Category: Covid-19

Vice President of UF Research David Norton announced the investigation in an email to faculty and staff Friday morning, according to the university. The email indicates the results of the investigation will be made public upon completion, but did not give a timeline.

"UF Research became aware of possible violations of the UF Policy on Research Integrity," Norton wrote in an email, saying the possible violation relates "to the reported destruction of COVID-19 research data at UF."

Asked if the university was aware of actual destruction of data, the school said the investigation would be looking into that.

The committee did not name specific individuals, in order to protect the jobs of faculty members, Dr. Danaya Wright, a professor at the University of Florida and one of six authors listed on the report told CNN.

"I don't know that we need a smoking gun, in particular, to say that this is coming from state government, governmental entities," Wright said.

The report identifies challenges in the partnership with the State of Florida, with which the university worked jointly on Covid-19 research.

The issues noted in the report include, "external pressure to destroy deidentified data, barriers to accessing and analyzing deidentified data in a timely manner, and barriers to publication of scientific research." These issues created "challenges" for faculty to contribute scientific findings during a world-wide pandemic, the report summarized.

A spokesperson for Florida's governor denied any involvement.

"Governor (Ron) DeSantis does not interfere with the internal matters of UF, which this is. Nobody from our office has told UF professors to refrain from criticizing any state policies," said spokesperson Christina Pushaw.

"Everyone in the academic community is free to share their opinions and critiques of policies. The governor is confident in UF leadership and proud that the university has risen in the national rankings to one of the top 5 public research universities in the country," Pushaw said.

The Faculty Senate report was the result of a three-week investigation looking into academic freedom at the university after three full-time professors were barred from testifying as paid experts in a lawsuit brought against the state that dealt with voting rights.

CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to make clear there has been no confirmation that Covid-19 research data has been destroyed.

Read the original here:

University of Florida launches formal investigation after reports of pressure to destroy Covid-19 research data - CNN

Celtics forward Josh Richardson, who voiced opposition to vaccinations over the summer, was the latest player to be placed in protocols. The NBA does not mandate players be vaccinated, a point on which the players union refused to budge.

The NBA responded by setting more stringent guidelines for unvaccinated players. Meanwhile, the league claims more than 90 percent of players are vaccinated. Apparently there have been a number of breakthrough cases because several teams are dealing with positives.

Raptors president Masai Ujiri announced in a statement he tested positive after attending a local charity event.

[Last week the] Giants of Africa held our first in-person event since 2019, he wrote. It was organized in compliance with all current public health guidance everyone who attended had to show proof of vaccination, and to wear masks when not eating or drinking. Unfortunately, after the gala, we learned of positive COVID-19 tests among our guests and even though I am fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot, I also subsequently tested positive.

I am now at home, observing the safety protocols by self-isolating for 10 days, monitoring for symptoms, and undergoing testing, and I encourage everyone who attended to please do the same. We dont want to live in fear of this virus, but COVID is a persistent enemy. Together, well defeat it.

LeBron James was yanked from a game two weeks ago against the Kings, only to be told his test was a false positive. He ripped the league for its handling of his case, which included finding his own transportation from Sacramento to Los Angeles and traveling alone. He also said his family was quarantined until he received the news that he had repeatedly tested negative.

And in case it may have slipped your mind, Nets guard Kyrie Irving has not played this season because he refuses vaccination, and the city of New York will not allow those who are unvaccinated to enter indoor sports facilities. Irving has said he will not change his mind, and he has been away from the team for the past two months.

The NBA released weekly COVID-19 testing numbers last season but has not done so this season, perhaps hoping that there would be no need, but NFL teams are also dealing with numerous cases.

Sixers center Joel Embiid missed two weeks because of COVID-19, which he said caused great discomfort. Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers added that several of his players who had COVID-19 are feeling the effects weeks later.

The NBA pulled off a bubble to complete the 2019-20 season with daily testing and a pristine environment. But with fans allowed in arenas and restrictions loosened, there is a higher risk.

Even last season, fans were warned to not touch basketballs that rolled out of bounds. That is no longer the case. The league has attempted to go back to normal perhaps without understanding there is a new normal.

Maybe the league should push back against the players unions refusal to mandate vaccinations.

For Irving, his vaccination status may cause a divorce with the Nets. He is eligible for a contract extension, but its highly unlikely Brooklyn would make a lucrative offer if he remains out this season.

