over again with a new tube. Its better to redo your test at your scheduled appointment than have to do it over again the next day.
Q. I am having a hard time producing enough saliva for my test. Do you have any tips?
A: In order to run a COVID-19 test on your saliva sample, you will need to contribute 1 mL-1.5 mL of drool.Be careful not to overfill the tube, too. If this happens, its best to ask a member of the test site staff to start again with a new tube.Some tips:
Try starting to pool your drool on your walk or drive to your test, and as you check in, to get the process started.
Q: How long does a saliva test take and when will I get the test results?
A: The testing process should take a few minutes. Results will be available within 24 hours.Resultswill be provided to you on the Safer Badgers app and via themyUHSportal.
Q: What is being done to ensure safety at testing sites?
A: Test sites were evaluated for safety and feasibility by a team including University Health Services; Environment, Health and Safety and Facilities Planning and Management and designed to maintain appropriate physical distancing and low density. Each location is cleaned frequently.
When performed correctly, submitting a saliva sample should not result in creation of aerosols. Sample submission involves drooling into a funnel fitted over a collection tube, so there should be no spitting, forceful throat clearing or other expulsive actions.
We also encourage individuals to wear their face coverings while pooling saliva, in between drooling into the funnel. We ask for patience early on as people adapt to the new approach.
Q: If Ive been vaccinated against COVID-19, do I still need to be tested?
A: While we know that the majority of people who receive the COVID-19 vaccine will have some level of protection against SARS CoV-2, the vaccine efficacy rate is not 100%, which can result in some who are vaccinated contracting and transmitting the virus. Currently, the CDC and WI Department of Health Services recommend that those who receive the vaccine continue to test. The CDC is engaging in research to better define transmission within the population of those who have been vaccinated, but those questions may take six months to a year to answer. Until further research and recommendations by the CDC are available, we are requiring vaccinated individuals to be tested as determined by the campus policies for their population.
Q: Can I take a nasal swab test instead of a saliva-based test?
A: At this time, unless you are a residence hall student or have a medical condition that would interfere with saliva-based testing, you will need to seek on-campus saliva testing.
Q: If I get tested off campus, can I use my results to obtain building access?
A: No, on-campus testing is required for building access.
Q: Does the Safer Badgers app track my location?
A: No, the app does not utilize GPS or geolocation to track your location.
During the setup phase of the app, users will self-select if they wish to use the low energy Bluetooth proximity notification feature. Users can turn this feature off at any time.
Location services are only used for the low energy Bluetooth proximity notification feature of Safer Badgers, to tell you when youve been in proximity to someone who has tested positive. All data is anonymous, meaning as a COVID-19 positive individual, you will not know who is receiving proximity notifications, and as a receiver of a proximity notification you will not know who the notification came from.
ELKINS, W.Va. Free COVID-19 testing is still being offered in Randolph County.
Firefighters and advanced EMTs have been asked to help administer the tests since the National Guard, and other medical personnel has been focusing on administering the Covid vaccine.
Well here today in Elkins they dont have to have symptoms to get a test and thats really good, explained Moriyah Cox with the Mount Hope Fire Department explained. Because if you go to other areas you have to have symptoms and you have to have a scheduled appointment. So, to be able to get the test for free here today, that is really something people should take advantage of, even if you dont have symptoms you could actually have the virus right now.
The county health department had two drive-through sites set up in Elkins and in Mill Creek. More information about testing around the state can be found on the DHHRs website by clicking here.
LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter announced on Jan. 4, that he had tested positive for coronavirus. Today, at the Calcasieu COVID-19 briefing, he detailed his experience with the virus, local medical officials and what the community can do going forward.
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Finding all the correct, viable information about COVID-19 can be confusing even in the best of times. Thats why access to important information such as the COVID-19 vaccine should be made as clear as possible, and so we have created this list. In it we will hopefully guide you on how to navigate the VDH website, along with phone numbers, should there be any user trouble.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and NewYork-Presbyterian today announced the launch of a new COVID-19 vaccination site for New Yorkers at the Fort Washington Armory in Washington Heights. The site, located at 216 Fort Washington Avenue at the corner of 169thStreet, was made possible through the additional partnership of Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Irving Medical Center and is offering COVID-19 vaccinations to individuals over the age of 65 with scheduled appointments only beginning January 14.
New York State's vaccine supply is limited by the federal government. Based on federal guidelines that the state is following more than 7 million New Yorkers are now eligible for the COVID vaccine, but the state only receives approximately 300,000 doses per week from the federal government. As such, the number of available appointments each day will vary based on supply not only at the Fort Washington Armory site, but across the state as well.
