Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

Belmont needs to do better.

The release of the universitys COVID-19 vaccination rates Tuesday showed only 63% of students received vaccinations against the virus. The university strongly encourages the vaccine on a voluntary basis, but as case numbers start to rise once again at Belmont and beyond this time with deadlier, more contagious variants in the mix its clear that strong encouragement isnt enough.

The upward trends in case frequncy tell an all-too-familiar story, and last year, that story ended with campus abandoned and students isolated.

Belmont needs to take the next step when it comes to protecting our community by mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for students, faculty and staff.Taking into account legitimate medical and religious exemptions, every member of our Belmont community needs to get the vaccine; after seeing Tuesdays report and its dismal figures, a mandate seems to be the only thing that will make it happen.

As of Friday, over 700 colleges in the U.S., both public and private, require students to have theCOVID-19 vaccination in order to attend.

Belmont can take action now to join those ranks. In doing so, we can acknowledge what it truly means to love your neighbor and protect those who are most vulnerable.

Almost all serious and fatal COVID-19 cases now occur among the unvaccinated. At the beginning of the pandemic, it was age and underlying conditions that determined your risk of hospitalization or death from COVID-19. Now, its vaccine status.

Fully vaccinated individuals account for only 6.5% of new COVID-19 cases, according to a Houston study referenced by the CDC. Breakthrough infections happen, but, in the vast majority of cases, people who have been vaccinated avoid a trip to the hospital.

In addition, many routine shots are already required by the university. Mandating a vaccine to protect against COVID-19 would not be unprecedented in the slightest. Before they are allowed to attend, students are required to file immunization records showing vaccines against hepatitis B, meningitis, chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough.

Point being, vaccine mandates at Belmont already exist and are observed with no issue.

There is no excuse not to require another fully approved vaccine that can prevent a disease responsible for 4.55 million deaths worldwide in less than two years.

Upper administration strongly encourages all students to get the COVID-19 vaccine, so what is holding up a mandate? The answer is politics, and as excuses go, that one is pretty lousy. COVID-19 is an issue of public health, not public opinion, and the best way to slow the spread of the virus and to prevent infection by delta or other variants is to get vaccinated, according to experts at the CDC.

People use politics to justify a lot of bad decisions. If we allow fear of controversy to dictate our own safety, we are setting a precedent for the university to make decisions not because they are in our communitys best interest, but because they will invite the least amount of backlash. That is dangerous.

In refusing to mandate the vaccine at the university, we are giving oxygen to the thoroughly disproven dialogue coming from the most polarizing vaccine deniers. That is dangerous.

With city-wide restrictions lifted and the booming Nashville social scene open again, the bars are open and bands are back in town. It is inevitable that Bruins will want to live this year up to its full potential, but without the vaccine to protect our community, students risk being carriers in a chain of transmission that could end with someone losing their life.

That is dangerous.

Masks and social distancing served as the tourniquet to stop the bleeding, but vaccinations are what will close and heal the wound.

We have to stop living in the past when it comes to this pandemic.

We have to mandate the vaccine. We have to move forward.

This op-ed was written by Anna Jackson and Sarah Maninger. More information about Belmonts current health and safety policies can be found on the university webpage for COVID-19 data reporting.

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OPINION: Belmont must join other US universities in mandating the COVID-19 vaccine - Belmont Vision

Texas A&M announced university COVID-19 vaccination incentives for staff and students in a university wide email on Sept. 3.

Fully vaccinated students and staff can submit proof of vaccination to enter to win large prizes by Oct. 14. The drawing for prizes will take place on Oct. 15, overseen by Ingram, Wallis & Co., P.C.

According to the email, five graduate or undergraduate students will receive $14,500 to use toward educational purposes including tuition and fees. Additionally, five faculty members have the chance to receive a variety of prizes.

Meanwhile, five Texas A&M or A&M System employees will be able to choose from two football Flex Packs, a $500 gift card to Barnes & Noble, a campus parking permit, membership to the Student Recreation Center or season tickets for OPAS or the Brazos Valley Symphony, the email reads.

A&M is still offering COVID-19 vaccines free of charge on campus for those wishing to get immunized before they are due for the drawing.

