Category: Covid-19

MADISON - A Wisconsinlawmaker who has been hospitalized with COVID-19 for at least a week is now breathing through a ventilator.

Republican Sen. Andre Jacque of De Pere was intubated Monday, according to two people with knowledge of his condition.

The treatment typically requires patients to be sedated to allow them to breathe using a ventilator. Itis typically considered a last-resort treatment but many patients recover, includinga 73-year-oldhigh-ranking Roman Catholic cardinal last week.

Jacque, 40, has been hospitalized with COVID-19-induced pneumoniafor at least a week after contracting COVID-19 earlier this month. Since then, two of his colleagues have asked the public for prayers.

In recent months, Jacque has been one of most outspoken lawmakers against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and has authored legislation that would bar government officials or business owners from requiring Wisconsinites be vaccinated against COVID-19 or show proof of vaccination to access services.

He also opposed the statewide mask mandate implemented by Gov. Tony Eversand joined legislation to end it.

Jacque told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last week that at the time hetested positive, which was around Aug. 13, he was largely asymptomatic and only felt fatigue. He did notsay whether he had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Jacque's hospitalizationcame as Wisconsin is experiencing a new surge of COVID-19 cases driven by a new variant of the virus that is more transmissible. It's the first uptick of casessince vaccines became widely available in the state earlier this year.

You can find out who your legislators are and how to contact them here.

Contact Molly Beck and Patrick Marley at molly.beck@jrn.comand patrick.marley@jrn.com.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

Read more:

Hospitalized with COVID-19, Sen. Andre Jacque is breathing with a ventilator - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reports 20 new individuals in the Juneau community 18 residents and two nonresidents identified with COVID-19 for August 24. There are currently four people with COVID-19 hospitalized at Bartlett Regional Hospital.

The Juneau School District reports five individuals at Riverbend Elementary whove tested positive for COVID-19 and were infectious while in school three were reported late on August 23 and two were reported today. COVID-19 cases related to schools are posted on thedistrict websiteas they are reported (click on the green COVID-19 Cases block). These cases resulted in six classrooms being closed today to allow for contact tracing; four classrooms will reopen tomorrow and two classrooms are quarantined. Find more district related COVID-19 information atjuneauschools.org.

As CBJ reported yesterday, COVID-19 case count updates will be different. Due to the high rate of spread and infection in Alaska from the delta variant, the state Division of Public Health is strained and unable to provide detailed information to CBJ Emergency Operations Center about COVID-19 in Juneau, but Juneau Public Health was able to report generalized case trends for the past week:

Statewide, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services reports593 new peopleidentified with COVID-19 562 are residents and 31 are nonresidents. The state is also reporting 13 deaths, bringing the total number of resident deaths to 419. Alaska has had 81,097 cumulative resident cases of COVID-19 and a total of 3,770 nonresidents.

Juneau vaccine update:

For more information, read CBJs Emergency Operations Center Reports here.

Read this article:

20 new COVID-19 cases reported for Juneau City and Borough of Juneau - City and Borough of Juneau

American flags in front of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. headquarters in New York, on Friday, March 5, 2021.

Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Goldman Sachs said Tuesday that only vaccinated people can enter its buildings starting next month.

The leading global investment bank said the new policy starts Sept. 7 and applies to everybody, including employees and clients, according to a memo sent to U.S. workers. Those who aren't fully vaccinated by then will have to work from home, according to a person with direct knowledge of the memo.

Goldman Sachs is the latest bank to require employees be vaccinated to return to offices, following similar edicts from Morgan Stanley and Citigroup. The move comes a day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, clearing the way for more corporations to mandate their employees be vaccinated.

The bank is also implementing a mandatory weekly testing program for vaccinated workers on Sept. 7, according to the person, who declined to be identified when speaking about personnel matters. The memo was reported earlier by The New York Times.

Goldman will also require mask-wearing in all common areas including lobbies, hallways, gyms and cafeterias, except when seated and eating or drinking. In cities including San Francisco and Washington, masks will be required at all times, except when eating or drinking, because of local health guidance.

Become a smarter investor withCNBC Pro.Get stock picks, analyst calls, exclusive interviews and access to CNBC TV.Sign up to start afree trial today.

See the original post:

Goldman Sachs to require all people entering its offices to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 - CNBC

COLLIER COUNTY

A beloved school teacher in Southwest Florida, who was a dear wife and mother, has died.