And while the Nets are the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference, there are varying opinions on Irving and what his decision has meant for a team with championship aspirations. He convinced Kevin Durant to reject the Knicks and Warriors to sign with Brooklyn, and Durant has moved forward and remains one of the leagues top players.

James Harden does not share such an allegiance with Irving, and he pushed for a trade from Houston to Brooklyn because he wanted to win his first NBA title. Irvings absence means Harden has to play more as a point guard and facilitator, and he is shooting a career-worst 40.1 percent from the field. Irvings status has been hovering over the Nets and it doesnt appear that will change any time soon. There was speculation that Irving was waiting for New York to loosen COVID-19 restrictions, but the city apparently has no plans for that.

NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Doncic admits poor conditioning

Luka Doncic is the best player from the 2018 draft, who landed in the laps of the Mavericks because the Kings instead decided to select Marvin Bagley Jr. second overall. While Doncic has become one of the best players in the world, he is breaking down at times because of a lack of conditioning.

When the Celtics played the Mavericks in November, Doncic, who is listed at 230 pounds, looked a step slow but got by on his immense skill set. Hes good enough to dominate at his current weight, but fatigue is affecting him late in games.

Doncic admitted after a recent loss to the Nets that his conditioning is an issue. Its bizarre because Doncic carried the Slovenian national team in the Olympics and played most of the summer. But then he reported to training camp six weeks later in subpar shape.

I think I had a long summer, I relax a bit [after], he said. Not taking care [of myself], but Ive got to do better. I took three weeks off, rested a bit. Maybe too much. Ive got to get back on track.

After a promising start the Mavericks have lost nine of their last 12 games, and the issue has been the offense. Dallas still has not gotten Doncic adequate offensive complements, making his life more difficult. Kristaps Porzingis is averaging 19.5 points but has missed eight games. The Mavericks primary offseason acquisition, Reggie Bullock, is averaging just 6 points per game and shooting 28.2 percent on 3-pointers.

We cant shoot straight from the 3-point line, coach Jason Kidd said. Its like a broken record. We have to be better. We have to take responsibility at some point that we have to make shots. Were doing everything by getting the ball in the paint and were making the extra pass. Were just not making shots. And then transition defense, when we dont make shots, we dont get back [on defense].

The Mavericks lost Friday to their former coach, Rick Carlisle, who was essentially pushed out to make room for Kidd. In that 106-93 loss to the Pacers, Dallas was 4 for 29 from the 3-point line and scored just 13 points in the fourth quarter.

[Friday] was a perfect case, Kidd said. We score, they come right back at us. Thats just effort, communication. We didnt do a good job of that.

The Mavericks, like the Celtics, are playing below expectations. Kidd believes perhaps its about more than execution.

At practice were working at it, but sometimes it becomes a mental thing, he said. We know we have guys struggling shooting the three. So we have to stay positive and keep working at it and it will turn. Theres too many games left in the season for it to stay this way.

When asked what the Mavericks can do to solve their shooting woes, Kidd went old school.

I think the best answer to that question is maybe we watch the movie Major League and get a bucket of chicken and we start chanting, he said. Its hard to get wide-open looks in this league and were a team that creates a lot of them. I think we live with the shots that weve gotten and we just have to make them.

Doncic is shooting just 32.5 percent on 3-pointers after his 1 for 8 on Friday.

ETC.

Reeve ready when Staley stepped down

Dawn Staley maintained that she was done with international coaching. After Team USA won its seventh consecutive gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, Staley said she was done, and she has lived up to her word.

Team USA named Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, one of Staleys assistants in Tokyo, as its next head coach, taking over the most dominant team in history. The US women generally arent challenged, and despite losing an exhibition game last summer they swept to another gold.

We have a tremendous amount of talent in the WNBA and the college ranks, Reeve said. I know there will be some new faces.

Staley took over Team USA from UConns Geno Auriemma, the most successful womens college coach in history. When Staley decided to step down, Reeve pushed for a professional coach to be considered. And when she was offered the job, she gladly accepted.

Its an opinion of someone who happens to be a pro coach, she said. My dad didnt raise no dummies. I wanted to make sure I had a shot at it. I just thought it would be the case with professional players mostly, and we have some good pro coaches and I wanted to make sure we were front and center for these opportunities, and Im appreciative.

Staley, 51, was fairly young to step down, especially after just one Olympics, but she was sincere about walking away.

