Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

Getting a job in the future increasingly depends on ones vaccination status against COVID-19, according to two different surveys.

More than half of small business owners say that they will only hire employees that have been vaccinated against COVID-19, one survey found. Meanwhile, a second survey also found that a third ofhiring managers throw out resumes that do not indicate an applicants vaccination status.

The surveys come amid a national debate about vaccine mandates in the workplace.

The Great Resignation: Why are employers in Reno, and nation, struggling to find workers?

Back in September, the Biden administration started requiring federal contractors to be vaccinated by Dec. 8 this year. The contracts include airlines, with the majority of U.S.-based carriers indicating that they will follow the mandate.

The mandates have received pushback, including a lawsuit that has temporarily put United Airlines plans on hold to put unvaccinated employees on unpaid leave starting this month. The debate over mandates is also playing out in the National Basketball Association, with Kyrie Irving not being allowed to play due to refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.

For a majority of small businesses, however, vaccination is shaping up to be a requirement for employment moving forward. Many in the private sector see vaccination not just as a safety issue but a financial issue as well, with COVID-19 infections among employees also affecting their bottom line.

Nearly 60% of small businesses indicated that they will only hire workers who are vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a survey by small business review site Digital.com. A little over 20% responded that they are considering a mandate while 19% answered that they will not mandate employees to be vaccinated. The survey polled 1,000 U.S.-based small businesses, most of which were located in the South and Midwest.

Several employers who were surveyed added that there is less of an excuse not to be vaccinated following the full approval of the Pfizer vaccine by the FDA. Barring a medical reason, all employees will be required to be vaccinated, said Yungi Chu, owner of Headset Plus.

Its the only way to keep every employee safe in the office and warehouse, Chu said.

Support for a vaccine mandate would also likely be higher among small businesses if it werent for hiring difficulties over a nationwide labor shortage.

Here are other key findings from the Digital.com survey:

Despite the hiring difficulties being experienced nationwide, the majority of small businesses surveyed still plan to require employees to be vaccinated.

It is really quite difficult to maintain considering the labor shortage situation in the market, said Caio Bersot, head of human resources for Rank-it. Still, I would not take a risk that would threaten the health and safety of the other employees.

Bersot is not alone.

A separate survey by ResumeBuilder.com found that the majority of hiring managers nationwide prefer applicants to be vaccinated. Of the 1,250 hiring managers polled by the survey, 63% confirmed that their companies are mandating vaccination against COVID-19.

About 69% also answered that they are more likely to hire someone who has already been vaccinated against COVID-19. A third of those hiring managers added that they would automatically eliminate resumes that do not show an applicants vaccination status.

Industries that showed a stronger preference for seeing COVID-19 vaccination status in applicant resumes are information technology, food and hospitality, retail, education, and healthcare.

These industries may be leading the way because some, like advertising and marketing, are very client-facing, and these types of jobs tend to be done in cube farm office spaces, where employees are close together, said career coach and professional resume writer Carolyn Kleinman. Others, like food and hospitality, healthcare, and education make sense, as those tend to be mainly in-person, with an inability to maintain proper social distance.

Opinions are more closely split when it comes to weighing qualifications vs. vaccination. Of those surveyed 53% were more likely to hire a better-qualified candidate who is not vaccinated vs. a less qualified candidate who is.

All in all, the results of both surveys boil down to a balancing act among businesses when it comes to COVID-19 mandates.

The results show many business owners walking a fine line between the ability to hire new employees in a labor shortage, keep current employees safe, being sensitive to employee concerns, and remaining profitable by not repeating the mistakes of the past, the Digital.com survey concluded.

Jason Hidalgo covers businessand technology for the Reno Gazette Journal, and also reviews the latest video games. Follow him on Twitter @jasonhidalgo. Like this content?Support local journalism with anRGJ digital subscription.

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National survey: Most small businesses will only hire workers vaccinated against COVID-19 - Reno Gazette Journal

MADISON COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) - Two men pleaded guilty in connection to a homicide that happened in Canton on December 18, 2020.

Prosecutors Dario Robinson was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Canton Sportsplex. According to investigators, Jaheen Harris and Tyjerious Sims robbed Robinson of his wallet and car, and Harris shot Robinson.

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Community COVID-19 vaccine event to be held in Natchez - WJTV

Connecticut has the highest rate of vaccination among children in the United States, according to Governor Ned Lamont.