The family of Jayla Smith, a Collier Charter Academy kindergarten teacher, confirmed Tuesday their wife and mother died of COVID-19 recently in the hospital.

Smith was admitted to the hospital to be treated for COVID-19 Aug. 4 and was then placed on a ventilator Aug. 14 before her death Aug. 20. Smith leaves behind her husband, Cory Smith, and their three sons.

Jayla and Cory Smith were meant to be together forever.

We grew up together, Cory said. We were in the same grade and from the same small town in southern Illinois.

The two recent celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary in June. They had their three boys together, combined with a lot of love.

I cant really think of anybody who didnt really love her to death, Cory said.

She would always tell me how much she loved all of us boys, all of her kids, son Hunter Smith said. She wouldve literally done anything for us.

Jayla would do anything for her family and anything for the students she taught at Collier Charter Academy.

They would literally hug on her and say how much they loved her and stuff like that, Cory said. And honestly, I dont really think thats the case with every teacher. I think she was actually something extra special.

We asked Cory if Jayla was vaccinated for COVID-19. He said he understands both sides as to why people get the shot or do not. He told us, as for sharing his wifes medical history, thats not something he wants to do.

Jayla had recently finished her teacher certification program. It arrived in the mail Monday, days after she died.

She was on a ventilator for almost a week at the end, so she couldnt communicate like during that time, but we still got to message back-and-forth a bit before that.

Its rough, Hunter said. Its something that Id always think about, you know, I just daydream about it, being able to tell my mom that showing her how I can be successful, and now, I mean Im not gonna be able to see that reaction from her.

More here:

Collier Charter Academy teacher dies of COVID-19 in the hospital - Wink News

The Oregon Health Authority on Tuesday reported 2,804 new coronavirus cases, 30 new deaths, and a record-breaking 1,000 Oregonians hospitalized with COVID-19.

Gov. Kate Brown called the number of hospitalizations a terrifying milestone Tuesday while announcing a statewide mandate requiring masks in outdoor public settings where physical distancing isnt possible. The mandate goes into effect Friday and aims to curb the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.

The deadly summer surge of coronavirus throughout Oregon has the states intensive care unit beds 93% filled, with 283 coronavirus patients in ICU beds Tuesday -- up 30 from Monday. Test positivity rates remain in the double digits, with Oregon reporting 12.2% again Tuesday and an average of 2,105 new COVID-19 cases each day.

The overwhelming majority of COVID-19 patients in Oregon are unvaccinated, the states health officer, Dean Sidelinger, said in a statement Tuesday.

This represents 1,000 people who spent the night in the hospital being away from their families and being cared for by health care providers who, even in their exhausted states, are continuing to care for those who are sick with this virus, Sidelinger said.

Where the new cases are by county: Baker (7), Benton (37), Clackamas (171), Clatsop (46), Columbia (15), Coos (65), Crook (22), Curry (24), Deschutes (135), Douglas (240), Gilliam (1), Grant (4), Harney (7), Hood River (12), Jackson (242), Jefferson (7), Josephine (195), Klamath (25), Lake (3), Lane (195), Lincoln (72), Linn (110), Malheur (47), Marion (464), Morrow (10), Multnomah (152), Polk (45), Sherman (3), Tillamook (26) Umatilla (87), Union (15), Wallowa (4), Wasco (50), Washington (162) and Yamhill (104).

Who died: The state on Tuesday reported 30 new COVID-19 deaths linked to COVID-19:

A 61-year-old Douglas County man who tested positive Aug. 18 and died Aug. 21 at Mercy Medical Center.

A 72-year-old Douglas County man who tested positive Aug. 8 and died Aug. 22 at Mercy Medical Center.

A 90-year-old Coos County man who tested positive Aug. 18 and died Aug. 22. Location of death is being confirmed.

An 81-year-old Coos County woman who tested positive Aug. 18 and died Aug. 23 at her residence.

A 74-year-old Benton County woman who tested positive Aug. 16 and died Aug. 21 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.

An 84-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive Aug. 2 and died Aug. 11 at his residence.

A 70-year-old Jackson County woman who tested positive Aug. 2 and died Aug. 11 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.

A 73-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive Aug. 8 and died Aug. 21 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.

An 88-year-old Jackson County woman who tested positive July 11 and died Aug. 17 at her residence.

A 59-year-old Jackson County woman who tested positive Aug. 16 and died Aug. 21 at Providence Medford Medical Center.

