Monthly Archives: April 2021

People enjoy the sunset ahead of a curfew as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Frankfurt, Germany, April 23, 2021. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

A third wave of the coronavirus pandemic seems to have peaked in Germany and a record number of vaccinations should help turn the tide, although it is too soon to sound the all-clear as hospitals remain overloaded, health officials said on Thursday.

"The figures must not only stagnate, they must go down," Health Minister Jens Spahn told a news conference, adding that a sustainable fall was a prerequisite for the lockdown to ease.

"Two to three days is not a trend. It is a good signal but what is decisive is to make a trend out of it," he said, adding nearly 1.1 million people were vaccinated on Wednesday, more than 1% of the population and more than on any other day so far.

Germany's seven-day average of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people fell on Thursday for the third day in a row to 155 - its lowest level in two weeks, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed.

The incidence figure - a key metric used by the German government to determine when to tighten or ease lockdowns - hit 169 on Monday, but has fallen each day since then. The last time it was under 160 was on April 14, when the incidence was 153.

RKI President Lothar Wieler cautioned that the pandemic would not be over until it was under control around the world, noting that global cases had risen 24% in the last week.

LOCKDOWNS

New legislation enables the federal government to impose curfews from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in areas where cases exceed 100 per 100,000 residents on three consecutive days. The rules also include stricter limits on private gatherings and shopping.

Schools will have to close and return to online lessons if cases reach 165 per 100,000 residents on three consecutive days.

If the European Union's watchdog approves COVID-19 vaccines for children, Germany will be able to vaccinate under 12-year-olds during the summer holidays at the latest, Spahn said.

The number of new confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 24,736 on Thursday - almost 5,000 fewer than those recorded a week ago - bringing Germany's total caseload since the start of the pandemic to 3,357,268.

The total COVID-19 death toll rose by 264 to 82,544.

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Germany's COVID-19 incidence falls to lowest in 2 weeks - Reuters

Over the past year, many of us traded conference rooms and business casual for Zoom meetings and sweatpants. COVID-19 has had an immense impact on the shape of our day-to-day lives and that includes the waste we discard and how we do so.

And these societal changes, from how we approached our social interactions to how and where we did our jobs this last year, were reflected within our citys recently released 2020 waste diversion data.In reviewing the numbers, we observed a major shift in waste generation from the commercial to the residential sector, mirroring our communitys move from office work to working from home.

Drilling a bit deeper, we saw that single-family homesled the circular economy charge, rerouting nearly 60% of their waste from the landfill, while apartments and townhomes showed the greatest margin for improvement with a diversion rate of roughly 47%.

Overall, 53% more than half of Boulders residential waste was diverted from the landfill last year. These numbers suggest even more reason to rejoice than one might realize at first glance.

Because many of us traded our office lives for remote work this past year, our citys sources of waste changed correspondingly, said Sustainability Data and Policy AnalystLauren Tremblay. More of our waste was generated inside our homes instead of at the office, and yet the data show that our community still honored, and even expanded , their commitment to recycling, reusing and composting.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the data also reflected an uptick in the disposal of one-time-use items, such as masks and cleaning products.

To counter the pandemic-driven, single-use surge, the city launched programs such as a subsidy for sustainable take-out containers.The subsidy both supports community recovery while also helping local restaurants to adopt better materials management during a period of high take-out demand.

Refuse review

The collection of citywide waste diversion data stems from our communitys commitment to meaningful climate action.

In 2006, the City of Boulder adopted a Zero Waste Resolution and the Zero Waste Strategic Plan,establishing a target of 85% waste diversion by 2025. To benchmark our progress in achieving this important sustainability goal, the city tracks waste diversion data, which quantifies how much waste wegenerateas a community and how we dispose of it.

Despite the many challenges COVID-19 brought to our doorsteps, our community continued to make positive strides on our path to becoming a zero-waste city this past year:

We weathered COVID together as a community and are coming out on the other side of the pandemic with an even stronger commitment to sustainability, said Tremblay. This is something to celebrate.

Learn more about Zero Waste Boulder and what you can do to help us achieve our zero-waste goals.

Posted: April 29, 2021

Media Contact

Rebecca Harris Sullivan, 303-441-4367

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Talking Trash in the Time of COVID-19 - City of Boulder

It wasnt the introduction to high finance that Adi Patel had once anticipated.

The stage fright of walking into the imposing offices of a $607 billion asset manager in the heart of a historic financial district? Pandemic era: a five-day induction on Microsoft Teams.

The rip-roaring intensity of the trading floor replete with sharp-suited money managers? Not quite - hunched over a laptop with comfy clothes in a flat-share. Client lunches, and perhaps swapping stories after work with fellow graduates embarking on first steps in finance? Not likely.