Currently, those 12 and up are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine. Kids aged 5 to 11 are not yet eligible for the vaccine, but they could be soon.

The governor said 80.2% of kids 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. That is almost 10 percent higher than the national average, which is 70.5%, according to Lamont.

Lamont said this will allow kids the "most opportunity to thrive."

The state's positivity rate is at 1.83% and there are 247 hospitalizations, with an increase of 15 over the weekend.

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CT Has Highest COVID-19 Vaccination Rate Among Children in US: Governor - NBC Connecticut

Reading Hospital: COVID-19 vaccines are critical for pregnant women and their unborn children  Reading Eagle

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Reading Hospital: COVID-19 vaccines are critical for pregnant women and their unborn children - Reading Eagle

What to expect at a COVID-19 vaccine appointment in Colorado

Here's what to expect at your COVID-19 vaccine appointment, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sady Swanson, Wochit

If you've heard the term "twindemic," you likely know it meansthe conversion of the unrelenting COVID-19 pandemic and a potentially rough flu season.

With flu season fast approaching on top of a surge in COVID-19 cases and new booster shots for people older than 65 or otherwise health compromised, people are navigating a labyrinth of advice on when to get their flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines, including booster doses.

Last year, flu was virtually non-existent as the pandemic forced most people to stay home, socially distance, wear masks in public and frequently wash their hands.

Now, as people return to near normal life Larimer County's new mask mandate not withstanding flu season is fast approaching. And, whether the twindemic materializes here depends largely on how much worse the current wave of delta variant COVID-19 infections getand what happens with the 2021-22 flu season, according to UCHealth.

Larimer County's indoor mask mandate begins Wednesday. Here's what you need to know.

The collision could exacerbate an already trying time for health care providers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment and both UCHealth and Banner Health have urged everyone to get a flu shot by the end of October, preferably. And, they all say it's OK to get the first, second or booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccineand a flu shot simultaneously.

Shots given on the same day are typically administered in different arms, according to UCHealth.

The health department recommends getting a flu shot by the end of October, but encourages people to get a flu shot any time even if it's after October.

Flu season runs through May, so it's not too late to get a shot even if it's in November or December,said Kori Wilford, spokesperson for the county health department.

"In a typical year we see around 200 hospitalizations due to influenza over the course of the flu season September through May and that would overburden our hospitals even more," Wilford said.

The health department anticipates that more mask-wearing will help slow the transmission of the flu and other respiratory infections as it did last year, she said. "However, last year we also had many children in remote learning and people working from home, capacity restrictions for businesses and less movement, such as travel and dining out, than we do now."

UCHealth's COVID-19 vaccine clinics are not offering flu shots at this time, so patients may have to make two different appointments for both shots, Tracer said.

Check with local pharmacies and your doctor's office for more information on what shots are available at those locations.

Note: Most locations are only providing booster doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and are awaiting formal guidance from the CDC before proceeding with Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shots.UCHealth has been offering Moderna booster doses, and some locations have offered third doses of Moderna to those who are immunocompromised (which isdifferent than a regular booster dose).

With CDC recommendation, COVID-19 boosters are reaching more people. Here's how to get one

The CDC recommends COVID-19 booster shots for all adults age 65 and olderand authorizes boosters for those 18 and olderwho live or work in high-risk settingslike homeless shelters or prisons as well as those at high risk for severe illness if they get COVID-19.

When should I get a COVID-19 booster shot?

The recommended timing is at least six months after your first vaccine.

Like the initial COVID-19 vaccine, the booster doses are free.

Want to be fully vaccinated for the holidays? You haven't missed your chance

Pat Ferrier is a senior reporter covering business, health care and growth issues in Northern Colorado. Contact her at patferrier@coloradoan.com. Please support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a subscription today.

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What to know about flu shots and COVID-19 boosters, vaccines - Coloradoan

A one-time incentive award is being offered to Hawaii prisoners who become fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

On Thursday, Oct. 14, the Department of Public Safety (PSD) announced it would offer $50 to inmates to get inoculated. The money would be deposited into their spendable trust account.

The incentive is available to those individuals who were incarcerated after March 3, 2021, and are still in custody.