I wanted to make sure she knew I thought she would remain coach and I would love to continue to be part of it with her, Reeve said. Dawn is a tremendous mentor to so many people, she has put me in this position to take the reins. Only a few people get this opportunity. The culture matches what we preach in Minnesota. The winning part is fun, but more than anything its how we do it.

Team USA should be loaded again for Paris in 2024. Despite the retirements of Sue Bird (official) and Diana Taurasi (likely), Tina Charles, Britney Griner, Breanna Stewart, and Aja Wilson are expected to return. And there will be an influx of new candidates, led by New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu.

Shelf life for coaches?

Its not often that a professional sports team pushes out a coach that just reached the finals, but the Phoenix Mercury did just that by agreeing to part ways with Sandy Brondello after eight years. Brondello was coming off a WNBA Finals loss to the Chicago Sky and led the Mercury to the title in 2014.

My first move after taking over as general manager in 2013 was to hire Sandy Brondello as our head coach, and the basketball success weve achieved in that time is a credit to her, her staff, our players, and the culture she was part of building, Jim Pitman said in a statement. Our 2014 championship, two Finals appearances, eight playoff appearances in eight seasons, six semifinal berths, and nine single-elimination playoff wins in that time all speak to the consistently high results her leadership and signature preparation brought us. She oversaw our program with the utmost integrity, and Im sincerely grateful for her partnership and friendship.

At the same time, we understand that an eight-year tenure for a head coach is an exception in any professional sport, and we are confident a new voice is necessary for our team at this time. Our expectation is to compete for championships now and in the future, and the search to find the head coach who can help lead us there has already begun.

So, the question is whether Pitman is right, is eight years long enough for a pro coach before a change is needed. The Celtics Brad Stevens thought so, but apparently Brondello didnt. She wants to coach in the WNBA again soon and is a candidate for the vacant Liberty job.

Best in the West

The Suns routed the Celtics Friday night without two of their best players (Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton) and continue to dominate with brilliant offense and stifling defense. Monty Williams, again a top candidate for Coach of the Year, gave his team two consecutive days off of practice this past week for the first time in his career.

You need the talent for sure, but there are nights during the season where the style of play, the standard of play, can help you sustain when you have so many guys out, he said. There was a bit of a wear-down effect. I thought we were fresh [against the Celtics]. I think guys are going to ask for two days off a lot, even when theres only one day off they might ask for two.

The Suns used their complementary players to pound the Celtics, an embarrassment for Boston but an indication of Phoenixs depth.

Weve said that a number of times. In order for us to be the team we want to be, other guys are going to have to play with a great deal of confidence, Williams said. Because as we saw in the playoffs a number of times, teams are going to either try to take Chris [Paul] out so he cant initiate, theyll blitz [Booker], theyll trap Book when he has the ball, and guys have to be able to make plays. I think, especially when youre winning, it feels good, but from a program standpoint and building confidence in our team, I think its important that guys learn how to play in those environments, because thats what were going to see from good teams.

Layups

The Lakers briefly quieted critics with their best performance of the season in last Tuesdays over the Celtics. They received sparkling performances from LeBron James and, yes, Russell Westbrook, who has been hearing it from Lakers fans because of his uneven, turnover-prone play. Afterward, James was asked about the job status of coach Frank Vogel, who has been under fire, with the criticism increasing over the past few weeks, because of a 13-12 start despite what some observers believe is a loaded roster. James said the Lakers have good coaches and neither he nor the players are worried about the Vogel talk. It wasnt a ringing endorsement, but it was an indication that James is not fed up with his coach. There are two candidates on the staff in case general manager Rob Pelinka decides to make a move. Former Knicks and Grizzlies coach David Fizdale is in his first season as Vogels assistant, replacing Jason Kidd, and Phil Handy, who worked wonders with the likes of Kyrie Irving in his time in Cleveland, would likely be OK with James if a move is made. The Lakers spend considerable time on the road over the next few weeks, so if the losses pile up a change could be made. This team was built to win a championship this season, but the Lakers arent close to the likes of the Warriors and Suns right now One coach who may have saved his job is the Rockets Stephen Silas, whose club started out 1-16 but had won seven straight (despite the absence of lottery pick Jalen Green) before Friday nights loss to the Bucks. The Rockets are in a rebuild but there were questions as to whether Silas was fostering progress with the young core. One move he made was removing former Celtic Daniel Theis from the starting lineup eliminating the double-big combination Stevens tried last season with the Celtics and allowing Christian Wood to play center full time. The Rockets play hard and are scrappy and those characteristics are going to get wins in todays NBA. They recently beat a Kevin Durant-less Nets team after a strong effort from second-round pick Josh Christopher.

Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GwashburnGlobe.

Read more:

Its a case of the NBA having a COVID-19 problem - The Boston Globe

The whereabouts and condition of a state senator from Washington state are unknown weeks after his location was last reported at a Florida hospital where he was being treated for COVID-19.

State Sen. Doug Ericksen (R) sent an email to other state lawmakers on Nov. 11 saying he had tested positivefor the coronavirus during a trip to El Salvador, according toa SeattleNBC affiliate. In the email, he alsosaid that an antibody treatment for the virus was unavailable in his Central American location and asked the other lawmakers if they knew of any way he could get it.

"It's to the point I would feel it would be beneficial for me to receive an IV of monoclonal antibodies [Regeneron],"he said, per the NBC affiliate.

He arranged for a flight from El Salvador shortly thereafter, according to a former state lawmaker who talked to local Washington newspaperThe Bellingham Herald, and was then taken to the Florida hospital.

No one has since heard from the lawmaker, who has servedWashington state for decades.

Multiple sources and people close to Ericksen, contacted by reporters, explained they have heard nothing about the senator since his disappearance, per the Herald.

I really dont have any information. Its all going through the family now, Ericksens legislative assistant Sandy Ruff told the newspaper.

Ericksen, 52, was born and raised in Whatcom County in Washington. He hasbeen in state office since 1998, servingsix terms in the state House of Representativesbefore he was first elected as a state senator in 2010.

Follow this link:

Whereabouts, condition of Washington lawmaker with COVID-19 unknown | TheHill - The Hill

EAST LANSING Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is once again encouraging people to get vaccinated and to show more compassion for healthcare workers amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

Following recent conversations with local doctors and nurses regarding hospital capacity issues and poor treatment of hospital staff, Izzo said he was compelled to speak out on the issues following Michigan States Saturday win over Penn State

Im ticked off at our country a little bit, Izzo said. Whether you choose to get vaccinated or not is your choice. Im going to beg people to get vaccinated because its what I believe, but its not just me, its the scientific knowledge, the doctors, the nurses, its everybody.

Izzo was most forceful on the topic of healthcare workers and how theyre treated.

For the people out there condemning our doctors and our nurses, the first responders, it makes me sick. It really bothers me, Izzo said.

You have your own decision on what you want to do. Thats your business. But Ill tell you one thing, if anyones that ignorant that theyre condemning our doctors, nurses, first responders, all the people that are giving their fricking life, and now we cant even get operations, we cant get things because these hospitals are overwhelmed again, shame on you.

As of Thursday, 10 Michigan hospitals were at 100 percent capacity and hospitals overall in the state were at 86 percent capacity. The state set a record this week for COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Locally, Sparrow Hospital had 42 patients awaiting a bed in the emergency department earlier this week, a spokesperson told MLive.

Izzo has been vocal throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in urging people to follow public health guidance regarding masking and social distancing. He has also on multiple occasions urged the public to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Izzo and his entire team and staff have been vaccinated.

Original post:

Michigan States Tom Izzo urges COVID-19 vaccinations, better treatment of healthcare workers - MLive.com

Los Angeles County is possibly at the start of a winter COVID-19 surge, its public health director said Thursday.

Weekly coronavirus case rates have climbed by 33% over the last two weeks, sending the nations most populous county back into the worst coronavirus transmission tier, colored red on maps published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Also rising in L.A. County are COVID-19 hospitalizations, which just before Thanksgiving hit a new low since the Delta surge began in the summer. COVID-19 hospitalizations are up 21% since Nov. 22, rising from 551 to 667 as of Wednesday.

We do expect increases to continue on the heels of our Thanksgiving gatherings, but already based on the trends, we are looking at the possible beginnings of a winter surge, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.

Another point of concern was a slight increase in coronavirus cases among schoolchildren. In the week after Thanksgiving, coronavirus cases among schoolchildren rose to their highest level since late September, Ferrer said.

If, as we suspect, this increase in cases reflects transmission that took place during holiday gatherings, we should consider this an early warning about the upcoming December holiday, Ferrer said. That makes now a particularly critical time to vaccinate school-aged children.