The pandemic has put paid to many initial expectations of the financial industry's Class of COVID-19.

That group includes new recruits at finance firms around the world, such as 22-year-old graduate analyst Patel and two dozen or so others hired by Aberdeen Standard Investments.

Six months on, Patel has only been in the office in central Edinburgh a handful of times; like many companies in Britain and beyond, Aberdeen has kept employees largely at home since last March.

"I wasn't worried that the training was virtual, I was just upset that I didn't get to go into the office. Because as a new joiner, as a grad, we want to make those connections," he said, adding that the virtual training went smoothly.

"It's that little social chat that matters. It's very much that sort of thing we've missed out on."

His worries are unlikely to have been soothed by the words of David Solomon, a titan of finance as CEO of Goldman Sachs, who called working from home "an aberration".

Working from home may be here to stay for many finance workers, to a greater or lesser extent.

Reuters interviewed executives at 14 financial firms, including some of the world's top banks and asset management companies. Most said that, while about 80% of their trading floor staff were back in the office, flexible working was in place with employees spending some days at home.

FEAR OF MISSING OUT

On the surface, remote working has worked well in the industry. Deals turnover hit a record $2.4 trillion in the second half of 2020 according to Refinitiv data, while Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and many others reported stellar first-quarter earnings.

But for the star rainmakers and fund managers of tomorrow, the change is disconcerting. And senior executives are worried about these juniors missing out on important experience that could constrain their careers or see them leave for rivals.

Traditionally, new starters learn on the job, observing deals being clinched and performing tasks under supervision. Industry events and client meetings, often in other global finance hubs, offer opportunities to network.

Yet banks such as HSBC (HSBA.L) and Standard Chartered (STAN.L) say they may shed up to 40% of their premises. Drastic cuts to international travel are likely.

Kunal Shah, global head of emerging markets trading at Goldman Sachs, said that while trainees learned by performing tasks such as compiling reports, booking completed trades or writing commentary, senior traders were forced to take back many of those responsibilities during lockdown.

"It is much harder to ask the junior to help with a task when you are sitting at home," he added. "We had to remind managers to put the juniors in such situations so they can learn."

When lockdown restrictions have been relaxed in Britain, many junior traders wanted to return to the office "because they learn from that apprenticeship culture".

VIRTUALLY FALL BEHIND

One key concern is that screen-sharing and video meetings, however helpful, may be a poor substitute for in-person training, especially for those keen on a trading career.

"There's a reason that trading desks have evolved as a centralized hub at the heart of investment teams," said Tom Stevenson, head of EMEA equity trading at Fidelity International.

"You can't get away from the fact that doing it virtually is perhaps not as productive as being all together physically."

JPMorgan's committee for the development of junior markets employees has held video calls to enable trainees to chat with global team members, said Sophie Warrick, EMEA equity research head and co-head of the committee.

Others such as UBS and Deutsche are using a hybrid approach. In Hong Kong, UBS' 49 graduate trainees can mostly go into the office, but in many other centres around the world the training programmes are virtual, according to Maria Chan, the bank's Asia-Pacific head of human resources.

That could create a two-track system.

Warrick said employers would need to wait and see how somebody who had been virtually trained went on to develop in their role, "having not had the in-person training that someone else has had".

At Goldman Sachs, according to Shah, managers tried to virtually replicate the trading floor vibe for the benefit of younger staff.

"So many teams had a rolling Zoom across trading and sales teams where people were just talking in the same way they would if they were in the office," he added.

Some such as Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) hope more money will help; it plans a $20,000 "lifestyle" allowance for junior members of its capital markets and deals teams to maintain morale. read more

BRIGHT MINDS, BIG PAY

Despite pandemic predicaments, finance does not want for bright graduates.

Demand for fresh talent at banks in Britain is at its strongest in years, according to figures compiled for Reuters by recruitment specialists Morgan McKinley and Vacancysoft.

There were 429 vacancies advertised for interns in the first three months of 2021, the highest quarterly number since the beginning of 2018, and about double the levels seen in 2019, before the pandemic struck, the study shows.

The pay packets are part of the draw.

A UK-based investment banking intern can earn around 49,000 pounds ($68,000), rising to 200,000 pounds after a decade on a trading floor, according to Glassdoor, a website where users anonymously submit and view salaries.

Yet it's been tougher to learn the ropes. The leader of currency trading at a global multinational firm, who declined to be named, spoke of the need in the job for "understanding risks, managing risks and managing human behaviours".

"A new grad joined us just before the pandemic and we made it work, but do I think he's got the full worth of his graduate assignment having left university? No."

Finance firms also have a duty of care to safeguard the mental health of younger staff, in particular.