A 95-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive Aug. 19 and died Aug. 21 at Providence Medford Medical Center.

A 67-year-old Jackson County woman who tested positive July 31 and died Aug. 20 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.

An 81-year-old Josephine County man who tested positive Aug. 14 and died Aug. 21 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.

An 80-year-old Josephine County man who tested positive Aug. 10 and died Aug. 21 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.

An 83-year-old Josephine County man who tested positive Aug. 12 and died Aug. 21 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

A 77-year-old Josephine County woman who tested positive Aug. 12 and died Aug. 22 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.

A 77-year-old Josephine County man who tested positive Aug. 8 and died Aug. 21 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.

A 50-year-old Lane County man who tested positive July 28 and died Aug. 11. Location of death is being confirmed.

A 75-year-old Multnomah County woman who tested positive on Aug. 5 and died on Aug. 21. Location of death is being confirmed.

An 83-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Aug. 15 and died Aug. 21 at Salem Hospital.

A 61-year-old Marion County woman who tested positive Aug. 12 and died Aug. 21 at Salem Hospital.

An 87-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Aug. 9 and died Aug. 22 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center.

A 53-year-old Marion County man who tested positive July 30 and died Aug. 18 at his residence.

A 67-year-old Tillamook County man who tested positive Aug. 21 and died Aug. 21. Location of death is being confirmed.

A 92-year-old Tillamook County man who tested positive Aug. 20 and died Aug. 23. Location of death is being confirmed.

An 80-year-old Tillamook County man who tested positive Aug. 15 and died Aug. 21. Location of death is being confirmed.

A 31-year-old Tillamook County woman who tested positive Aug. 13 and died Aug. 22. Location of death is being confirmed.

A 74-year-old Yamhill County woman who tested positive Aug. 11 and died Aug. 22 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center.

A 74-year-old Washington County man who tested positive Aug. 21 and died Aug. 22 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center.

A 71-year-old Deschutes County man who tested positive Aug. 5 and died Aug. 21 at St. Charles Bend Hospital.

Each person had underlying health conditions or officials were determining the presence of underlying conditions.

Hospitalizations: 1,000 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 are hospitalized, up 63 from Monday. That includes 283 people in intensive care, up 30 from Monday.

Vaccines: Oregon reported 7,928 newly administered COVID-19 vaccine doses, including 3,450 on Monday and the remainder from previous days.

Since it began: Oregon has reported 260,425 confirmed or presumptive coronavirus infections and 3,066 deaths, still among the lowest per capita numbers in the nation. To date, 2,591,903 people have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 2,377,102 people are fully vaccinated.

To see more data and trends, visit https://projects.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/

-- Catalina Gaitn; @catalinagaitan_

See more here:

Oregon sets new record of 1,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19; 2,804 new cases and 30 deaths - OregonLive

LEWISTON A vocal minority of health care workers in Maine say they would rather leave their jobs than get vaccinated against COVID-19, even though medical experts, health care associations and the families who entrust the care of their loved ones to them urge them to get their shots.

Auburn resident Jodi Floyd knows all too well what could happen to a loved one if COVID-19 makes its way into a health care facility. Her husband, Marvin Floyd, died Nov. 28, 2020, at age 81 of complications due to COVID.

He was a really interesting, cool dude, Floyd said of her husband of 39 years. He was the kind of man that if he knew you needed gas, he siphoned it out of his tank to give it to you if you didnt have gas money. Thats how he was.

Marvin was one of at least six COVID-related deaths associated with an outbreak at Russell Park Rehabilitation and Living Center in Lewiston. Over the course of the two-month outbreak, 82 residents and 74 staff members contracted the virus, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

He had no choice, Floyd said. Its not like he was given an opportunity. COVID was walked into a room and given to a bedridden, blind man. He didnt go anywhere. He didnt have a choice, it was given to him, and he died.

The Maine CDC did not respond to a request for the findings of that investigation, but Floyd believes one or a few staff members brought the virus into the facility after attending a Halloween party.

Floyd said she wanted the vaccines to be mandated for health care workers ever since they became available.

It needs to be accepted as a best practice if youre in health care, she said, and operators of health care facilities have the right to update the terms of employment. I think what has me the most upset right now is I can tell people of the story of my husband and how he died, and they want to start calling me, you know, a wingnut, or (Im) forcing something on them.