On Thursday, federal officials cleared the way for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be available to boost fully vaccinated 16- and 17-year-olds.

It is not believed that classrooms are a major source of coronavirus transmission because of measures such as masking in indoor classrooms. For the week of Dec. 4, L.A. County schools had only three outbreaks in K-12 settings. An outbreak is defined as a situation in which three or more coronavirus cases occur in a school setting and are believed to be related to one another.

This winters potential surge is not expected to be as severe as the historic tide of severe illness that overwhelmed L.A. Countys hospitals last year, Ferrer said, given how many people are vaccinated. Among residents of all ages, 67% are fully vaccinated, and 75% have had at least one dose, according to The Times vaccination tracker.

Those levels are not as high as vaccination rates in the San Francisco Bay Area, which remain the highest in the state, but they are having an effect.

L.A. County has already observed a lower percentage of infected people needing hospitalization; during the summer Delta surge, 5% to 6% of coronavirus cases needed hospitalization, whereas last year, 15% to 20% of cases needed hospital care, Ferrer said.

That is very good news and really reflects the power of those vaccines, Ferrer said.

Still, any increase in coronavirus cases makes it more likely that people will need hospitalization and that more people will die, Ferrer said.

Booster shots are increasingly being seen as key to best protecting against COVID-19. For the seven-day period that ended Nov. 29, for every 100,000 residents who got a booster, only seven were infected with the virus, compared with 43 who were vaccinated but hadnt received their booster.

This means that the booster offered six times the protection of the primary vaccine series alone, Ferrer said. Please dont wait any longer. The boosters are essential.

Unvaccinated people were far more likely to get infected than vaccinated people. For every 100,000 unvaccinated residents, 165 people were infected that week.

One point of concern is that a surge in cases could disproportionately affect Black and Latino residents of L.A. County, who have been more likely in previous coronavirus surges to be infected, hospitalized and die than white and Asian American residents. Many workers who must physically go to work and are disproportionately exposed to the coronavirus, are Black or Latino, Ferrer said.

This disproportionality in health outcomes associated with our surges are a stark reminder that the conditions in which people work and live can place them at much higher risk during a pandemic, Ferrer said. Our strategies for closing gaps need to include protecting workers and supporting families that have fewer resources.

L.A. County has struggled to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in vaccinations. Among those 5 and older, 55% of Black residents and 60% of Latino residents have received at least one dose of vaccine, compared with 73% of white, 77% of Native American and 82% of Asian American residents, according to data posted on the countys website.

Some counties in the San Francisco Bay Area have smaller disparities in vaccinations by race and ethnicity.

In San Francisco, 74% of white, 76% of Black and 86% of Asian American residents of all ages have received at least one dose of vaccine; vaccination rates are more than 90% for Latino and Native American residents.

In Northern Californias most populous county, Santa Clara, 69% of Black, 73% of Latino, 74% of white, 88% of Native American and 92% of Asian American residents have received at least one shot.

We dont really see the extent of disparities that are seen in many other communities when it comes to Hispanic/Latino and African American populations, Dr. Ahmad Kamal, a top official with Santa Clara Countys COVID-19 response team, recently said at a public meeting. And this is really a testament to some of the great outreach being done in these communities in trying to get vaccinations to everybody.

And in the regions second-most populous county, Alameda, 67% of Black, 68% of Latino, 76% of white, 87% of Asian American and 98% of Native American residents have received at least one dose.

Ferrer said L.A. County aims to make vaccines widely available through mobile clinics and home visits. But there is this issue of making sure people can build their confidence in the vaccines, she said. And I think we certainly are struggling in making sure that people do feel confident that vaccines are safe.

Another point of concern is that children ages 5 to 11 are more likely to get vaccinated if they live in wealthier neighborhoods. In the lowest-income areas of L.A. County, only 11% of children in this age group have been vaccinated, compared with 28% of children in the age group in wealthier neighborhoods. The countywide rate for this age group is 16%.

Sixty percent of L.A. Countys children ages 5 to 11 live in low-income areas.

The effect of the coronavirus Omicron variant remains a big question. Omicron was first reported by scientists in South Africa to the World Health Organization just before Thanksgiving, and the strain has since been detected worldwide.

Virtually all of the coronavirus cases now being analyzed in L.A. County have been of the Delta variant, which has been the dominant variant nationwide for many months. So far, there have been seven Omicron cases identified in L.A. County, including two new ones reported Friday.

