Monthly Archives: August 2021

August 29, 2021 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), in partnership with local officials, will establish a new COVID-19 therapeutic infusion center in Tyler. The infusion center will begin accepting patients on Tuesday and has been provided with Regeneron's monoclonal antibodies to treat outpatient cases of COVID-19 who have a referral from a doctor. This treatment is available at no cost to the patient. Local partners include Smith County, Northeast Texas Public Health District, UT Health East Texas, and Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System.The new infusion center in Tyler, which is the second currently operating in East Texas, will help us reduce the burden on hospitals as we continue to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, said Governor Abbott. COVID-19 antibody infusion treatment is available for free to all Texans who test positive for the virus and have a doctors referral. Texans can visit meds.tdem.texas.gov to find a therapeutic provider near them.Governor Abbott, TDEM, and the Texas Department of State Health Services have established and expanded antibody infusion centers in communities across the state over the past few weeks. COVID-19 antibody infusion treatment can prevent a patient's condition from worsening and requiring hospital care. These facilities also help increase bed capacity in hospitals so that resources are available for the most ill patients. The State deployed similar measures beginning in November 2020 to communities across Texas.These state sponsored Infusion Centers are in addition to the antibody infusion treatment that is provided by more than 200 private health providers across the state.Antibody infusion centers are currently operating in the following communities, with more coming online in the coming days: Austin (DSHS) Beaumont (TDEM) The Woodlands (DSHS) Corpus Christi (DSHS) Edinburg (TDEM) Fort Worth (DSHS) Harlingen (TDEM) Houston (DSHS) Laredo (DSHS) Lubbock (TDEM) Nacogdoches (TDEM) Odessa (TDEM) San Antonio (DSHS) Tyler (TDEM)The treatment is free and available to all Texans who test positive for COVID-19 and have a doctor's referral. Texans can visit meds.tdem.texas.gov to find a therapeutic provider near them.

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Governor Abbott, TDEM Open COVID-19 Antibody Infusion Center In Tyler - Office of the Texas Governor

COVID-19 is the illness thats caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. To date, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided emergency use authorization to three different vaccines to help protect against COVID-19:

Read on to learn how each vaccine works, how safe and effective each one is, and how to decide which one may be the right choice for you.

The vaccines that have been authorized for emergency use in the United States so far use two different types of technology:

Lets break down how each vaccine uses one of these two technologies to help promote immunity against the coronavirus. Check out the infographic below to see a visual representation of how the mRNA and adenovirus vector vaccines work.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is also called BNT162b2 in the scientific literature and Comirnaty in some countries. Its given in two doses spaced 21 days (3 weeks) apart.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine uses mRNA technology, which develops immunity using the following process:

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine must be stored at ultra-cold temperatures between -112F (-80C) and -76F (-60C) to keep the mRNA molecule in the vaccine stable.

Once diluted and prepared for an injection, it can remain at room temperature for up to 6 hours before it becomes unusable.

You may see the Moderna vaccine called mRNA-1273 in scientific papers. Like the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the Moderna vaccine is given in two doses spaced 28 days (4 weeks) apart.

The Moderna vaccine also uses mRNA technology that uses the same mechanism as the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to build immunity to the coronavirus spike protein.

Similar to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the Moderna vaccine must also be stored at very cold temperatures, between -58F (-50C) and 5F (-15C). Once a vial is opened and prepared for an injection, its stable at room temperature for up to 12 hours.

You may see the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine referred to as JNJ-78436735 or Ad26.COV2.S in scientific papers. Unlike the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, the J&J vaccine can be given as a single dose.

The J&J vaccine uses an adenovirus vector, which is a modified inactivated adenovirus (a type of virus) thats designed not to cause disease in people.

Once the vaccine delivers the adenovirus vector into a host cell, the vector is broken down and the adenovirus cannot cause any harm in the body.