According to the email, the following requirements must be met in order to enter the random drawing:

"Individuals must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 either one or two shots depending on the type of vaccine and manufacturer.

Individuals must submit their entry form directly to A&M's incentive program.

Individuals must be either enrolled or employed at A&M or one of the A&M System agencies, which are outlined in the programs terms and conditions."

If you have lost your vaccination card, you can contact your vaccine provider and ask for a copy of it from the Texas Immunization Registry, which keeps vaccine records for the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Read more:

A&M announces COVID-19 vaccine incentives | News | thebatt.com - Texas A&M The Battalion

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) People visiting the Southlands Shopping Center on Saturday had the opportunity to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

I thought it was going to be a bit longer, but it wasnt, just in and out, Thomas Fallon of Westminster said.

The states mobile vaccination site parked at the shopping center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Its part of a statewide push to get more people vaccinated as hospitalizations surge.

I feel a lot safer, I also feel like the people around me are a lot more safe, Elijah Goldberry said.

The mobile vaccination site will be back at the Southlands Shopping Center on Saturday, Sep. 25.

Click here for more information on Colorado mobile vaccine clinics.

Continued here:

COVID vaccination bus stops at Southlands Shopping Center - FOX 31 Denver

PRAIRIE DU SAC (WKOW) -- The Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw has been a Prairie du Sac staple since 1975. This year, there was a new addition to the festival: coronavirus vaccines.

Sauk Prairie Healthcare teamed up with the festival to offer free COVID-19 shots to people at the event.

"Sauk Prairie Healthcare is interested in getting as many vaccines into people's arms as we can," Ken Carlson said. "We don't want to miss any opportunity to do that, and where people are maybe on the fence, we also want to be available to provide information as much as possible about COVID-19 vaccines."

Those who got their first shot are eligible for Wisconsin's $100 vaccine incentive.

However, Carlson said he wasn't expecting a lot of people to get the shot, even with the incentive.

"Our expectations for the number of people that come in and get vaccinated isn't through the roof because we know it's just one at a time," he said. "We've been pleased that in the first two couple of hours of operation we've gotten about five or six that have come through."

The main draw of the festival is the cow chip throwing contest, where participants try to toss their dried cow manure the furthest.

The throw didn't happen in 2020 because of the pandemic, and organizer Eddie Egan said that made this year's event even more special.

'It's nice to be back again," he said. "We hated to lose last year, but it's really fun to be out with the community again for this year."

More:

Cow chips and COVID-19 vaccines: Wisconsin festival partners with vaccine clinic - WKOW

Federal officials want to remind people that making fake coronavirus vaccine cards is a crime.

The Department of Homeland Security agents in Seattle recently intercepted a shipment of counterfeit COVID-19 vaccine cards bound for Idaho, according to a tweet from the field office.

Maderna or anyway you spell it, making counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination cards is a federal crime! the field office said in a tweet.

Seattle Homeland Security agents and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol reportedly intercepted the phony vaccine cards being shipped into the United States.

The cards were bound for Idaho, though Homeland Security did not specify where in the Gem State the counterfeit cards were headed.

In a statement to The Idaho Statesman, Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer who oversees all Homeland Security Investigations operations in the Pacific Northwest said specific charges for this case will be determined by the U.S. Attorneys Office. Hammer added that the matter is still under investigation.

What is important for the public to know is that purchasing these or any counterfeit items is a waste of money, and there will be legal consequences for presenting them in place of real vaccination cards, Hammer said in a statement. There are multiple federal statutes on the books that have already been used in charging individuals at the federal level for partaking in these fake COVID vaccination card schemes.

Earlier this week, an Illinois woman was arrested in Hawaii after she tried to use a fake vaccine card to bypass the states strict quarantine measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Authorities raised suspicion when they noticed her COVID-19 vaccine card misspelled Moderna as Maderna, according to Hawaii News Now, a local news outlet.