Whitney King-Buker would disagree. Shes a certified medical assistant at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston and believes that the vaccine mandate is a gross overreach of authority. For starters, she hoped that the decision to implement a mandate would include more of the workers it affects.

Wed like to have conversations with higher-ups to try to have more of a ground-level reality check about what is being told, (what) we were told by the governor that we have to do, she said. There have been conflicting issues for us, putting our own bodies, kind of being told what to do with our own bodies and our morals.

She and others have said that this mandate is too aggressive of a timeline for health care workers. But the vaccines have been available for most front-line workers for about nine months now, and CMMCs leadership has said repeatedly they are working on outreach to have these sorts of conversations with apprehensive staff.

King-Buker declined to offer her vaccination status or her stance on the COVID vaccines itself but said shes not against vaccines in general.

I think the decision to vaccinate or not vaccinate is a personal choice, she said. And so, I feel that if I succumb to being told to do something, I just feel that its not right.

Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah said at a media briefing Tuesday that the thought that a health care provider could accidentally infect a loved one with COVID keeps him up at night.

With respect to my colleagues in the health care profession, I disagree with them, he said of those who say the mandate is an infringement of personal choice. Lets start with the baseline: Working in a health care facility already subjects and obligates you to do certain things to prevent you from getting your patients sick.

The Department of Health and Human Services added the COVID vaccine requirement to a rule that was first implemented 20 years ago, requiring vaccinations against diseases such as measles, mumps and chickenpox.

I recognize that folks frame this as a question of autonomy and choice and that choice still exists, Shah said. But its not a different choice than the choices weve already asked them to take on with respect to other vaccines and (tuberculosis) testing.

Ultimately, the choice is theirs, Shah said. This is not a mandate; this is a condition of employment.

Theres a lot at stake here, Shah said, when it comes to health care workers getting their shots. As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 21 open outbreak investigations across the state, nine of which were at health care facilities.

One of those facilities was Odd Fellows and Rebekahs Home of Maine, a nursing home in Auburn.

The prime directive here, Shah said, is to what the Hippocratic oath says, which is to do no harm.

Invalid username/password.

Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

Previous

Continued here:

Her husband died in 2020 after contracting COVID-19 at a nursing home now Jodi Floyd says the staff vaccine mandate is the way to go -...

FRISCO The Cowboys didnt conduct any practice drills Tuesday with their third-team defense.

Right now, they dont have one.

Dallas went from having eight safeties in uniform for Saturdays exhibition against the Houston Texans to six on the active roster Monday to only four available by the end of Tuesdays practice. Starters Damontae Kazee and Donovan Wilson were the latest to be removed from the fold.

The Cowboys instructed Kazee to keep away from The Star on Tuesday, a source said, while awaiting test clarity on his COVID-19 clearance status. He hasnt joined the four teammates who were placed Monday on reserve/COVID-19.

Further update on Kazees status is expected Wednesday.

Wilson exited early in Tuesdays practice with a groin issue, being escorted off the field by head athletic trainer Jim Maurer.

Their situations came one day after four players, including safeties Malik Hooker and Israel Mukuamu, were placed on reserve/COVID-19. That designation does not necessarily mean a player tested positive; Mukuamu, for example, is known to have been a close contact while not fully vaccinated.

Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and defensive tackle Carlos Watkins also are on reserve/COVID-19. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn tested positive Saturday, being sent home from the preseason game.

With Kazee, Wilson, Hooker and Mukuamu unavailable, Darian Thompson and Jayron Kearse handled first-team reps in practice at free and strong safety. Steven Parker and undrafted rookie Tyler Coyle were on the second team.

The Cowboys held virtual meetings Sunday and Monday.

On Tuesday, they returned to an in-person format, except the team meeting was canceled and the meeting spaces were reimagined to allow for social distancing.

The vast majority of Cowboys players are fully vaccinated.

Team owner Jerry Jones would like to see the general public follow suit.

One day after the Pfizer vaccine received full FDA approval, Jones encouraged the public to get vaccinated. A team spokesperson said that, as of Saturday, 93% of Cowboys players are fully vaccinated.

During a local radio interview, Jones expressed pride in his teams vaccination status.

Everyone has a right to make their own decisions regarding their health and their body, Jones said on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM). I believe in that completely until your decisions as to yourself impact negatively many others. Then, the common good takes over. And Im arm-waving here, but that has everything to do with the way I look at our team, the Cowboys, or the way I look at our society. We have got to check I at the door and go forward with we. Your Dallas Cowboys are doing that.