Heres how the J&J vaccine works:

Unlike the two mRNA vaccines, the J&J vaccine can be refrigerated rather than frozen because its more stable at higher temperatures. Once a vial is opened and prepared for injection, it can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

Vaccine efficacy measures the percent reduction of COVID-19 in those who are vaccinated compared with those who have not been vaccinated.

Efficacy is one of the key metrics reported in clinical trials that the FDA reviews when deciding to grant emergency use authorization. Efficacy metrics are also more reliable when a higher number of participants are involved in a clinical trial or study.

Efficacy is measured in a trial or study about 2 weeks after an injection. This is because it takes about 2 weeks to build immunity after receiving one to two doses of any of these three COVID-19 vaccines.

This means youre considered fully vaccinated when its been:

Lets take a look at efficacy data from the large-scale clinical trials for these vaccines.

In the phase 3 clinical trial of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, 43,448 people participated. Each participant received two doses of the vaccine or two doses of a placebo spaced 21 days (3 weeks) apart.

Researchers assessed vaccine efficacy 7 days after the second dose of the vaccine. At this time, it was found that vaccine efficacy was 95 percent.

Heres some other important data from the trial:

In the phase 3 clinical trial of the Moderna vaccine, 30,420 people participated. In this trial, each participant got either two doses of the vaccine or two doses of a placebo spaced 28 days (4 weeks) apart.

Researchers evaluated vaccine efficacy 14 days after the second dose of the vaccine. At this point, vaccine efficacy was found to be 94.1 percent.

Heres some other important data from the trial:

In the phase 3 clinical trial of the J&J vaccine, 39,058 people participated. The trial tested a single dose of the vaccine.

Researchers evaluated vaccine efficacy 14 days after the single dose of the vaccine was given. The results also broke down efficacy by COVID-19 severity and location.

Overall, J&J vaccine efficacy was found to be 66.3 percent. Overall efficacy varied among countries:

J&J vaccine efficacy for severe to critical COVID-19 was:

Heres some other important data from the trial:

COVID-19 vaccines must be proven effective and safe before the FDA can grant emergency use authorization.

The Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and J&J COVID-19 vaccines have met safety and efficacy requirements. Well discuss some possible side effects in more detail later in this article.

People who have had severe allergic reactions to a COVID-19 vaccine or any of its ingredients should not be vaccinated.

Each vaccine manufacturer provides fact sheets with complete lists of vaccine ingredients:

The CDC states that people with an underlying health condition can get vaccinated as long as they havent had a serious allergic reaction to:

This includes people who have a weakened immune system. Specific safety data for people with compromised immune systems is limited. But since these authorized COVID-19 vaccines dont contain live virus, they can be safely given to immunocompromised people.

Vaccination is important for people with underlying health conditions. This is because many types of underlying health conditions can increase the risk of severe COVID-19.

Before getting vaccinated, talk with a healthcare professional and let them know about any underlying health conditions you have or medications youre taking.

The CDC states that people who are pregnant or breastfeeding can receive any of these three authorized COVID-19 vaccines. Theres limited safety data for pregnant and breastfeeding people, but evidence is growing that the vaccines pose minimal risk.

Pregnant people are also at an increased risk of serious illness as well as preterm birth and other pregnancy outcomes due to COVID-19.

If youre pregnant or breastfeeding and are concerned about COVID-19 vaccination, talk with a healthcare professional about:

Each COVID-19 vaccine is associated with side effects.

We dont yet know whether there are long-term side effects to these vaccines. But the CDC notes that long-term health effects are unlikely. These vaccines will be monitored for safety many years after emergency use authorization.

You may experience one or more of the following side effects after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine:

These side effects are typically mild to moderate and go away in a few days. Side effects felt throughout the body, like fever and aches and pains, are more commonly reported after the second dose.

More serious side effects include a serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which can include symptoms like:

The Pfizer-BioNTech clinical trial reported only four other serious side effects from the vaccine:

Researchers also reported no deaths due to receiving either the vaccine or the placebo during the trial.