PSD is doing everything it can to educate inmates about the vaccine and encourage everyone to get vaccinated, said Tommy Johnson, PSD Deputy Director for Corrections. Weve seen a substantial increase in inmate vaccinations that we believe is a result of our education efforts. It is our hope that inmates who are still on the fence about getting vaccinated will participate.

Several of the jails and prisons within the state have dealt with COVID-19 outbreaks among their inmate populations. In early August, infection and hospitalization rates surged statewide.

Also in August, Hawaii Community Correctional Center began dealing with a COVID outbreak. As of Thursday, Oct. 14, 272 inmates and 36 employees have recovered from the virus.

HCCC currently has two active cases among staff and one prisoner. The facility remains in quarantine.

Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen told Big Island Now he is a firm believer in testing individuals at the cellblock before theyre transported to the jail.

The testing is occurring after someone is taken to intake at HCCC, Waltjen said. If we can get testing done earlier, it can put people on notice at an earlier date.

On Friday, Waltjen said he had conversations with various agencies, including HPD, the Office of the Public Defender and Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency about testing and possibly vaccinations at the cellblock. The discussions are ongoing.

The vaccinations are important but testing is more so to determine if someone is a positive case, Waltjen said. Im really hoping by having the cooperation and coordination with state and county officials well be able to get this project moving soon.

As a result of the COVID spike in cases statewide, the Hawaii Supreme Court suspended all jury trials until after Nov. 16. This is the second time since the pandemic began that the high court suspended trials in an effort to stem the spread of the virus.

The Hawaii State Judiciary has been steadfast in its support of COVID-19 vaccinations, Judiciary spokesperson Jan Kagehiro stated to Big Island Now in an email. The availability of vaccines statewide, combined with other public health measures, have been instrumental in fighting this devasting virus.

The Judiciary plans to resume jury trials in mid-November if health conditions permit and staff can continue to maintain a safe environment for all concerned.

While we may need to address a backlog of jury trials, the vast majority of cases have progressed throughout the pandemic through the availability of remote hearings, Kagehiro stated.

For the past several months, Waltjen said iPads and other devices were utilized for virtual court appearances. While the defense and prosecutors have been able to resolve cases, Waltjen said there are still serious cases awaiting trial.

Inmates were notified of the new incentive this week. With more prisoners vaccinated, PSD hopes it will allow them to get one step closer to resuming normal operations, including transports.

PSD says it will continue to work with the courts on this matter.

Approximately 2,530 inmates, in custody both in Hawaii and Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Ariz., already qualify for the incentive payment. Another 137 are pending full vaccination status and approval for the incentive award.

The primary purpose of this incentive is to keep inmates, staff, and family members safe during this pandemic, PSD Spokesperson Toni Schwartz told Kauai Now News. Our hope is that inmates will choose to get vaccinated for their own wellbeing as well as for others around them.

A point-in-time study released in September showed 56% of HCCC were vaccinated. With news of the incentive released this week, PSD officials are waiting to see how the interest level toward taking the vaccine will change.

Our hope is that this incentive program will encourage inmates on the fence about getting the vaccine to reconsider and choose to get vaccinated, Schwartz said.

Waltjen said he thinks inmates will opt to take the incentive.

If the aim is to get vaccination higher within the facility I think the incentive will accomplish that, Waltjen said. I dont know if that money couldve been better used somewhere else.

PSD requested and received approval for $615,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds to be specifically used as an incentive initiative for offenders in custody.

This incentive payment is not available to state employees. Schwartz said all state employees, not just PSD, would have to be considered for the award.

The Department of Public Safety (PSD) continues to encourage all staff to voluntarily get tested and receive the COVID-19 vaccination.According to Gov. David Iges direction, all state employees are eligible for up to two hours of administrative leave (per dose) to take the COVID-19 vaccine during normal work hours, as operations permit.

For more detailed inmate testing data, PSDs Pandemic Plan and information on response efforts made to safeguard the inmates, staff and public, visit the dedicated COVID-19 webpage here.

Originally posted here:

PSD to Offer Monetary Incentive to Inmates Who Obtain COVID-19 Vaccine - Big Island Now

Arizonas three state universities will require all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to comply with new federal requirements, university officials announced on Friday.

The deadline for the universities'more than 52,000 employees to submit proof of vaccination or receive an accommodationis Dec. 8.

The Arizona Board of Regents, the governing body for the three state universities, said the schools are complying with requirements that institutions that contract with the federal government follow federal guidelines.