Omicron is believed to be highly transmissible.

Though early reports of people hospitalized with coronavirus infections in South Africa have noted that most are not severely ill, its much too early to generalize from these data, Ferrer said. We will understand a lot more about the kinds of infections Omicron can cause when we see how it affects older people, people with underlying health conditions and unvaccinated populations.

Britains health secretary, Sajid Javid, called Omicron an even more formidable foe than Delta as the government there rolled out new COVID-19 restrictions.

In England, that meant new orders announced this week, such as requiring mask wearing in most indoor public settings and proof of vaccination or a recent negative coronavirus test for adults to enter certain venues and events. Similar rules have been in place in some parts of California for some time.

Britain is also challenged because it was much slower than the U.S. in starting to vaccinate children, experts have said.

Read more:

L.A. County may be at the start of a winter COVID-19 surge - Los Angeles Times

Just one day after placing Myles Gaskin on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Miami Dolphins have now placed Salvon Ahmed there as well.

This news also comes days after the team put running back Patrick Laird on injured reserve with a knee injury.

Ahmed is reportedly vaccinated, so like Gaskin, theres a chance that he could return before the Week 15 matchup with the New York Jets, but he will have to have two negative test results at least 24 hours apart before he can return to the team.

Phillip Lindsay is the only available running back on the active roster, but hes been dealing with an injury of his own that kept him out of last weeks game against the New York Giants.

Veteran back Duke Johnson and rookie Gerrid Doaks are able to be elevated to the active roster if needed, and the chances of that go up every day of practice that Gaskin and Ahmed miss next week.

Go here to see the original:

Dolphins place another RB on the reserve/COVID-19 list - Dolphins Wire

Need a COVID-19 booster? There are plenty of clinics happening in Maine this weekend  WGME

Link:

Need a COVID-19 booster? There are plenty of clinics happening in Maine this weekend - WGME

You may need your vaccination card to enter restaurants, gyms and other venues across the country.

Have you received your COVID-19 booster yet? With omicron, will you need a fourth vaccine dose? With vaccine-makers preparing for an omicron-specific booster if the new COVID-19 variant is as serious as some fear, that piece of paper with your vaccine record could get crowded.

With many counties and cities requiring you to show your vaccine card and ID to get into restaurants, bars and theaters (or even your place of work), you'll need to carry a record of your COVID shots with you if you want to enter. You don't, however, necessarily have to keep the printed version in your wallet or purse. We recommend storing it in your phone instead to make your life easier by preventingloss or damage. You carry your phone everywhere, right?

Not sure where to start? We'll tell you all the ways you can store your vaccine card on your phone -- including methods to use if you have an Android phone or iPhone, or if your state has a specific app. Be aware that if you get a booster dose, you need to re-upload your vaccine card. For more details about the coronavirus, here's the latest onlong COVIDand what to know aboutmixing your COVID-19 booster shot. This story was recently updated.

Many states have apps that let their residents store a digital version of their vaccine cards on their phones, including California,Colorado, Hawaii,New Yorkand Oregon.

Colorado residents, for example, can download themyColorado app. It requires you to create an account, verify your identity and then add your digital driver's license to your phone. After you've done that, you can then add your myVaccine record to the app.

Louisiana'sLA Wallet apptakes a similar approach to Colorado's, allowing you to add your driver's license and proof of vaccination to your phone.

California's version requires you tofill out a form to verify your identity, after which you'll receive a text message or email with a link to a QR code you can save to your phone. When scanned, the code will offer proof of vaccination. The link will also include a digital copy of your vaccination record.

Illinois residents can useVaxVerifyto show proof. The app uses Experian for identity verification.

MyIR Mobileis another app used by several state health departments to provide a digital copy of your vaccination card. Currently, if you live in Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Dakota, Washington, West Virginia or Washington, DC, this is the app you'll use.

Delaware,New Mexico andMichigan are also using web portals for residents to access their vaccination status online.

New Yorkers have two app options, including the Excelsior Pass app and NYC Covid Safe.

We'll continue to keep an eye out for other states that have apps and features to store your COVID-19 vaccine card online.

Now playing: Watch this: What to do if you lose your vaccination card, and how...

3:00

If your state doesn't have an iPhone or Android app to store your card, there are other ways to store it on your phone. The US doesn't have a single online system or app you can use to show proof of vaccination on your phone. Instead, what qualifies as proof varies by city, county and even business.