The industry is under scrutiny following reports about overwork and burnout, underlined last month by a memo about the 95-hour working weeks endured by some junior Goldman staff in New York.

Some new starters, accepting that a five-day office week may never return, are getting creative.

Patel and his Aberdeen cohorts use bi-weekly "lunch and learn" meetings to catch up with other graduate hires, the peers who will form the basis of their future professional networks.

"You know, you can't just go for coffee in the middle of the day if your boss lives 20 miles south of the office," he said.

($1 = 0.7197 pounds)

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Class of COVID-19: Next generation of bankers fear for future - Reuters

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Millions of Americans lost their jobs, had work hours reduced or otherwise lost income during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the early days of the pandemic, Forbes Advisor shared the real-life stories of three people filing for unemployment. A year later, we checked in with these three hard-working Americans in New York, Ohio and California to see how theyre doing and how their lives have been affected by the past years events.

The pandemic has prompted a massive outpouring of federal spending for unemployment benefits, stimulus checks and other enhancements to the social safety net. For the first time ever, during the pandemic, federal unemployment benefits are being offered in addition to the state-level benefits that people usually get. For millions of Americans who lost jobs and income through no fault of their own in 2020, these payments have been an economic lifeline.

The three people we interviewed, al, Paul and Austin, are all fortunately still in good health and staying safe from the virus. They also are all still receiving unemployment benefits at various levels. Like many Americans who are in this situation, they have used unemployment benefits to give themselves flexibility for when and how to go back to work, to keep working in their chosen field part time, to plan their next career moves and to look toward the future with greater clarity and confidence.

Here are their stories, along with some updated tips on how to navigate the process of filing for unemployment and the latest benefits from the American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021.

al, known to her Instagram followers and dance scene friends as miss al boogie, is a freelance creative, dancer, actor and singer/songwriter based in New York City. Before the pandemic, she had recently become a member of SAG-AFTRA after appearing in the Amazon Prime Video series, Hunters.

Throughout the past year, al has been receiving unemployment benefits while also working at freelance gigs and on TV and film projects. The New York creative freelance economy has not yet recovered, but it is showing signs of life; she has recently been doing more film work, although its not yet enough to pay her bills on a full-time basis.

I just keep applying and I keep being eligible for now, al says. In a typical week, Ive been receiving $310 from New York and $300 from the expanded federal unemployment benefits, before taxes. And apparently Im going to get some of the money that I paid in taxes for 2020 back, because of the new tax-free unemployment benefits.

Usually, unemployment benefits are considered taxable income. But in the American Rescue Plan, people can now receive a tax break on up to $10,200 of unemployment benefits for 2020. If you lost your job last year and received unemployment benefits, depending on your overall income and tax bracket, you may have some additional tax refund money heading your way from 2020.

al says that the unemployment benefits shes received during the past year have helped her keep working on a flexible basis. Having the safety net of unemployment benefits has enabled her to keep doing her own creative projects and build up her own small business as a freelancer, while also working on paid film projects whenever there is work available.

Unemployment is a great buffer, because it helps me work as much as I can, while staying flexible, al says. When youre doing film work, its typically 12 or 13 hours per day of being on set. So its not the same as a full-time job schedule. I have usually been able to work one or two days a week, depending on the production. Sometimes Ill have enough work so that I dont qualify for the minimum amount of unemployment benefits that week, and thats fine.There are ups and downs, but unemployment has been a good foundation during this crazy year.

According to al, the New York state unemployment filing system has gotten better since the early days of the pandemic. Its definitely gotten easier to file for unemployment each week. The state just sent me an email yesterday asking me if I want to continue receiving benefits, al says. New York contracted with Google to help improve their unemployment site, and the online system has gotten better, but its still hard to get people on the phone.

For people who might be having trouble getting through to the unemployment system or, if you miss your weekly filing deadline, dont panic. You still have options to get the benefits you deserve.

I had one week where I was just really busy and didnt have time to apply for unemployment that week, but it wasnt too late. You can back-certify and get the full amount of benefits for prior weeks, al says. Also, people can call your Congressional Representative if you cant get through to the unemployment system. Your Congressional office has staff who can help you.

Compared to the early days of the pandemic, when New York and the nation were enveloped in uncertainty and dread, al says that shes feeling more hopeful these days.

Im going to stay on the unemployment benefits until they run out, whatever Im eligible for, Im also going to keep working as much as I can, al says. And if I end up saving money, if Im beyond abundant, Im going to give money to mutual aid organizations. Being on unemployment this past year has helped me work smarter. Its giving people the flexibility to make better choices for themselves and take a breath, and make better moves for the future.