The universities have hundreds of millions of dollars in federal contracts, funding critical research, employment and educational efforts. We respect individual opinions regarding the vaccine and will include disability (including medical) and religious accommodations consistent with federal rules, regents spokesperson Julie Newberg said in a statement.

The University of Arizona said its approximately 16,000 university employees, including student workers and graduate assistants and associates, have to submitproof of full vaccination unless they have received a religious or disability accommodation.

UA President Dr. Robert Robbins wrote in a letter to employees on Friday that the university has already received amended federal contracts that include the vaccine requirements.

"We will continue with these mission-critical endeavors and will be complying with this new requirement," Robbins wrote.

Just over half of UA employees have provided their vaccination records so far, according to university spokesperson Holly Jensen.

Northern Arizona University officials said the requirement will apply to all employees, including undergraduate and graduate student workers. Religious, disability or medical accommodations will be allowed as permitted by federal law.

About 50% of NAU employees have verified proof of vaccination, per a spokesperson. NAU has about 7,560 employees, per the Board of Regents.

Arizona State University officials said the university receives hundreds of millions of dollars annually in federal funding from grants and contracts, which is key to its mission and to benefitting Arizona's economy.

"Under the recent executive order issued by President Biden requiring all employees of federal contractors to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, ASU is required to ensure that every university employee byDec.8either shows proof that they were vaccinated for COVID-19 or requested an accommodation on medical or religious grounds," spokesperson Chris Fiscus wrote in an email.

ASU employs around 29,000 people, according to the Board of Regents. Many have already been vaccinated, per ASU.

Gov. Doug Ducey in a statement reiterated his view that the vaccine should be a choice rather than a requirement.

"Governor Ducey has been clear from the very beginning: the COVID-19 vaccine is proven to be effective and safe. He's been vaccinated and he encourages all Arizonans to get thevaccine," said C.J. Karamargin, a spokespersonfor Ducey.

"The governor also has said he is opposed to mandates and that getting the vaccine should be a matter of personal choice. His views have not changed."

The Governor's Office is reviewing the universities' decision to see what its options may be, Karamargin said.

COVID-19 vaccinations were optional for all employees before this, and remain optional for students who are not also employees.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Sept. 9 requiring vaccinations for federal contractors, which includes universities that have contracts with the United States government.

Jessica Summers, chair of UA's Faculty Senate and professor in the college of education, said she thinks the new requirement is a positive development, although not a surprising one given the federal policy.

I think most employees will be open to this policy and will get vaccinated if theyre not already vaccinated, but theres always going to be some who hold out or say that its their right to not get vaccinated, Summers said. I want to believe that most people at the university will step up and will be compliant.

Summers said the big issue remains that the university cannot require students to get vaccinated due to an executive order from the governor.

Unless they work at the university, I think students will continue to make the choice because they have the choice, and so I think well be wearing masks well into the spring semester, she said.

Theres lots of other universities that are requiring their students to get vaccinated, and we are not one of them because we live in the state of Arizona.

The employee unions at ASU and UA have advocatedfor vaccine requirements, among other measures, to protect workers and the community against COVID-19.

Theres many things the university could still do, but we are very, very pleased with the decision to move forward with vaccination requirements for workers, said Laurie Stoff, the ASU faculty representative on the steering committee of United Campus Workers of Arizona and a Barrett, The Honors Collegefaculty fellow.

Stoff said the union has demandedvaccinations requirementssince the summer and hopes a requirement for students will come next. The union also wants virtual work options for people who cant get vaccinated, hazard pay for essential workers like custodial and food service,and full medical benefits for graduate students, she said.

Gary Rhoades, a United Campus Workers of Arizona member and professor of higher education at UA, agreed.

Vaccinating employees is half the battle, he said, as theres still a need for student vaccinations, more masking and expanded testing.

Id like to see us go further, and lead, not just follow (the federal executive order) … more aggressive with testing, fuller masking requirements, student vaccinations and flexibility in work arrangements.

Pennsylvania State University this week became among the first universities to announce an employee vaccine requirement linked to Bidens order, Inside Higher Ed reported.

Many colleges already mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for employees, according to a list compiled by the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Have a story about higher education? Reach the reporter at Alison.Steinbach@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-444-4282. Follow her on Twitter @alisteinbach.