"The COVID pandemic has highlighted pre-existing inequity in our society and our healthcare system and as we fight against this virus, we also have to fight back against those forces of inequality,"Governor Cuomo said."NewYork-Presbyterian was one of the most effective hospitals in the early days of our vaccination program, and now we are partnering with them and our Vaccine Equity Task Force to expand their efforts into the community.With partnerships like this, we are making sure New Yorkers of color aren't left behind."
Dr. Steven J. Corwin, President and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian said,"COVID-19 has taken a tragic toll on our communities. Now, after nearly a year on the front lines, we are finally taking the fight to this deadly virus. We are proud to be working with Governor Cuomo and the State to vaccinate as many New Yorkers as possible and begin to restore the health and vitality of the city we all love."
To make an appointment at the Fort Washington Armory site,NewYork-Presbyterian patients aged 65 and older can use theColumbiaDoctors, Weill Cornell Medicine, andNewYork-PresbyterianConnect online patient portal. Patients who do not have a Connect account and people over age 65 who are notColumbiaDoctors, Weill Cornell Medicine, andNewYork-Presbyterian patients can set up an account by visitingVaccineTogetherNY.org.
The Armory is wheelchair accessible and meets ADA accessibility standards. Additionally, the site is staffed by medical staff who speak both Spanish and English. New Yorkers over the age of 65 who have scheduled appointments can access the site via the A and C trains. The train stop for the A and C trains is Broadway and 168th Street.
The establishment of the Fort Washington Armory Vaccination site further builds on the expanded network of vaccination sites established by Governor Cuomo to accelerate the vaccination rate of priority health care workers and begin the vaccination of newly eligible New Yorkers. New York has already opened four state-run vaccination sites atthe Jacob K.JavitsCenter, Westchester County Center, New York State Fair Expo Centerand Jones Beach, with an additional site at SUNY Albany scheduled to open Friday, January 15 at 8 a.m. 15 additional sites are also scheduled to begin operations in the coming days.
Additionally, this site furthers Governor Cuomo's goal of ensuring the fair and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. In late 2020, the Governor announced the launch ofNew York's Vaccine Equity Task Forcechaired by Secretary of State Rossana Rosado, Attorney General Letitia James, National Urban League President & CEO Marc Morial, and Healthfirst President & CEO Pat Wang. Since its establishment, the Task Force has continued work to ensure vulnerable and underserved communities are not left behind by breaking down the barriers to vaccination and ensuring there is equitable distribution of the vaccine across the state.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat said,"It's critical that we make sure the COVID-19 vaccine is available to all New Yorkers, not just those who have better access to health care institutions, and that's why this large-scale vaccination site in Washington Heights is a step in the right direction. I thank Governor Cuomo and NewYork-Presbyterian for their efforts to expand access to the vaccine in our community. This new site will help ensure that vaccine distribution is not just timely, but equitable as well."
Secretary of State and Chair of New York's Vaccine Equity Task Force Rossana Rosado said,"Underserved communities were, and continue to be, hit the hardest during the pandemic. As co-chair of Governor Cuomo's NYS Vaccine Equity Taskforce, weareaddressing this issue head on and are working to reduce barriers and ensure equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccination site at NY Presbyterian ispart of our regional vaccine network that willhelpprovide every New Yorkerwith equal access to the vaccine."
Senator Robert Jackson said, "I am so grateful to NewYork-Presbyterian and NYS Department of Health's combined efforts to expand vaccine clinics to Northern Manhattan. We had zero vaccine sites for far too long, even though the highest rates for infections in the borough have long been in Inwood and Washington Heights. My constituents will now have the opportunity to get the vaccine we all need during this pandemic thanks to their efforts. I look forward to continuing working with the Governor's office building capacity to meet the needs of our community."
Assembly Member Al Taylor said, "COVID-19 hit Harlem and Washington Heights hardest in Manhattan and it is critical our community has access to the COVID vaccine. This large-scale vaccination site is a great start towards ensuring the distribution is equitable for the residents of Northern Manhattan. I thank Governor Cuomo and NewYork-Presbyterian for taking this step in ensuring the vaccine is distributed timely and accessibly. I will continue to work alongside my partners in Government to ensure our residents continue to have access to this much needed vaccine."
Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez said,"Northern Manhattan has some the highest rates of COVID-19 in the borough of Manhattan. I am proud to know that the Armory located in the heart of Washington Heights will be turned into a vaccination site. I thank Governor Cuomo and New York Presbyterian for their help in turning the Armory into a vaccination site. I hope that this is the first of many vaccination sites that we will see open in Northern Manhattan. We are at the home stretch, all New Yorkers must continue doing their part by wearing their masks and staying social distant. We will be working with other partners to ensure that appointments can be made over the phone and in various languages and that we prioritize the underserved communities that were devastated by COVID-19. I will continue to work alongside my colleagues at the City, State, and Federal level to ensure we're keeping all New Yorkers safe."