Possible side effects of the Moderna vaccine include:

These side effects are often mild to moderate and go away in a few days. Systemic side effects like fever and aches and pains are more commonly reported after the second dose.

The Moderna vaccine is also associated with delayed pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site, sometimes called COVID arm. The Moderna clinical trial data found that this typically happens 8 or more days after either dose and lasts for 4 to 5 days.

Anaphylaxis has also been reported as a serious side effect of the Moderna vaccine. Clinical trial data also notes that treatment-related severe side effects were higher in the vaccine group than the placebo group.

Seventy-one (0.5 percent) of the 15,185 participants who got the vaccine reported severe side effects, including:

In this clinical trial, two deaths occurred in the vaccine group. One died by suicide, while the other died from cardiac arrest. Investigators could not confirm whether these deaths were related to the vaccine.

Side effects of the J&J vaccine are typically mild to moderate and disappear a few days later. They can include:

Anaphylaxis has also been reported with the J&J vaccine.

The J&J vaccine is also associated with the risk of a very rare blood clot condition called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). TTS was most often observed in females between the ages of 18 and 48.

After a brief pause to review TTS risk, J&J vaccinations resumed in the United States after it was determined that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed this and other risks. The CDC estimates that the risk of TTS is 7 per 1 million for females under age 50.

Other severe side effects observed during the clinical trial of the J&J vaccine only reported by 7 out of the 21,895 participants who received the vaccine, or about 0.03 percent included:

While researchers did observe blood clot events, most were in people with underlying conditions that increase blood clot risk. In total, 11 clotting events were reported in the vaccine group compared with three in the placebo group.

Lastly, the clinical trial of the J&J vaccine reported three deaths in the vaccine group. However, researchers concluded that none of these deaths were related to the vaccine.

Its completely normal for viruses to mutate. These mutations can sometimes harm the virus, making it weaker or less infectious. But new mutations can also provide a virus with an advantage.

So far, many virus variants have been detected for the coronavirus. Some are considered variants of concern because they may be associated with increased transmission or can break through the immune system, even in vaccinated people.

Some reported variants include:

Research into how effective each vaccine is against coronavirus variants is ongoing. Lets discuss what we know so far.

An April 2021 study assessed the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines activity against variants by using serum from people who had been vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Serum is the part of the blood that contains antibodies.

When this serum was tested against test viruses with spike proteins from different variants, researchers found that Alpha and Gamma test viruses were neutralized at a similar level to the original variant. Neutralization of Beta test viruses was still robust, but lower.

A July 2021 study from Qatar, where most cases of COVID-19 are due to Alpha or Beta, looked at vaccine efficacy in real-world circumstances. Researchers looked at confirmed COVID-19 cases in vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

The vaccine efficacy in people who had been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was estimated to be:

Additionally, research from public health officials in the United Kingdom indicates that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is also effective against Alpha and Delta. The vaccines efficacy in fully vaccinated people was:

A July 2021 study found that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were about 88 percent effective against the Delta variant.

Similar serum studies have also been carried out for the Moderna vaccine.

One study observed that test viruses with spike protein from Alpha were neutralized similarly to the original coronavirus variant. But neutralization was about 6.4 times lower against test viruses with the Beta spike protein.

Another serum study from June 2021 looked at the Moderna vaccines effectiveness against Beta and B.1.429, a variant first detected in California.

Researchers found that the B.1.429 variant was two to three times less sensitive to neutralization, while Beta was 9 to 14 times less sensitive.

The clinical trial of the J&J vaccine was carried out at a different point during the pandemic than the trials for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. During the J&J trial, several variants were circulating or common in many parts of the world.

For example, researchers in the trial found that 95 percent of sequenced COVID-19 cases in South Africa were due to the Beta variant. The vaccine efficacy of the J&J vaccine in South Africa was 52 percent overall and 73.1 percent for severe to critical COVID-19.