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Arizona universities to require COVID-19 vaccination for employees, including student workers - The Arizona Republic

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A Virginia couple who refused the COVID-19 shot died from the disease, leaving their four children behind.

Kevin and Misty Mitchem, both in their 40s, refused the COVID-19 vaccine, despite their family urging them to get the shot.

Kevin's mother said some of his last words to her were, "Mom, I love you, and I wish that I'd got the shot."

A Virginia couple who refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19 died from the disease just weeks apart. They are survived by their four children and their relatives who tried to encourage them to get the shot.

Kevin and Misty Mitchem both caught COVID-19 and were hospitalized after they opted not to get the vaccine.

"They'd just been leery. They were going off what they've been hearing and reading on the internet," Mike Mitchem, Kevin's brother, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Mike did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Data from the CDC has shown that Pfizer and Moderna's two-shot vaccine series are highly effective at preventing COVID-19 infections. Approximately 61.9% of Virginia's population is fully vaccinated, compared to 56.8% of the U.S. population that is fully vaccinated, according to CDC data.

Kevin, 48, became ill and was told to rest at home after he tested positive for COVID-19, Mike told the Times-Dispatch. Shortly after, Misty, who was 46 and living with diabetes, got sick, too.

Misty was rushed to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg and put on a ventilator. She died soon after on September 23, according to the Times-Dispatch.

"It really came out of nowhere," Mike told the outlet.

Don Mitchem, Kevin's father, said Kevin called him when Misty went to the hospital and when he later went himself, according to NBC 4. Don went to the hospital to see Kevin before he was put on a ventilator.

"He said, 'Dad, I'm scared to death,'" Don told NBC 4, adding that he told Kevin to call his mother, Terry.

Story continues

"He called me up and said, 'Mom, I love you and I wish that I'd got the shot,'" Terry told NBC 4. "Of course I told him, 'It's past. You can't do anything about it.'"

Both Don and Terry already had their COVID-19 booster shots and had tried to convince Kevin and Misty to get vaccinated.

While Mike noted that Kevin was "healthy" and "very active," COVID-19 damaged his lungs beyond repair, the Times-Dispatch reported. He died on October 8.

Mike said he felt angry about his brother's death.

"Part of our pain is anger," Mike told the Times-Dispatch. "Anger because people are still not getting the vaccine."

Kevin and Misty leave behind their four children, ages 11 to 17. Kevin had an older daughter and a grandson as well.

"He had everything to live for," Mike told the Times-Dispatch about his brother. "He had five kids and a grandson, and now all of them have lost him."

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An unvaccinated couple refused the COVID-19 vaccine against their family's urges. Both parents died, leaving behind four children. - Yahoo News

It took a small town chiropractor named Charles Brown to help vaccinate millions of kids for decades to come all because he didnt want to vaccinate his own.

It was 1979 in Houston, Mississippi, and Brown needed to enroll his 6-year-old son in school. But state law required the boy to be vaccinated against certain diseases, and Brown didnt want to vaccinate his son. At the time, Mississippi had two exceptions to this law: medical exemption, for kids who had a medical condition that prevented them from receiving certain shots, and a religious exemption, but only for religious groups whose doctrines explicitly prohibit vaccination, such as Christian Scientists. Browns son wasnt eligible for either exemption. So Brown sued.

Brown argued that by limiting the exemption to only certain religious groups, the law violated his First Amendment rights and ought to be expanded to include any religion. (The Browns were Christian, but not a sect approved for a medical exemption.) The case made it to the state Supreme Court where it spectacularly backfired. Rather than expand the religious exemption, the justices argued that having the exemption at all was a violation of the 14th Amendment because it put the rights of certain religious parents over the rights of other parents. The state court struck down the exemption altogether.

With that decision, Mississippi became just the second state (after West Virginia) not to offer religious or personal belief exemptions to its child vaccination mandate. Mississippi now consistently has the countrys highest rates of vaccination among children entering school.

Mississippis childhood immunization rates are a sharp contrast to its COVID-19 vaccination numbers. As of Thursday, 44.5 percent of eligible Mississippians are fully vaccinated, making it 46th in the nation. In fact, Mississippis overall vaccination record outside of kindergarteners isnt great: The state ranks much lower when it comes to vaccine rates for toddlers and teens, as the vaccination requirement only applies to students entering school for the first time.