Excerpt from:

Homeland Security Agents Intercept Counterfeit COVID-19 Vaccine Cards Headed to Idaho - bigcountrynewsconnection.com

COVID-19 and children under 12: How the pandemic affects the unvaccinated

COVID-19 cases have spiked among children especially those under 12 who are unvaccinated. Heres how to protect them.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

Just ahead of the Labor Day holiday, three of the biggest health providers in the region hosteda virtual press conferenceto talk about the severity of the COVID-19 surge.

Via a Zoom conference on Thursday, Dr. Todd Davis, chief physician executive for CaroMont Health, Dr. Sid Fletcher, senior vice president and chief clinical officer for Novant Health, and Dr. Katie Passaretti, epidemiologist and medical director of infection prevention for Atrium Health, urged the public to follow the latest CDC guidance this holiday weekend and to get the vaccine to fight against the delta variant.

Virus surge in schools:Gaston County public schools top 100 COVID-19 cases in first week of class

Forty-sevenguests attended the press conference to learn about the doctors' concerns as the variant becomes the most contagious strand of COVID-19.

"We've come together to really try to share with you the impact that we're seeing within the community so that you have an awareness about that and so that we share that with the public at large and kind of let you know that we're in this as a united front," said Fletcher.

As residents of all communities are welcoming the holiday by resting, watching footballor attending a gathering with friends, health professionals are urging those with these plans to take extreme precautions to avoid a further COVID-19 spread.

"There are a lot of concerns right now. We are at a challenging point in the pandemic. Holiday gatherings and travels are certainly a concern as we may see an increase of cases on top of our already high level," said Passaretti.

"Everyone wants to have a great holiday weekend, but please be careful. If you are going to a crowded setting, wear that mask. Do what you can to prevent spreading."

The doctors asked people to limit travel plans while the number of cases is high. A large number of indoor gatherings are also a concern.

According to the data shared by the three health organizations, there's currently an average of 933 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in the area, with 92% of those patients being unvaccinated.

"That's very concerning for us," said Fletcher.

Of those,22%are in ICU with 97% on a ventilator.

According to Fletcher, the majority of patients admitted for COVID-19 are of young age in comparison to the majority of patients admitted at the beginning of the pandemic being of an older age.

"We're seeing patients who predominantly are not vaccinated, which is particularly heartbreaking for us because this seems to be preventable, and part of the appeal that we're going to give you is that you do things to proactively protect yourself, to protect your families and to protect the people that you love," said Davis.

News:Gastonia to continue free bus fares into November amid COVID-19 pandemic

During the discussion, doctors spoke frankly about the concern for capacity at area hospitals.

"Quite frankly, beds are scarce. We are running short on resources and certainly, that's very concerning to us. Itsurrounds difficulties in the capabilities that we have in the hospitals for both medical research capabilities and in particular in intensive care unit capabilities.," said Fletcher.

In addition to concerns about the surge of cases, the physicians talked about the strain on medical professionals to treat the staggering number of patients.

"The thing that we're most challenged by is really staffing. That'sdifferent than what we saw early in the pandemic. So right now we're functioning, but we are really just managing that, and we are incredibly full," said Fletcher.

The trio agreed that COVID-19 is "largely preventable illness," but vaccines are not being taken advantage of to fight the illness. They imploredthe community to help by taking the vaccineto protect themselves and free up time and attention for patients battling other illnesses.

"Our staff are tired andare trying to do everything they can to do to help you, but we would like our community now to start helping themselves as well," said Davis.

The number of newly vaccinated residents continues to decline even after the FDA announced its approval for the Pzifer vaccine, so the encouragement to get vaccinated was not a missing topic of conversation during the conference.

Passaretti acknowledged that somevaccinated peoplehave gotten COVID-19, but the difference istheir cases were mild in comparison to those not vaccinated.

When asked about the outlook if the vaccination rate doesn'timprove, doctors expressed their concern of what is to come.

"Frankly, we don't know. We have tried to model this, but the delta variant is behaving differently than the previous variant that we had to manage. What we're fearful of is if we do not reach community herd protection rates, that we could be experiencing this pandemic for a very prolonged period of time," said Davis.

Beatriz Guerrero can be reached at 704-869-1828 or on Twitter@BeatrizGue_

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Local physicians talk COVID-19, vaccines and holiday gatherings - Gaston Gazette

British health officials have refused to approve COVID-19 vaccinations for healthy children aged 12-15 years old.