Before the pandemic, Paul Horan was working as a commission-based shoe salesman at a high-end retailer in Cleveland. Paul has a health issue that puts him at a higher risk of severe outcomes from Covid-19, so he has been unable to work at an in-person workplace. For the past 12 months, hes been receiving unemployment benefits, staying home and just trying to stay safe from the virus.

Nothings really changed since the last time we talked, Paul says. Im fortunate that Ive been able to stay healthy and stay in the house. Ive been unemployed for so long that my Ohio state benefit year expired [in March]. Ive applied for a renewal but at a lower benefit amount, and they havent decided yet whether or not its going to happen. And even if I get this new benefit year from the state, my weekly benefit amount from Ohio will be going down from like $440 to $275. So I might continue getting $275 per week from Ohio, plus $300 per week from the new federal expanded benefits from the new Biden plan.

Paul says that his states unemployment system is working more efficiently than it was in the early days of the pandemic. I have to file for benefits every week, but the system is working a bit smoother. Im not getting error screens now, Paul says. The work search requirement is suspended, so you dont have to be actively looking for a job during the pandemic. I just file online. I try not to call it in. My boyfriend is on unemployment right now too, and he had to call to file and it was like an hour til he got someone on the phone.

Even though Pauls unemployment benefits are less than they used to be, he is financially stable for now. The more-generous unemployment benefits provided by the CARES Act helped Paul to save money and build an emergency fund. Im actually doing pretty good on savings. Ive managed to save most of my money thats been coming in during this past year, Paul says. So even if my unemployment benefits get cut a bit, Im still in decent financial shape and I think I can get to the other side of this crisis.

Paul is hoping to go back to his old job selling shoes, as soon as he can get fully vaccinated. My current plan is to go back to my old job, once I get vaccinated and it feels safe for me to do that, Paul says. My employer has been great. Theyre not putting any pressure on me to come back before Im ready. I still have my health insurance through my former employer, and its only costing me $180 per month, which was a better deal than my other options.

As he looks back at the past year, Paul never imagined hed be unemployed for so long. I used to think that the Covid-19 situation would get better by late summer 2020, then it got pushed back to the end of 2020, now here we are in spring 2021, Paul says. Im excited to get vaccinated, and I just got my first dose. Im not hurting, money-wise right now. But I want to work. Sitting at home for so long gets really boring. Ill be happy to get back to work once Im vaccinated and the situation improves. Depending on when I can get clearance from my doctor, Im hoping to go back to work at the beginning of June.

Austin lives in Los Angeles and used to work full-time in the restaurant service industry as a repair technician for commercial coffee and espresso machines, but after the pandemic his hours were cut to less than half-time. He also used to work as a youth basketball coach for a travel team, and has done freelance projects as a music producer. All of Austins sources of income were affected by Covid-19.

Austin asked us not to use his last name to avoid bringing unwanted attention to his employers. Due to the reductions in his work hours, he has been receiving unemployment benefits since March 2020.

At my latest part-time job, Ive only been getting about 15 hours of work per week, Austin says. The restaurant and coffee industry seems to be coming back from the pandemic a bit. Things are on the uptick. But its not back to normal yet. I havent been getting enough work hours to stay alive out here.

Austin says that he is currently receiving unemployment benefits from the State of California, as well as from the recent $300 per week of expanded federal unemployment benefits. Unfortunately, he says that the California unemployment system hasnt gotten much more user-friendly since the early days of the pandemic in spring 2020.

Im glad to be receiving the benefits, but it kinda makes you uneasy, knowing how the system can go down for a few days at a time, Austin says. You have to file every two weeks, and the state system hasnt gotten much better. I dont want to have to talk to them on the phoneits just too hard to get in touch with anyone that way.

Austin also ran into a complication where the state made a mistake and stopped paying his benefits for two months. He got it corrected and eventually received back benefits for that two-month period. Ive been in the unemployment system for a whilethey should know who I am by nowbut the system started asking for an extra level of ID verification and they didnt pay me for two months. I eventually got it sorted out, Austin says. Its just hard when youre in a situation where youre not doing anything wrong, but you get caught up in the bureaucracy.

Austin has been using the extra free time during the pandemic to work on his physical and mental health. Ive been doing an intense exercise regimen with kettlebell workouts, and swimming in the ocean, even on the coldest days, Austin says. I have a sense of wholesome spitefulness about this year. Its like the virus and the economy and the government have all been plotting my downfall, so now Im responding with a self-love mechanism, Im going full-blast on self-improvement.

Austin is hoping to make a career change, and get into doing music production work full-time. Ive already been doing music production on the side, a few paid projects here and there, but I really want to get my foot in the door of the industry and make it my full-time career, he says. I am potentially going to have a chance to get hired by a music house that makes custom music for advertisements and YouTube videos and online content. I know Im good at music and its something I can do online, working remotely. Being in the restaurant industry this past year, you see how susceptible you are, and how little is in your control.