Its natural to wonder, then, whether Mississippi and other vaccine-hesitant states will expand their mandates to include the COVID-19 vaccine once its approved for kids as young as 5 years old. School mandates are one of the few tools states have to enforce vaccination, and theyre effective. Other jurisdictions are already considering, or have already enacted, such a mandate: California has announced plans to make the COVID-19 shot mandatory for grade school attendance, and school districts across the country have made it a requirement for extracurricular activities.

But adding COVID-19 shots to existing school mandates is not without risk. If an unpopular and highly politicized vaccine is added to the list, those opposed may begin to challenge all vaccine requirements. Its already happening in other states, to some extent. In Ohio, statehouse Republicans introduced a bill that would ban all vaccine mandates, of any kind, for any vaccine, though it was never voted out of committee. And in Tennessee, Republican lawmakers pressured the state department of health into temporarily halting vaccine outreach to minors for any shot, not just the COVID-19 jab. Its an idea that may be gaining popularity among Republican voters, too. The Economist/YouGov have historically surveyed Americans on whether or not they think parents should be required to have their children vaccinated against infectious diseases. In the past, and as recently as last year, the majority of both Republicans and Democrats answered yes, but in a new poll released yesterday, only 46 percent of Republicans agreed with the statement. This fight pits two very serious public health considerations against one another: Either keep the COVID-19 vaccine off the school mandate and risk leaving millions of children and communities at greater risk of the virus, or add it and risk the entire vaccine schedule falling under attack.

When it comes to childhood immunization, you simply cant beat the Magnolia State. During the 2019-2020 school year, more than 99 percent of Mississippi kindergarteners were fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracks kindergarten vaccination rates in every state for the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) and chickenpox vaccines. While childhood vaccination rates in the U.S. are generally high, Mississippi is exceptional it has a more than 99 percent coverage rate for all three shots. Other state rates for kindergarteners ranged as low as 84 percent (for the DTaP vaccine in Indiana). The second-highest rate (in West Virginia, also for DTaP) was 98.8 percent. Childhood vaccine mandates have always been political, but they have typically not been partisan. The modern anti-vax movement has prompted fights surrounding the mandates and their exemptions, but as Ive previously reported, the anti-vax movement has long been a bipartisan affair. As a result, childhood vaccination rates dont fall along partisan lines the way COVID-19 vaccination rates do red states are just as likely to have high childhood immunization rates as blue ones.

Like most states, Mississippi has had its share of pushback from anti-vaccine groups over the mandate (and in particular its lack of exemptions). But these efforts havent amounted to much beyond a few proposed bills that died in committee. Among the general public, the mandate has largely been tolerated as a fact of life, according to James Colgrove, a sociomedical science professor at Columbia University who studies public health policy.

I havent found evidence that there was any widespread resistance, Colgrove said. The evidence we have for its acceptance is mostly negative evidence: the absence of lawsuits and controversy.

When measles outbreaks have occurred in recent years, Mississippi has been spared due to its high vaccination rates, even when outbreaks hit neighboring states. These outbreaks remind the public of just what vaccines protect them from and can be helpful for passing or upholding vaccine law. Consider California, which leveraged a measles outbreak to do away with its personal belief/religious exemption in 2015.

But Mississippi has not embraced the COVID-19 vaccine in the same way. Government agencies and nonprofits have worked together to reduce barriers to accessing the vaccine efforts that helped the state close its early racial gap. But nearly half the states eligible population remains unvaccinated, and the politicization of the pandemic has undoubtedly played a role. Its reductive to suggest all of the vaccine hesitancy is simply due to Mississippi being a red state (Republicans are less likely than Democrats to be vaccinated for COVID-19), but there is a correlation: Counties with a higher voter share for Trump have some of the lowest vaccination rates in the state.

We often get reduced to backwoods, ignorant people who dont know how to think. Its much more nuanced than that, said David Buys, the state health specialist at Mississippi State University Extension. We have a lot of rugged individualism that serves us quite well. Thats not altogether bad. We want people to be critical thinkers. In this case, we do want people to rely a little bit more on the expertise of our public health officials.

That politicized tension makes the notion of mandating a COVID-19 vaccine for all school kids, once its available, much less likely in the state. Though state law grants authority to the State Health Officer to specify which vaccines are required to enroll in school, new shots are rarely added. The most recent shot, for chickenpox, was added by the state department of health in 2002, with little fanfare. But the vaccine against HPV another politicized vaccine was never added (this is true for most states), despite it being recommended by the CDC. The state department of health refused to answer a request for comment.

Increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates in Mississippi, whatever the means, will undeniably reduce the spread of the virus, but this vaccine is different from the ones currently required for school children. Aside from the politicization, COVID-19 is not a disease that primarily impacts kids the way measles, mumps, or pertussis do. Though the vaccine reduces the risk of infection, the risk of a severe infection or death from COVID-19 is already quite low for children. This would make adding it to the school mandate an even harder sell in a state resistant to the jab.

And then theres the concern that drawing attention to a law can have unintended consequences. (Just ask Charles Brown.) Given the COVID-19 vaccines heightened politicization, adding it to a school mandate could draw unwanted attention to the other mandated vaccines, and risk politicizing those as well. Some public health experts have even warned against including the COVID-19 vaccine in school mandates for this precise reason.

Health officers are creatures of the state and the health officer is probably keenly aware that trying to go that route could lead to political backlash, said Dorit Rubinstein Reiss, a vaccine law expert at the University of California, Hastings. Id be surprised if, in a state with this level of hesitancy, this would happen.

Mississippi isnt alone in facing down this dilemma. As COVID-19 vaccines gain approval for kids aged 5 to 11 which theyre expected to in the coming weeks every state will need to grapple with whether or not existing school mandates ought to include COVID-19, or if the risk of drawing negative attention is too great. As Brown learned in his crusade to change the religious exemption, sometimes efforts to alter a law can wind up destroying it altogether.

Link:

The Fight Over COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates Is Coming To Kids Next - FiveThirtyEight

Disney, ESPNs parent company, is one of many large corporations requiring all employees to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, which has led to more than 722,000 deaths in the United States. As ESPN PRs Mike Soltys shared in the first link there (an Aug. 2 Bristol Presspiece on the Disney mandate, which was set to kick in this month), ESPN actually put in an earlier mandate of Aug. 1 for the people working live events for them. That included sideline reporters like Allison Williams.

Williams shared on Twitter last month that she wasnt on the sidelines for ESPNs college football coverage due to that mandate for live events staffers. With the wider corporate mandate now kicking in, unvaccinated employees have now had to make a further choice. Some, like Sage Steele, have grudgingly gotten a vaccineafter previously bashing it. Others, like Williams, are choosing to leave the company instead. Williams revealed that decision in a five-minute video posted to her Instagram page Friday:

A full transcription of Williams comments follows. End notes reflect unsourced statements Williams makes that do not align with current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on COVID-19 vaccines, with those guidelines based on peer-reviewed scientific research. Links to specific information on those claims are available after the transcription. For now, though, heres a transcription of what Williams said:

So I know Ive been a bit mum since releasing the statement I put out a few months ago on my decision to not receive the COVID-19 vaccine. I just want to give everyone an update on my situation with ESPN. A great producer once told me Dont bury the lede. So I have been denied my request for accommodation by ESPN and the Walt Disney Company, and effective next week I will be separated from the company.

First of all, thank you, everyone, who reached out, texted, emailed, called, messaged me. I cant tell you how much light it brought in a really dark and difficult time. And Ive also had a lot of people and women in particular reach out and share their stories in regards to fertility and getting the injection. And to the women who got it and are having successful pregnancies and have babies in their arms, I am beyond thrilled for you. Congratulations; thats amazing, and terrific, and I believe you. To the women who have reached out and shared their experiences of getting the injection and subsequent miscarriages and menstrual irregularities, periods after menopause, I am so sorry that that is your experience, and I pray for you, and I believe you.

Belief is a word Ive been thinking about a lot lately, because in addition to the medical apprehensions regarding my desire to have another child in regards to receiving this injection, I am also so morally and ethically not aligned with this. And Ive had to really dig deep and analyze my values and my morals, and ultimately I need to put them first. And the irony in all this is that a lot of these same values and morals that I hold dear are what made me a really good employee, what helped with the success that Im able to have in my career.

And it wasnt that long ago that those values were aligned with the Walt Disney Company. In April, they sent out an email to all cast members, as they call employees, saying that they believed the vaccine was the best way forward, but ultimately, it was a personal decision. Their values have clearly changed.