In Brazil, 69 percent of the sequenced COVID-19 cases were caused by the P.2 lineage at the time of the trial. Here, the efficacy of the J&J vaccine was 66.2 percent overall and 81.9 percent for severe to critical COVID-19.

Overall, the J&J vaccine still appears to be quite effective at reducing the likelihood of developing COVID-19, particularly for severe to critical COVID-19, in locations with variants.

The U.S. federal government is providing all COVID-19 vaccines free of charge during the pandemic, regardless of a persons health insurance or citizenship status.

If you seek a COVID-19 vaccination during this time, you cannot be charged for:

Its unclear whether any of these three authorized vaccines will still be free after the pandemic ends, since all three are produced by for-profit pharmaceutical companies.

But its likely (though not yet confirmed) that youll have to pay for the COVID-19 vaccine after the pandemic is declared over by the World Health Organization (WHO) or other national public health agencies. Potential payment may include both receiving the initial vaccination or a booster shot.

The Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and J&J COVID-19 vaccines are currently authorized in the United States by the FDA under an emergency use authorization (EUA). This is a little bit different than a typical FDA approval.

Simply put, an EUA is a method through which the FDA can allow unapproved medical products to be used during a public health emergency, like a pandemic.

When reviewing a product for an EUA, the FDA must decide that the overall benefits of the product outweigh its potential risks.

Heres what happens during this process:

In addition to the United States, these three COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized or approved in a variety of other countries around the world.

Its important to note that additional authorizations or approvals may occur rapidly.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was authorized by the FDA on December 11, 2020, for emergency use in people 16 and older. It has since been authorized for use in adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 as well.

On December 31, 2020, the WHO listed the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use. Since then, many other countries have either authorized or approved the vaccine.

The Moderna vaccine was authorized by the FDA for emergency use in adults 18 and over on December 18, 2020.

Additionally, on April 30, 2021, the WHO listed the Moderna vaccine for emergency use. It has been approved for use in numerous countries worldwide.

The J&J vaccine was authorized by the FDA for emergency use in adults 18 and over on February 27, 2021.

It was listed by the WHO for emergency use on March 12, 2021. Many other countries have also authorized or approved the J&J vaccine.

Now, lets briefly discuss each company that produced the vaccine.

Pfizer is an American pharmaceutical company headquartered in New York City. Its mission is to develop drugs and vaccines that can help improve health and wellness.

Some of Pfizers more well-known products include:

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All About the Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson Vaccines - Healthline

Such is the strange new phase of Britains pandemic: The public has moved on, even if the virus has not. Given that Britain has been at the vanguard of so many previous coronavirus developments from incubating variants to rolling out vaccines experts say this could be a glimpse into the future for other countries.

We dont seem to care that we have these really high infection rates, said Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at Kings College London who has been leading a major study of Covid-19 symptoms. It looks like were just accepting it now that this is the price of freedom.

Some of that equanimity may stem from the fact that Britains case rate, while high, has not yet risen anywhere near the level that government officials predicted when they lifted virtually all Covid restrictions last month. Some may be because so many Britons are vaccinated, fewer serious cases are being reported. And some of it may simply reflect fatigue, after 17 months of baleful headlines and stifling lockdowns.

Theres a feeling that finally we can breathe; we can start trying to get back what weve lost, said Devi Sridhar, the head of the global public health program at the University of Edinburgh. Its really difficult to ask people not to mix for a prolonged period, especially if there is no solution.

With nearly 80 percent of the adult population fully vaccinated and the virus still circulating widely, Professor Sridhar said, Britain may be a model for other countries of whether you can manage Covid in a sustainable way. The evidence, she added, was inconclusive because Britain still faces critical challenges, like the reopening of schools on Wednesday.

That will almost certainly drive rates up further, particularly because Britain has resisted vaccinating children and younger teenagers. But epidemiologists are loath to make specific predictions because many were proved wrong in July when cases fell immediately after Freedom Day, when most restrictions were lifted.