Despite the challenges of the past year, Austin feels grateful for what he has, and is hopeful for the future. Hes hoping to start coaching youth basketball again after he gets vaccinated; hes looking forward to giving his mom and dad a hug.

Im a single person, and that helps, he says. I cant imagine how stressed out Id be if I had a family to provide for right now. I like L.A. I have a good community that Ive built here. Ive managed to keep paying the bills. Ive got a good relationship with my landlord. Im thankful for everything right now, because I know people who have fallen on very hard times. I have my health, so Im the wealthiest person on Earth.

Millions of Americans have lived through a time of unprecedented uncertainty and stress, when everyday life was turned upside down. Butjust as in every crisispeople are making the best of the situation and responding with resilience and courage. Unemployment benefits have helped people have financial stability and a greater sense of gratitude and optimism. If youre receiving unemployment benefits, hopefully you can use this time as an occasion to rest, recover and plan for your next opportunity in life.

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One Year Later: Real Stories Of Filing For Unemployment During Covid-19, Revisited - Forbes

Empty Seine river banks are seen after police forced crowds of people not respecting social distancing to leave, amid coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, on a sunny afternoon in Paris, France March 6, 2021. REUTERS/Michel Rose

France will start relaxing a nightly curfew and allow cafes, bars and restaurants to offer outside service from May 19, as President Emmanuel Macron charts a way out of a third COVID-19 lockdown.

Macron, who is under pressure from business groups and a COVID-weary public to open up the economy again, announced in an interview with the regional papers a four-phase plan for unwinding France's month-long stay-at-home order.

The easing will come despite the numbers of new daily cases and COVID-19 patients being treated in intensive care being far higher than when the two previous lockdowns were rolled back. Macron said the vaccine rollout made this possible.

"I have never gambled on the health and safety of our citizens," Macron said. "I take responsibility for the choices I make, but these are never bets."

The plan envisages the nightly curfew being pushed back to 2100 from 1900 CET from May 19 and to 2300 from June 9, before being scrapped completely on June 30.

Museums, cinemas and theatres will also be allowed to reopen on May 19. Foreign tourists with a "health pass" will be allowed to visit France again from June 9, according to the timetable published by Ouest France and other newspapers.

The timetable is provisional and could be delayed on a region-by-region basis in areas where intensive care units are close to saturation or the COVID-19 incidence rate exceeds 400 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

'EMERGENCY BRAKE'

"We will be able to pull an emergency brake in territories where the virus is too present," Macron said.

The incidence rate in Paris and its surrounds was an average 459 per 100,000 people in the seven days up to April 25 and is falling, data showed. Ile de France is home to nearly a fifth of France's population and accounts for 30% of economic activity.

About 22% of all French citizens have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a Reuters tracker.

Accelerating the rollout in France, Europe and in developing countries is paramount to push back against the virus, Macron said.

Opening up the vaccine to more people in France, Macron said COVID shots would be made available to all obese adults from May 1.

Macron said France could use a digital or paper-based 'health pass' to help curb the spread of the virus at events with large crowds such as sport stadia or festivals. But he said it would not be right to use them at everyday venues like restaurants or cinemas.

"A health pass will never be a right of access that differentiates the French," the president said. "As it pertains to public liberties, parliament will debate the matter."

Frances main COVID-19 indicators all showed some signs of improvement on Wednesday, with the seven-day moving average of daily new infections falling to 27,366 compared with 38,000 when the lockdown began.

France has recorded 5.57 million COVID-19 cases and 103,947 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

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France's Macron charts way out of third COVID-19 lockdown - Reuters

(WXYZ) The State of Michigan announced Thursday plans for reopening Michigan which will be tied to COVID-19 vaccination rates.

According to the announcement, some restrictions will be lifted when more than half of Michiganders have had at least their first dose. The state has a goal to get 70% of the population vaccinated to near herd immunity.

The breakdown for the loosened restrictions & vaccination rates is below.

As of Thursday, there have been 6,657,997 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine administered. About 48.8% of Michiganders ages 16 and up have had at least one dose, and 35.9% of Michiganders ages 16 and up are fully vaccinated.

The MI Vacc to Normal challenge outlines steps we can take to emerge from this pandemic as we hit our vaccination targets together, Whitmer said in a release. On our path to vaccinating 70% of Michiganders 16 and up, we can take steps to gradually get back to normal while keeping people safe. If you havent already, I encourage you to rise to the challenge and be a part of the solution so we can continue our economic recovery and have the summer we all crave.