I understand that. I dont know what its like to run a multimillion-dollar company and have shareholders and board members and financial quotas to answer to, not to mention societal and political pressure. So I respect that their values have changed. I had hoped that they would respect that mine did not.

Ultimately, I cannot put a paycheck over principle. And I will not sacrifice something that I believe and hold so strongly to maintain a career.

A lot of people have brought up the moral obligation receiving the vaccine is to being a good citizen. And I weighed that, and I thought about the implications. We all want to be good neighbors. We all want to end this pandemic. But ultimately, an injection that does not stop transmission and spread for me, does not weigh in morally.

So I want to just say to that I know Im not the only one walking away from a career they love, a profession that is a passion. And so many people that are in the same situation as me, serving society and benefiting this country in ways I could never do, they are nurses, they are teachers, they are doctors, they are police officers, and first responders, and they are most importantly our military, and pilots. And they too are choosing to put their beliefs first. And I just want you all to know I stand with you.

But I also want people to know who support these mandates that I will fight for you. Because if this is the direction we take our country, there will come a time when the government or corporations mandate you to get something that does not align with your values. Power given is seldom returned. And when that day comes, I want you to at least know that we fought, and we tried.

I dont know what the future holds, obviously, for any of us. Im trying to wrap my head around the thought that the largest game Ive worked in my career, the national championship game, might be the last game I work. But Im going to focus on what I have to be thankful for. Im going to hold on to my faith. Im going to pray that things get better, and that I can see you on the television set in some capacity, in some stadium, covering some game soon. Until then, God bless, and Im going to go hug my baby.

Notes:1: Williams discusses medical apprehensions regarding my desire to have another child in regards to receiving this injection. From the CDC:

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future.

Evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been growing. These data suggest that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy.

There is currently no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems in women or men.

Pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people.

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect you from severe illness from COVID-19.

2: Williams discusses an injection that does not stop transmission and spread. From a more general part of a CDC Delta variant page:

The COVID-19 vaccines approved or authorized in the United States are highly effective at preventing severe disease and death, including against the Delta variant. But they are not 100% effective, and some fully vaccinated people will become infected (called a breakthrough infection) and experience illness. For all people, the vaccine provides the best protection against serious illness and death.

Vaccines are playing a crucial role in limiting spread of the virus and minimizing severe disease. Although vaccines are highly effective, they are not perfect, and there will be vaccine breakthrough infections. Millions of Americans are vaccinated, and that number is growing. This means that even though the risk of breakthrough infections is low, there will be thousands of fully vaccinated people who become infected and able to infect others, especially with the surging spread of the Delta variant. Low vaccination coverage in many communities is driving the current rapid surge in cases involving the Delta variant, which also increases the chances that even more concerning variants could emerge.

Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community. High vaccination coverage will reduce spread of the virus and help prevent new variants from emerging. CDC recommends that everyone aged 12 years and older get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Beyond that, yes, of course, like most vaccines, the approved COVID-19 vaccines do not stop all transmission and spread. Fully-vaccinated people can still be infected (in a breakthrough case). And there is some research suggesting that infected fully-vaccinated people can still spread the disease as much as infected unvaccinated people, based on viral-load data; the CDC discussed this in July as part of a revision to their masking policies. But that does not override the effectiveness of vaccines; a fully-vaccinated person is less likely to have the disease transmitted to them in the first place, so theyre less likely to transmit it on to anyone else. And a fully-vaccinated person is less likely to get a severe case requiring hospitalization, which reduces strain on the healthcare system.

In the end, Williams can absolutely choose not to get vaccinated. But thats a choice thats in direct conflict with the Disney and ESPN vaccine policy, so her departure isnt surprising. And as for her being in some stadium covering some game soon, current federal requirements are that all companies with more than 100 workers either require vaccinations or test unvaccinated employees for COVID-19 weekly. That would be much of the broadcasting world.

Companies can go beyond that weekly level of testing, too. For example, Fox Sports parent company 21st Century Fox (where 90-plus percent of the employees were vaccinated by September) tests unvaccinated employees daily. And there are many further requirements for people working at events, both from broadcasters and from teams or leagues. So it may not be easy to find an outlet that will let Williams do sideline reporting without getting vaccinated, or teams and leagues that will allow an unvaccinated sideline reporter on the field.

[Allison Williams on Instagram]

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Allison Williams is leaving ESPN over COVID-19 vaccine mandate - Awful Announcing