Some places may accept a picture of your vaccination card. It's a confusing mess, to put it mildly. I strongly urge you to take a few minutes to research what your city, county or state will accept as proof, as it can vary.

For example, concert producerAEG Presents will accepta "physical copy of a COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card, a digital copy of such card or such other proof as is permitted locally."

Along with school mandates,hundreds of collegesare also requiring students and employees to be vaccinated.Seattle University, for example, requires students to be vaccinated to attend in-person classes via an online form that uploads photos of the front and back of the vaccination card.

When in doubt, look for information on the business's website, or call the local health department and ask for clarification. This is bound to save you time, headaches and being turned away at the door.

Yes. If you have aniPhone ($330 at Amazon), you can store your COVID-19 vaccination card on yourApple Walletto present whenever you need to show you're fully vaccinated. (You can keep a copy in theHealth app, too.) You can also keep your card handy on yourApple Watchwith the latest WatchOS update.

Over on Android, you can add yourvaccine card to the Google Pay app. I need to remind myself each time where my card is in Google Pay (you can find it by tapping the card area up at the top of the app), so I added a shortcut icon to my home screen to quickly find it.

Samsung now gives Galaxy phone owners the option to add proof of vaccination to Samsung Pay, its wallet app. By having direct access to your vaccination record, you won't have to fiddle around with creating photo albums and tapping through multiple screens before you're able to show it to a bouncer at your local watering hole.

Samsung Galaxy device users can store proof of vaccination in Samsung Pay by downloading the CommonHealth app.

To add your card to Samsung Pay, you'll need to download the CommonHealth app (Samsung's partner) from the Google Play Store. Follow the prompts in the app to verify your vaccination status. Once the app confirms you've indeed gotten the shots, you'll be prompted to download a Smart Health Card to Samsung Pay.

That card is what you'll then show to anyone requesting you show proof of vaccination.

The simplest way to have a digital record of your vaccine status is to snap a picture of your vaccination card and keep it on your phone. The CDC even recommendskeeping a picture of your card as a backup copy.

Taking a photo of your card -- front and back -- is the quickest and easiest way to store it on your phone.

Simply use the camera app on your phone to snap the photo. You can favorite the photo to quickly locate it or store it in a notes app, a folder or somewhere that's easy to remember so you don't have to endlessly scroll your camera roll to find it. Make sure you're in a well-lit area and get close enough to the card that its dates and details are legible. I also suggest putting the card on a dark surface, while remaining conscious of shadows of your arms or the phone on the card itself.

Here's an example of one way to save your vaccination card as a new photo album. On an iPhone, open the Photos app, select the Albums tab and then tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner followed by New Album. Give the album a name and then tap Save. Next, select the photos of your card to add them to the album.

On an Android phone, it depends on which app you're using, but the process should generally be the same. If you're using the Google Photos app, open the app and then select the picture of your vaccination card. Tap the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner, followed by the Add to Album button. Select +New album and give it a name such as "Vaccination Card" and tap the checkmark button when you're done.

The Notes app on the iPhone has a built-in scanner that makes it really easy to quickly scan your vaccination card and store a copy.

I've had a large number of readers reach out to me about this article, each one offering advice and guidance about storing a proof of vaccination card.

Some suggestions include well-known airport security service Clear. In fact, some concert and exhibition halls require that attendees use Clear to verify their vaccination status to attend a show. You can go to clearme.com/healthpass to download the app and get your card added.

VaxYesis another service that verifies your vaccination status and then adds your vaccination card to your Apple Wallet. I've read that you can add your card to the Google Pay app, but after signing up and going through the process myself, I don't see the option on a Pixel 5 running Android 12.

If your local municipality or employer used the CDC's Vaccine Administration Management System, thenyou can use the VAMS website to access your vaccination records. I had more than one reader reach out to me about using this system to show proof of vaccination, but without an account myself, I'm unable to go through the process of accessing a vaccination record.

Another suggestion I received from multiple readers is to use a scanner app on your phone and store a scanned copy of your vaccination card in something like your OneDrive personal vault or a password manager (almost all of them offer some sort of secure file storage) instead of storing the photo in Google Photos or Apple's iCloud photos. On an iPhone, you can use the scanner that'sbuilt into the Notes app. On Android,Google's Stack PDF scannerwill be enough to get the job done.