New cases, in any event, are a less all-important metric than they once were, given that a much smaller percentage of those infected end up in the hospital than in the earlier stages of the pandemic. Almost 970 people were admitted to hospitals on Aug. 24, the most recent date for which data is available. That compares with 4,583 on Jan. 12, the peak of the last wave of infections.

Hospitalizations are rising, however, as is the fatality rate. Admissions last week were up 6.7 percent over the previous seven-day period, while deaths were up 12.3 percent, totaling 133 people on Saturday. With a backlog of patients with other illnesses, doctors say the National Health Service has little slack to cope with another influx of Covid victims.

Weve found rising numbers of cases, and we are under a lot of pressure again, said Susan Jain, a specialist in anesthesia and intensive therapy who works in the intensive care unit at the Homerton University Hospital in East London. All our Covid cases are unvaccinated by choice.

The government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, preoccupied with the chaotic military withdrawal from Afghanistan, has said little about the rising hospital numbers or indeed about the pandemic at all in recent weeks.

Relieved that the more gloomy predictions of spiraling cases have not materialized, the government argues that its strategy has been vindicated, with infections manageable because of the success of its vaccination campaign.

Nadhim Zahawi, the minister responsible for the vaccine rollout, compared the daily total of new cases with a similar moment in December. There were **five times** the number of deaths we see today, he wrote on Twitter, adding, The vaccines are working.

Still, critics said a death toll of around 100 a day should not be a source of pride. Moreover, they said, Britains early lead in the vaccination race meant that some protection from inoculations was starting to fade.

Aug. 29, 2021, 10:10 p.m. ET

It is a grim new normal, said Gabriel Scally, a visiting professor of public health at the University of Bristol and a former regional director of public health.

Britains Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization is likely to recommend booster shots soon, but they will initially be targeted at people with weakened immune systems.

Because Britain was one of the first big countries to do mass vaccination, Professor Scally said, it will be one of the first to experience the waning of immunity an issue that has afflicted Israel, another early vaccine adopter. And despite its robust rollout, Britain has not reached the highest levels of population immunity because millions of young people remain unprotected.

The governments policy on vaccinating younger teenagers is in flux, with no decision yet on whether to go ahead with a campaign to jab those 12 to 15, though Britains medical regulator has authorized a vaccine for this age group.

The rollout of the vaccine program for adults has been incredibly impressive, but, for children and young people it has been frankly shambolic, Camilla Kingdon, the president of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health, said this month.

At the same time, public observance of measures to contain the spread of the virus seems to be slipping, a factor that some epidemiologists said accounted for Britain having a higher case rate than countries like France and Spain, where infections are now falling.

I do wear masks indoors in public places, said Philip Crossley, 69, walking on a street in the northern city of Bradford. I noticed a lot of people dont. Maybe thats not a big problem, but they still could carry the virus.

UnderstandVaccine and Mask Mandates in the U.S.

According to official survey data, about nine in 10 Britons said they had used face coverings within the past seven days when outside their homes. But anecdotal evidence suggests that compliance is much spottier, even on buses and subways in London, where wearing a mask is still compulsory.

After most restrictions were lifted, the transport police lost legal responsibility for enforcement of that rule. That left the task to transportation workers, who have been advised by one union to avoid confrontations with the public.

Our members have no enforcement powers, and its a bit of a farce, really, the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers said in a statement. Its an impossible situation, so our advice to our members is that they should not substitute for the police and should stay safe.

Outside Downing Street, an anti-lockdown protester, Simon Parry, said he had never worn a mask on public transportation and had yet to be challenged.

I get people looking at me like I want to kill my grandmother, he conceded before adding that he thought the argument was moving his way and that one woman had recently shed her face mask after an exchange on the subway. I make it my mission to get someone to take a mask off in the Tube, he said.

One government minister, Greg Hands, tweeted a picture of himself on the subway wearing a mask, but complained that only about half of the passengers around him were doing likewise.