Briefly: The Cowboys needed to reduce from an 85- to 80-man roster by 3 p.m. Tuesday. Four of those roster spots were accounted for when Lamb, Watkins, Hooker and Mukuamu landed on reserve/COVID-19. For the fifth, the team waived Lirim Hajrullahu, a stopgap kicker who filled in during Saturdays exhibition. This is the latest indication that kicker Greg Zuerlein is not only on track for Week 1 but will make his preseason debut Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Zuerlein, out since the spring recovering from back surgery, could be activated from the physically unable to perform list as early as Wednesday. Quarterback Dak Prescott expanded his participation some, throwing to several receivers in the group pass period of practice. He has yet to do competitive periods like 7-on-7 or full team drills since his July 28 exit with a right latissimus strain. The Cowboys practiced outdoors in sweltering conditions. Wide receiver Amari Cooper punctuated the session with a touchdown following maybe a push-off against cornerback Trevon Diggs. Cooper (ankle) continues to distinguish himself, eight days after his first training camp practice. As expected, Cooper Rush handled the first-team reps in favor of Garrett Gilbert.

1/18Dallas Cowboys equipment manager Mike McCord pulls a rack of shoulder pads after players shed them following Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

2/18Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws passes after Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

3/18Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) throws a pass during Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

4/18Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) waves to teammates following Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

5/18Dallas Cowboys athletic trainer Jim Maurer (left) briefs head coach Mike McCarthy as he arrives for Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

6/18Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz has help shedding his shoulder pads following Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

7/18Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (27) trees to knock the ball from Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Noah Brown's (85) hands during Training Camp practice drills at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

8/18Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) runs sprints up and down the sideline after Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

9/18Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup (13) catches a ball as he fights off cornerback Deante Burton (33) during Training Camp drills at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

10/18Dallas Cowboys kicker Lirim Hajrullahu (7) follows through on a field goal during Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

11/18Dallas Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson (6) is walked to the locker room by athletic trainer Jim Maurer as Training Camp practice was starting at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

12/18Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Cooper Rush (10) and Dak Prescott (4) jog to the field as they arrive for Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

13/18Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz (86) fights off cornerback Anthony Brown (30) after making a long pass completion during Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

14/18Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (55) catches a throw during a Training Camp drills at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

15/18Dallas Cowboys running back Brenden Knox (36) escapes a defenders grasp as he carries the ball during Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

16/18Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) tries to elude defensive end Dorance Armstrong (92) as he looks for a receiver during Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

17/18Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup (13) hauls in a pass as he's covered by cornerback Anthony Brown (30) during Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

18/18Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) worked out on the field after Training Camp practice at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, August 24, 2021.(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

Read the original post:

Covid-19 precautions, Donovan Wilsons injury leave Cowboys suddenly thin at safety - The Dallas Morning News

Dr. Thomas Dobbs and other Mississippi state health officials are urging residents not to take ivermectin formulated for livestock as a way to treat or prevent COVID-19. Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

Dr. Thomas Dobbs and other Mississippi state health officials are urging residents not to take ivermectin formulated for livestock as a way to treat or prevent COVID-19.

Mississippi health officials are pleading with residents not to take a medicine meant for cows and horses as an alternative to getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

In a state with the nation's second lowest rate of vaccination against the coronavirus, a jump in the number of calls to poison control prompted an alert Friday from the Mississippi State Department of Health about ingesting the drug ivermectin. The department said that at least 70% of recent calls to the state poison control center were related to people who ingested a version of the drug that is formulated to treat parasites in cows and horses.

Ingesting the drug can lead to a rash, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, neurologic disorders and potentially severe hepatitis requiring hospitalization, according to the alert written by Dr. Paul Byers, the state's top epidemiologist.

Byers said that 85% of the people calling after using ivermectin had mild symptoms, but at least one person has been hospitalized due to ivermectin toxicity, according to the Mississippi Free Press.

Ivermectin is sometimes prescribed to people for head lice or skin conditions, but the formulas are different for humans and animals.

"Animal drugs are highly concentrated for large animals and can be highly toxic in humans," Byers wrote in the alert.

Given that cows and horses can easily weigh more than 1,000 pounds, and sometimes more than a ton, the amount of ivermectin meant for livestock would not be suitable for a human who weighs a fraction of that.

The Food and Drug Administration has also weighed in, writing in a tweet this weekend, "You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, y'all. Stop it."