This story updates as the national vaccine conversation continues. For more information about the booster shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, make sure to read this. We have up-to-date details about the omicron variant.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

Visit link:

How to carry your COVID-19 vaccine card on your iPhone or Android phone - CNET

Amtrak will have to reduce passenger service beginning in January unless more employees abide by the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate which takes effect in January, according to The Associated Press.

Amtrak president Stephen Gardner told House lawmakers on Thursday that while roughly 95% of the rail system's workers have received at least one dose of the vaccine, the remaining employees face the January 4 deadline that the corporation put into place, mirroring the deadline that President Joe Biden enacted for employees of federal contractors.

In a setback for the administration, a judge on Tuesday blocked the federal vaccine mandate for employees of federal contractors.

However, the White House says that it will vigorously stand up for its mandate for employees of federal contractors in court.

An Amtrak spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that if the mandate was still blocked on January 4, then the rail system's mandate would remain in effect for that date.

Gardner on Thursday detailed scheduling issues that are likely to arise until more employees are fully vaccinated.

"We anticipate proactively needing to temporarily reduce some train frequencies across our network in January to avoid staffing-related cancellations with our plan to fully restore all frequencies by March, or as soon as we have qualified employees available," he told lawmakers at a hearing of the House transportation subcommittee on railroads, pipelines and hazardous materials.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Thursday brushed off any substantial impact on Amtrak caused by the vaccine mandate, emphasizing that staffers have overwhelmingly been inoculated against the coronavirus and noted that several weeks remain until the deadline.

"What we have conveyed to employers is post-deadline, we expect employers will follow their standard HR process," she said during a press briefing. "That means if an employee's not in compliance they'll go through education, counseling, accommodations, and enforcement. That would be what the process would be to play out."

She continued: "We don't expect these requirements will cause disruptions to services that people depend on. There is some time to implement it."

The development comes as the passenger railroad service will receive an unprecedented $66 billion in funding as part of the newly-signed $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that was championed by Biden, an Amtrak loyalist who took the train religiously between his Delaware home and Washington DC when he served in the Senate.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, Amtrak sharply curtailed its service due to low ridership; at one point, ridership on the passenger railroad service was a 4% of its pre-pandemic level.

Gardner stated that Amtrak has restored the majority of its service and now has roughly 70% of its pre-pandemic traffic, but noted that it's going to take several years for ridership to resemble figures from 2019.

Much of the traffic rebound will depend on business travel, according to Gardner.

During the 2021 fiscal year, Amtrak ridership was 12.2 million, compared with 32.5 million riders in 2019.

For the 2020 fiscal year, ending on September 30, Amtrak transported 16.8 million passengers to destinations across the United States.

Amtrak hopes to hire roughly 2,500 to 3,500 employees by September 2022, but the company currently lacks the human resources personnel needed to screen and hire future employees, according to its own inspector general.

In August, Amtrak said that employees would need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or face weekly testing.

In September, Biden originally issued his mandate for federal workers and employees of federal contractors to be fully vaccinated by December 8, before the deadline was pushed to January 4.

Continued here:

Amtrak set to reduce service in January over COVID-19 vaccine mandate - Business Insider

Rams running back Darrell Henderson was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced Saturday.

Henderson, who started 10 of the first 11 games, has been nursing a thigh injury that kept him sidelined for last Sundays 37-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sony Michel started in Hendersons place and rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown in 24 carries as the Rams improved their record to 8-4.

Michel is expected to start Monday night against the NFC-West leading Arizona Cardinals (10-2). The Rams last week signed running back Mekhi Sargent to the roster from the practice squad.

Rams coach Sean McVay said before practice Saturday that Henderson would not participate because of illness.

Weve run some of the standard testing and we havent gotten any of that stuff back as it relates to COVID and things of that nature, McVay said.

About an hour later, the team announced Henderson was placed on the COVID-19 list.

McVay has said all but one player was vaccinated. Outside linebacker Chris Garrett was sidelined earlier this season when he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Under the terms of an agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Assn., vaccinated players who test positive can return to the roster if they have two negative tests within 24 hours.

Also on Saturday, the Rams placed rookie cornerback Robert Rochell on injured reserve because of a chest injury. Rochell must sit out at least three games.

Outside linebacker Justin Hollins, who has been on injured reserve after undergoing surgery to repair a torn chest muscle, is expected to return to the roster for Mondays game, McVay said.

Visit link:

Rams' Darrell Henderson placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list - Los Angeles Times