The office of Londons mayor, Sadiq Khan, said its data showed that 82 percent of passengers said they always wore face coverings on subway trains and buses, a solid number given the central governments decision not to adopt a national mandate for face coverings on public transportation.

Other critics blame the governments mixed messages, pointing to members of Mr. Johnsons Conservative Party, many of whom abandoned their masks when they returned to a crowded chamber of Parliament recently to discuss Afghanistan. The governments official position is that people should wear face coverings when confined indoors.

For some who objected to Britains recurring lockdowns, the return to normalcy was both welcome and overdue. But some said the tensions between freedom and security could easily resurface.

The intensity has gone out of the debate, but it will come back if there is another wave, said Jonathan Sumption, a former justice on Britains Supreme Court who has been an outspoken critic of the lockdowns.

If it does come back, he added, well then be in the position that even the vaccines dont work. What is the exit route?

Aina J. Khan contributed reporting from Bradford, England.

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Coronavirus in UK: Britons, Unfazed by High Covid Rates, Weigh Their Price of Freedom - The New York Times

ATLANTA A new survey is giving insight into vaccine hesitancy in Georgia.

Channel 2s Lori Wilson talked to Emory Universitys Vice Chair of Epidemiology, Dr. Jodie Guest, about the three main reasons people say they havent gotten the COVID-19 vaccine.

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According to a survey distributed by the U.S. census, 60% of people in Georgia who are vaccine hesitant dont trust that the vaccine works. At least 57% say they are concerned about side effects.

Another 50% said they dont believe they need a vaccine.

That third reason people are hesitating to get vaccines in Georgia is particularly relevant to younger people.

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The third one in the state of Georgia is they dont feel that they need it yet, Guest said. And that is particularly relevant for the 18- to 39-year-old population that we see in Georgia, which are really leading our case count.

Guest suggests that maybe some of those people have recovered from COVID-19 and are relying on their natural immunities.

But Guest said data shows that even if you have had a natural COVID-19 infection, you might have some antibodies, but they dont offer the same protection as the vaccine does.

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You are two times more likely to become sick with COVID-19 again, unless youre vaccinated, Guest said. So if weve got two groups of people who both had COVID, the vaccinated group is significantly more protected from getting the Delta variant than the unvaccinated group.

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Why are Georgians hesitant about COVID-19 vaccines? Here are the top 3 reasons - WSB Atlanta

Sssssseriously?

Getting very ill with COVID-19 is like getting bitten by a poisonous rattlesnake, according to a new medical study.

Researchers including from Stony Brook University on Long Island have identified an enzyme in the coronavirus that ravages the body like the neurotoxins from rattlesnake venom, according to the analysis published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Targeting the enzyme, which causes severe inflammation, could better treat and save the lives of COVID-19 patients amid the virus resurgence with the Delta variant, said the studys scientists from the SUNY school, the University of Arizona and Wake Forest University.

The coronavirus enzyme, sPLA2-II, has similarities to an active enzyme in rattlesnake venom that is typically found in low concentrations in healthy individuals and has long been known to play a critical role in humans defense against bacterial infections, the study says.

But when the same enzyme circulates at high levels, it can shred the membranes of vital organs, said University of Arizonas Floyd Ski Chilton, a senior author of the paper.

The study supports a new therapeutic target to reduce or even prevent COVID-19 mortality, explained co-author Doctor Maurizio Del Poeta of Stony Brooks Renaissance School of Medicine.

Because inhibitors of sPLA2-IIA already exist, our study supports the use of these inhibitors in patients with elevated levels of sPLA2-IIA to reduce, or even prevent, COVID-19 mortality.

Del Poeta said Chilton contacted Stony Brook to analyze blood samples in COVID-19 patients to study the snake venom-type enzyme.

Dr. Del Poeta and his team, co-led by him and research assistant Jeehyun Karen You, collected stored blood plasma samples and analyzed medical charts from 127 patients hospitalized at Stony Brook University Hospital between January and July 2020.