The safe and effective vaccine is the most important tool we have to reduce the spread of COVID-19 Khaldun added in a release. By getting shots in their arms as soon as possible, Michiganders can protect themselves, their families and their communities and help end this pandemic as quickly as possible.

Our state had made great progress in slowing the spread of COVID-19 since Governor Whitmer asked for Michiganders to step up on April 9, Hertel said. I am proud of the progress that we have made by working together. If residents continue to get their vaccines, wear masks and avoid indoor gatherings, we will soon be able to take further steps to loosen our public health requirements and better be able to enjoy the activities that we all love.

Following the plan announcement, the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association released a statement that reads in part:

Additional Coronavirus information and resources:

View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.

See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.

Visit our The Rebound Detroit, a place where we are working to help people impacted financially from the coronavirus. We have all the information on everything available to help you through this crisis and how to access it.

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COVID-19 restrictions will lift in Michigan based on vaccination rates, state announces - WXYZ

As the United States marches on in its mass vaccination efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, companies are looking to a not-too-distant future in which employees will have the option of returning to the office. In the year plus that staff have been working remotely, much has changed. Aside from the pandemic itself, the nation has been continually embroiled in national headlines focused on social justice issues.

These issues have had a measurable impact on certain employee values, and companies should pay attention to how those views might impact their attractiveness as an employer, as well as employee morale and engagement. A recent report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), The Network, and Appcast found strong employee preferences and attitudes in the areas of diversity and inclusion (D&I) and flexible working arrangements.

Specifically, the report found that:

While many employees and employers are eager to get back to normal after more than a year away from the office, the normal of early 2020 is long gone.

Broadly speaking, employees have gotten a taste of remote work, and they like it. Moreover, a number of tragic, high-profile incidents over the last year have grabbed headlines and caused a national reckoning on race and social justice in America. While employers generally try to keep potentially controversial subjects out of the office, at least in theory, the blurred lines between work and home while working remotely combined with sentiments on social justice issues makes that separation extremely difficult in practice.

How employers change workplace policies, if at all, to address these changes is likely to be a key factor in their long-term culture as their staffs reenter the physical workplace in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Continue reading here:

How COVID-19 and Social Justice Movements Have Impacted Employee Values - HR Daily Advisor - HR Daily Advisor

Holmes County, Ohio, General Health District staff members (from left) Michael Derr, Jennifer Talkington and Abbie Benton prepare materials for a COVID-19 vaccine clinic this month inside St. Peter's Catholic Church in Millersburg. Anna Huntsman/WCPN hide caption

Holmes County, Ohio, General Health District staff members (from left) Michael Derr, Jennifer Talkington and Abbie Benton prepare materials for a COVID-19 vaccine clinic this month inside St. Peter's Catholic Church in Millersburg.

The Amish communities of northeast Ohio engage in textbook communal living. Families eat, work and go to church together, and through the pandemic, mask-wearing and social distancing have been spotty. As a result, these communities have experienced some of the state's highest rates of infection and deaths.

Nevertheless, health officials are struggling to get residents vaccinated. Holmes County, where half of the population is Amish, has the lowest vaccination rate in Ohio, with just 10% of its roughly 44,000 residents fully vaccinated.

Less than 1% of Amish have received any doses of vaccine, according to Michael Derr, the county's health commissioner.

In an effort to increase that number, health officials are holding vaccination clinics in rural areas. They've also reached out to bishops and community leaders to spread the word about the safety of the vaccines. Still, few Amish residents are showing up to the health department's clinics.

Marcus Yoder, who lives in Holmes County, was born Amish and is now Mennonite and still has close ties to the Amish community. He says the few Amish who are getting vaccinated are doing so privately through doctors' offices and small rural clinics and they are keeping it to themselves.

"There were Amish people getting the vaccination the same day I was ... and we all kind of looked at each other and smiled underneath our masks and assumed that we wouldn't say that we saw them," Yoder says.

He says many Amish don't want to get vaccinated because they already had COVID-19 and believe the area has reached herd immunity.

Another main driving force is "the misinformation about COVID itself that it's not more serious than the flu," says Yoder, who runs a history center about the Amish and Mennonite. "They're saying, 'Well, it didn't affect me that much. Look at all these old people who survived.' "

A man zips by on a walking and biking trail in Holmes County, home to one of the largest settlements of Amish in the United States. Anna Huntsman/WCPN hide caption

A man zips by on a walking and biking trail in Holmes County, home to one of the largest settlements of Amish in the United States.

Some Amish residents are skeptical of the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines, and anti-vaccination conspiracy theories also spread throughout the community. There is also a lack of awareness about the more contagious variants spreading across the country, Yoder says.