The tweet included a link to information about the approved uses of ivermectin, and why it should not be taken for COVID-19 prevention or treatment. The FDA has also warned about the differences in ivermectin formulated for animals and humans, noting that inactive ingredients in the formula meant for animals could cause problems in humans.

"Many inactive ingredients found in animal products aren't evaluated for use in people," the statement from the agency said. "Or they are included in much greater quantity than those used in people. In some cases, we don't know how those inactive ingredients will affect how ivermectin is absorbed in the human body."

The FDA has not approved ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19, but the vaccines have been proven to reduce the risk of serious illness or death dramatically. On Monday, Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine became the first to receive full approval from the FDA.

"While this and other vaccines have met the FDA's rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, the public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product," acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement.

Both the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines remain available under emergency use authorization. The FDA is also reviewing a request from Moderna for full approval, and a decision is expected to come soon.

Public health officials are hopeful that full approval will boost confidence among those who have been hesitant to get the vaccine so far, something that Woodcock acknowledged Monday.

"While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated," Woodcock said.

Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs urged people to work with their personal doctors to get vaccinated and get the facts about ivermectin in a Zoom call last week.

"This is medical treatment. You wouldn't get your chemotherapy at a feed store," Dobbs said. "I mean, you wouldn't want to treat your pneumonia with your animal's medication. It can be dangerous to get the wrong doses of medication, especially for something that's meant for a horse or a cow. So we understand the environment we live in. But it's really important if people have medical needs to go through your physician or provider."

The misinformation surrounding ivermectin is similar to earlier in the pandemic when many people believed without evidence that taking the drug hydroxychloroquine could help prevent COVID-19. Studies later concluded that there was not evidence that hydroxychloroquine helped in preventing the disease.

"There's a lot of misinformation around, and you may have heard that it's okay to take large doses of ivermectin. That is wrong," according to one FDA post.

The rise in use of ivermectin comes at a time when the delta variant is driving a surge in cases across the country, including in Mississippi, where only 36.8% of the population is fully vaccinated. The only state with a lower vaccination rate is neighboring Alabama, with 36.3% of the population being fully vaccinated.

More than 7,200 new cases and 56 new deaths were reported in the state on Sunday. This latest surge in COVID-19 cases led the University of Mississippi Medical Center to open a field hospital in a parking garage this month.

Go here to read the rest:

Mississippi Warns People Not To Use The Livestock Drug Ivermectin For COVID-19 - NPR

The actress recently revealed that despite being fully vaccinated, that she is sick with the virus."I'm just sending an update because so many people have been checking on me," the actress said Sunday on her Instagram. "I want to let you know that I'm doing so much better. I feel like I'm probably at like 75%. At the last video, I was probably like 20-25%."

"It's been a rough week, but I'm feeling better," she added.

The "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" star shared last week in a separate video that her 15-year-old son had contracted the virus as well. On Monday, she said he was "feeling better."

Hart shares three sons with husband Mark Wilkerson. Their youngest child also tested positive for Covid-19, according to Hart, but is not experiencing symptoms.

"I'm staying very isolated and separate, and just wanted to send love to everybody out there," Hart said. "Thanks for checking on us, thanks for all the chicken soup. I really felt the outpouring of love, and I just want to thank you. Stay safe everybody."

Continue reading here:

Melissa Joan Hart shares update on her Covid-19 recovery - CNN

(CNN) The Bahamas and Morocco are now among the highest-risk destinations for travelers, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's regularly revised travel advisories list.People should avoid traveling to locations designated with the "Level 4: Covid-19 Very High" notice, the CDC recommends. Anyone who must travel should be fully vaccinated first, the agency advises.

The CDC's evolving list of travel notices ranges from Level 1 ("low") to Level 4 ("very high").

Destinations that fall into the "Covid-19 Very High" Level 4 category have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days, according to CDC criteria. The Level 3 category applies to destinations that have had between 100 and 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.

All six destinations newly added to Level 4 were previously ranked at "Level 3: Covid-19 High."

New 'Level 3' destinations

CDC guidance for destinations on Level 3 urges unvaccinated travelers to avoid nonessential travel to those locations.

"Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread Covid-19. However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some Covid-19 variants," the agency said.

Top photo: Old Bahama Bay West End is shown.

Continued here:

CDC adds 6 destinations to 'very high' Covid-19 travel risk list, including the Bahamas - CNN