A collection of 154 patient samples from Stony Brook and Banner University Medical Center in Tucson between January and November 2020 also were examined.

Our study is especially timely given how the Delta variant is contributing to rising COVID-19 incidence and hospitalization rates both in the US and worldwide, You said.

As of Friday, 55,453 people have died from COVID-19 in New York state, according to data provided to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As the Delta variant makes its way through communities across the country, its crucial we keep doing everything we can to keep each other safe from the COVID virus, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement Sunday.

Wear a mask, and, if you havent already, get your vaccine as soon as you can. The vaccine is the best way to protect yourselves and your loved ones.

Hochul and the state Health Department issued a mandate Friday requiring staff and students in public and private schools to wear masks for the new academic year to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The DOH last week also approved an emergency rule requiring virtually all 450,000 healthcare workers in hospitals, nursing homes and other settings to get the coronavirus vaccine or face disciplinary action including getting fired.

Meanwhile 634,157 people were killed by the coronavirus throughout the United States.

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Getting very ill with COVID-19 is like rattlesnake bite: study - New York Post

As the NBA braces for another season with the threat of COVID-19 lurking, the league is taking steps to minimize outbreaks around the league. In a statement announcing its latest measures, the league said Saturday all NBA referees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for the 2021-22 season.

Per the league's statement:

The NBA announced today that it has reached an agreement with the National Basketball Referees Association requiring vaccinations for all referees working NBA games during the 2021-22 season.

The agreement specifies that all referees must be fully vaccinated unless they have a religious or medical exemption. The referees have also agreed to take any recommended boosters. Any referee who does not get vaccinated and is not exempt will be ineligible to work games.

The National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA) voted on the deal prior to the announcement, and were in agreement that it was the right decision.

"This agreement is a win-win," the NBRA said in a statement. "It supports the NBA's objective of creating a safer on-court environment & continuity of play while protecting the health & wellbeing of the officials; a clear example of when labor and management work together for the common good of collective business."

The announcement comes after it was reported earlier in the week that the league would also be requiring any team, arena and personnel who regularly interact with players and referees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, per The Athletic's Shams Charania. Thatincludes coaches, front-office members, medical and equipment staff, player development, team and arena security, social media team, PR employees and those who work the scorer's table. It also includes any personnel who will work near the court, like broadcasters and photographers. Back-of-house team and arena operations will also be required to be vaccinated, like locker room attendants, and those who provide food and drinks. The deadline for team personnel to be fully vaccinated is Oct. 1, per ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps.

Players are not required to get vaccinated, but last season the league and the NBPA agreed that certain COVID-19 restrictions would be relaxed if a certain vaccination threshold was met on a team-by-team basis. Some players across the league advocated for people to get vaccinated, while also sharing pictures of getting vaccinated themselves.

The league is hoping that it won't run into as many postponed games as it did a season ago if a large portion of the league is vaccinated. The 2021-22 regular season starts on Oct. 19, with training camps set to begin in late September.

Continued here:

NBA requiring referees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 this upcoming season - CBS Sports

Texas Pastor Danny Reeves plans to share his own dire experience with COVID-19 with his congregation and encourage everyone who's eligible to get vaccinated. Courtesy of Danny Reeves hide caption

Texas Pastor Danny Reeves plans to share his own dire experience with COVID-19 with his congregation and encourage everyone who's eligible to get vaccinated.

Last month, Pastor Danny Reeves was fighting for his life in the ICU at Dallas' Baylor Medical Center. He had COVID-19 and he wasn't vaccinated.

Now, the senior pastor at First Baptist Corsicana in North Central Texas regrets not getting the shot earlier, and he plans to tell his congregants his story on Sunday when he returns to the pulpit.

"I was falsely and erroneously overconfident," Reeves told NPR's Debbie Elliott on Morning Edition.