"I think we're going to see some more cases in our community, unfortunately, because of this," he says. "There simply is a lot of COVID news fatigue. They simply do not want to hear about it, and that's really unfortunate."

While some sort of herd immunity could explain why Holmes currently has a low incidence of new cases, Derr at the health department is concerned that those who previously had the virus may not be protected.

"As a region, we definitely surged over the winter, and we know that that happened about 90 days ago," Derr says. "We're primed and ready for another surge because we're not vaccinating enough."

Health officials in Indiana and Pennsylvania which, combined with Ohio account for the largest Amish communities also are ramping up outreach in heavily Amish areas. Local health departments in Pennsylvania's Lancaster County, home to the largest Amish population in the country, are connecting with Amish bishops to try to spread the word about the vaccines.

The widespread reluctance to get vaccinated in Amish communities is not surprising to West Virginia University sociologist Rachel Stein, who studies Amish populations across the country.

"We as non-Amish are more on board with preventative medicine," Stein says. "They certainly don't have that mindset that we need to do things to stop this from happening."

Instead, she says there's an acceptance that people will get sick and get better or not. While childhood vaccinations have increased in Ohio's Amish communities in recent years, adults are still more hesitant, she adds.

"There's oftentimes frequent breakouts of whooping cough in a settlement, and it's just like ... 'This is happening now. We're in whooping cough season, and so it's time to deal with this sort of thing,' " she says.

In 2014, a measles outbreak spread rapidly through Ohio's largely unvaccinated Amish communities. Even after this experience, many Amish residents still choose not to vaccinate their children against other diseases.

The low vaccination interest in Holmes County tracks national trends showing residents of rural areas are less likely to consider getting vaccinated.

A recent poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation found 3 in 10 rural residents will "definitely not" get the COVID-19 vaccine unless it is mandated.

Yoder says he thinks the best path forward is to encourage Amish residents who were vaccinated to talk openly about their positive experience getting the shots.

"I think that hammering people for not doing it will not get us anywhere," Yoder says. "Some of the local business leaders have done very, very well at saying, 'Look, let's get the vaccination so we don't have to wear masks in the future, so we don't have to worry about social distancing as much in the future.' And they've used that tact and that has been a healthy way to approach it."

Derr, the Holmes County health commissioner, is trying to get business owners who employ Amish workers to encourage their staff to get the shot. Officials hope eventually to hold vaccine clinics at these businesses and take the shots to them, but not every business owner is on board with that yet, he says.

"People are going to listen to their friends and their family, people who they interact with more, and it's going to be that telephone effect," Derr says. "The more and more people we tell about it and the better experiences they have, word will get around."

Derr expects more Amish will get vaccinated in the fall after the shots have been around for some time but worries the community could see a spike in cases long before then.

This story comes from NPR's partnership with Cleveland's ideastream and Kaiser Health News.

Read more:

Amish In Ohio Aren't Getting Vaccinated Despite High COVID Infections, Deaths : Shots - Health News - NPR

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of April 28, 2021, there have been 2,696,061 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 152,301 total cases and 2,673 total deaths.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of an 83-year old male from Putnam County, a 59-year old male from Raleigh County, an 83-year old female from Barbour County, a 72-year old female from Raleigh County, an 81-year old female from Mineral County, a 48-year old female from Lewis County, a 53-year old male from Raleigh County, a 74-year old male from Hancock County, a 73-year old female from Logan County, a 75-year old male from Kanawha County, and a 76-year old male from Mineral County.

As we extend our deepest sympathies to the loved ones, we also encourage all West Virginians to recognize the continued need to take every possible step to slow the spread of this disease, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary.

CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (1,385), Berkeley (11,978), Boone (1,937), Braxton (887), Brooke (2,152), Cabell (8,557), Calhoun (281), Clay (469), Doddridge (563), Fayette (3,352), Gilmer (750), Grant (1,251), Greenbrier (2,716), Hampshire (1,751), Hancock (2,740), Hardy (1,486), Harrison (5,543), Jackson (1,974), Jefferson (4,477), Kanawha (14,493), Lewis (1,149), Lincoln (1,432), Logan (3,005), Marion (4,279), Marshall (3,336), Mason (1,968), McDowell (1,531), Mercer (4,657), Mineral (2,809), Mingo (2,473), Monongalia (9,061), Monroe (1,099), Morgan (1,114), Nicholas (1,561), Ohio (4,112), Pendleton (696), Pleasants (853), Pocahontas (658), Preston (2,837), Putnam (4,945), Raleigh (6,477), Randolph (2,517), Ritchie (675), Roane (594), Summers (782), Taylor (1,207), Tucker (524), Tyler (679), Upshur (1,839), Wayne (2,967), Webster (466), Wetzel (1,261), Wirt (388), Wood (7,653), Wyoming (1,955).

Delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from the local health department to DHHR. As case surveillance continues at the local health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain county may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual in question may have crossed the state border to be tested.

Free pop-up COVID-19 testing is available today in Barbour, Berkeley, Doddridge, Jefferson, Lincoln, Marshall, Morgan, Ohio, Putnam, Tyler/Wetzel, and Wayne counties.

Barbour County

9:00 AM 11:00 AM, Barbour County Health Department, 109 Wabash Avenue, Philippi, WV

1:00 PM 5:00 PM, Junior Volunteer Fire Department, 331 Row Avenue, Junior, WV

Berkeley County

10:00 AM 5:00 PM, 891 Auto Parts Place, Martinsburg, WV

10:00 AM 5:00 PM, Ambrose Park, 25404 Mall Drive, Martinsburg, WV

Doddridge County

10:00 AM 2:00 PM, Doddridge County Park, 1252 Snowbird Road, West Union, WV

Jefferson County

10:00 AM 6:00 PM, Hollywood Casino, 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, WV

12:00 PM 5:00 PM, Shepherd University Wellness Center Parking Lot, 164 University Drive, Shepherdstown, WV

Lincoln County

Marshall County

Morgan County

11:00 AM 4:00 PM, Valley Health War Memorial Hospital, 1 Health Way, Berkeley Springs, WV

Ohio County

11:00 AM 4:00 PM, Wheeling Island Fire Station No. 5, 11 North Wabash Street, Wheeling, WV

Putnam County

Tyler/Wetzel Counties

Wayne County

10:00 AM 2:00 PM, Kenova Police Department, 1501 Pine Street, Kenova, WV

See more here:

COVID-19 Daily Update 4-28-2021 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

Drugmakers who seized the opportunity to develop vaccines against the coronavirus are on their way to reaping significant revenues.

Exactly how much money is on the table?

In its annual forecast for global drug spending, the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science putthe figure at $157 billion through 2025.

Its one of the many intriguing projections in this edition of IQVIA's annual drug spendingforecast, the groups first since the coronavirus pandemic put the worldwide economy on tilt.

For example,IQVIA projects global spending on medicines to reach $1.6 trillion by 2025, an increase from $1.25 trillion in 2019,representing annual growth of 3% to 6%. The $1.6 trillion figure does not include spending on coronavirus vaccines.

We reflect what we expect to be happening over the next five years in terms of the drivers of change in demand for medicines and spending on medicines,IQVIA executive director Murray Aitken explained in an interview.

In regard to global COVID-19 vaccine spending,IQVIA projects roughly $53 billion this year and $51billion in 2022. The group sees a precipitous drop in total spending in 2023, to roughly $23 billion.

RELATED: The $38B pie: Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 vaccines set for lions share of 2021 sales

The spending decrease over time can be attributed mostly to a drop in price rather than demand, Aitken said. While IQVIAputs the average cost per dose at $22 this year and $19 in 2022, Aitkensees prices falling to approximately $9 per dose by 2023, then to $7 by 2024 and all the way to $5 by 2025.

We think the prices will keep coming down as we get beyond this immediate period of trying to get everyone vaccinated, Aitken said. There are 11 vaccines in use in one part of the world or the other and there may be more coming, so we can expect that prices will decline over time.

Other factors that will influence global vaccine spending include an increased availability of single-shot options, an increased supply to developing countries and the need for booster shots for those who have already been vaccinated.

In coming to its estimates, IQVIA also took into consideration planned global manufacturing capacity, vaccinations to date, announced rollout strategies and company contracts.

The group assumed an average of 1.8 vaccine doses per person this year and next. From 2023 to 2025, when boosters will presumably be in use and more single-shot vaccinations will be available,IQVIA shifts the average to 1.3 doses per person.

RELATED: COVID-19 vaccine players will split $100B in sales and $40B in profits, with Moderna leading the way: analyst

Another assumption in the model: IQVIA believes that by the end this year, 40% of the worlds population will be in countries that have achieved herd mentality. By the end of 2022, 70% of the worlds population will be vaccinated.

For the purpose of the estimate, IQVIA also assumed one-shot boosters on a two-year cycle in the 2023 to 2025 period, though this issue has yet to be resolved by vaccine producers.

Making projectionsduring a pandemic is risky business,IQVIA admits in itsreport.

The impact of COVID-19 defied expectations throughout 2020 but the evolution from pandemic to endemic is reasonably certain even if the interplay between vaccination levels and periodic outbreaks around the world remains challenging to predict," the group said.

Link:

Just how much COVID-19 vaccine money is on the table? A whopping $157B through 2025, report says - FiercePharma