Ministers have asked the officials to review the guidance in light of possible issues that might arise as the school term gets under way. The current guidance would allow for teens with underlying conditions or vulnerable parents to get the shot.

The decision on healthy children was based on concern over an extremely rare side effect of the Pfizer vaccine that causes heart inflammation, the BBC reported.

COVID-19 BOOSTER SHOTS: HEALTH AGENCIES ADVISE THEY NEED MORE DATA BEFORE ISSUING GUIDANCE

"The margin of benefit is considered too small to support universal COVID-19 vaccination for this age group at this time," said Wei Shen Lim, chair of COVID immunization for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI). "The committee will continue to review safety data as they emerge."

The current program, which already includes some children with preexisting conditions, will now extend to include children with chronic heart, lung and liver conditions accounting for some 200,000 children who previously did not qualify, according to The Telegraph.

CORONAVIRUS IN THE US: STATE-BY-STATE BREAKDOWN

"The reason we decided to vaccinate those children with two doses is that we were looking at health benefits to the children themselves," said Anthony Harnden, deputy chair of the JCVI. "This was a really, really strong mental health issue in that if that child gave Covid to their parent or grandparent who lived with them who is immuno-suppressed, and they ended up with harm and even death from COVID, then it was going to haunt these youngsters for the rest of their lives."

"We thought that that mental health burden was so important that they would be put within those groups of children that would be having vaccinations for health reasons," he added.

FAUCHI: MU COVID VARIANT NOT AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO AMERICANS

The chief medical officers of the four U.K. nations will not further evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of vaccinating the age group.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The government had already announced preparations to provide shots to children in the age group starting in early September. The Department of Health and Social Care said that it wanted to be "ready to hit the ground running."

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COVID-19 vaccines: British health officials refuse to approve shots for healthy children ages 12-15 - Fox News

Opinion: Honor and protect Georgias workers by taking the COVID-19 vaccination  Atlanta Journal Constitution

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Opinion: Honor and protect Georgias workers by taking the COVID-19 vaccination - Atlanta Journal Constitution

(Leah Hogsten | Salt Lake Tribune file photo) The Utah Symphony seen here performing for fifth-grade students and Utah Opera will require ticket-holders to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test result, starting Sept. 16, 2021, USUO announced on Sept. 3, 2021.

| Sep. 4, 2021, 7:59 p.m.

People attending the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera will have to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a recent negative test result, starting Sept. 16.

Utah Symphony | Utah Opera announced the policy Friday. It covers the symphonys concerts at Abravanel Hall and the opera companys performances at the Capitol Theatre.

Ticket holders will have to show proof that they have been fully vaccinated, or evidence of a negative test result taken within 72 hours of the performance. Home tests are not acceptable. They also will have to show a valid photo ID.

Face coverings are required for the symphonys Abravanel Hall shows before Sept. 16 Celebracin Sinfnica! next Wednesday and a live-accompaniment screening of Star Wars, Episode VI: Return of the Jedi on Sept. 9 and 10. Masks are strongly encouraged for the symphonys outdoor concert, on Sept. 11 at Sandy Promenade, to mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

The symphony and opera also will continue to require face coverings for anyone not vaccinated including children under age 12, who are not eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. Those who are vaccinated still are strongly encouraged to wear a mask.

Both Abravanel Hall and the Capitol Theatre are operated by Salt Lake County but because the county contracts out to the symphony and opera, private nonprofit organizations, the venues are not covered by state law that prohibits government entities from creating a vaccination requirement.

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Proof of COVID-19 vaccination, or a negative test result, will be required to attend Utah Symphony and Utah Opera shows - Salt Lake Tribune

Home News-Free LSU Health Shreveport COVID-19 vaccine and testing closed Labor Day Weekend

In observance of Labor Day, all LSU Health Shreveport COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites will be closed Saturday, September 4 Monday, September 6. Services will resume at 10AM on Tuesday, September 7.

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LSU Health Shreveport COVID-19 vaccine and testing closed Labor Day Weekend - Bossier Press-Tribune Online