Reeves says he isn't against vaccines, and he encouraged certain people in his community mostly seniors to get vaccinated before he contracted coronavirus. But he thought since he's in his 40s and generally healthy, getting the virus wouldn't be a big deal.

"Unfortunately, that was the attitude that I had: That if I did get it, I thought it would just be a nothing issue. And in that I was deeply, deeply wrong."

Pastor Danny Reeves, on why he didn't get a COVID-19 vaccine

Reeves describes his experience at the hospital as "harrowing." At one point during his two night stay at the ICU, a doctor told Reeves he might die.

Weeks later, Reeves is still recovering.

"It ravaged my healthy body," he said. "There's no doubt."

COVID-19 cases are surging across North Texas and projections indicate they may soon reach last winter's peak.

Of his first service back, Reeves says, "We're going to praise God together for his rescue. I'm going to lay out lessons that I've learned ... And certainly I'm going to talk straight to our people about who we can and should be as God's people and what it really means to love our neighbor."

Reeves says he plans to get vaccinated once his doctor tells him it's safe to do so.

This story originally appeared on the Morning Edition live blog.

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Texas Pastor Who Almost Died Of COVID To Preach Vaccination - NPR

The University of Iowas student governments said they feel like the rules are stacked against them when navigating COVID-19 incentivization and mitigation on campus.

The University of Iowa strongly encourages mask-wearing and the COVID-19 vaccine, which is the most that the university can do, with the state Board of Regents holding the gavel to mandate masks on campus.

Regents President Mike Richards lifted the state of emergency for regent-governed universities on May 20, ending the requirement of masks for all faculty, staff, and students.

Moala Bannavti, UI Graduate Professional Student Government president, said she thinks the UI is doing everything it can legally to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among faculty and students, but as a UI leader, she has non-negotiables about the pandemic.

The question becomes, If peoples lives are at risk, are we all going to just sit around and stop and stare at the law, or are we going to do something beyond that to save lives, even if its intermediately? Like I said, we all have to have a hill that were willing to die on, Bannavti said.

Bannavti said she has been speaking every day to university personnel about COVID-19 to do everything she and her executive board can.

Somebody is going to have to lose, so let us all be on the right side of history when this is over and take the side of public safety, she said. Weve seen time and time again, where things that were law and legal were not correct. And we, as a country, have rectified them.

As previously reported by The Daily Iowan, the UI is the only Big Ten institution that does not require masks on campus.

Undergraduate Student Government President Regan Smock said it has been a frustrating time to work within the rules. The UI has not been able to collect information on which students are vaccinated.

It felt like playing within a game where it was completely stacked against you, Smock said. But its been kind of honestly, like, a great learning experience for me to be able to think outside of that, and how we can still do stuff.

Smock said the UIs student governments plan to announce a COVID-19 vaccination incentivization program for students to win prizes like Apple products, a tour of Kinnick Stadium, dinner with UI President Barbara Wilson, meditation app subscriptions, and private yoga lessons.

I think something else, and one of the almost hardest things to work with, is just not being able to collect any information about vaccine status, Smock said. Because if students are, like, 90 percent vaccinated, we dont know that, and itd be a very different situation.

GPSG Vice President Walt Wang said a lot of the graduate and professional students that he has talked to are very disappointed right now.

He said after going to the UIs Campaign to Organize Graduate Students Union meeting last week, COGS members said they feel that there has been a breach of their contract and safe employment.

The fact that they happen to feel that way indicates a problem because students arent supposed to feel that their workplace will pose a danger, Wang said.

Smock said while she thinks the general population of Iowa City would opt for a mask mandate against the regents orders, the UI administration has done the most it can right now.

Weve been able to speak with President Wilson so many times about it, Smock said. I really do think shes doing an amazing job with what shes handling, especially like her first year and how to navigate a very different political climate than her last state. Its a tough thing, and honestly, having that door be so open has been really nice.

Excerpt from:

UI student governments respond to regents' COVID-19 rules - UI The Daily Iowan