Category: Covid-19

The Bluebird Cafe is the latest Nashville music venue to announce it will be requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test upon entry.

The new COVID-19 restrictions which apply to all patronsand staff go into effect Aug. 20, the venue announced on Friday. For performers, this goes into effect Sept. 16.

Bluebird reopened for the first time July 16 after being closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are joining many other local venues in making the health and safety of our staff, songwriters and customers our highest priority," Bluebird Cafe said in a statement.

A negative COVID-19 test is required to be administered within 48 hours of entry. This can be presented as a printed or digital copy. At-home tests will not be accepted, the venue added.

Bluebird Cafe tickets: 5 tips to snag a reservation at Nashville's iconic venue

Are there COVID-19 restrictions in Nashville?: No, but here's where you'll need a vaccine or mask

The proof of vaccination must match the name of your government-issued ID. A photo, copy or original copy of your vaccination card will be accepted.

The venue also said masks are strongly recommended, although they are not required.

The iconic Bluebird Cafe joins other Nashville music venues like Exit/In, The 5 Spot and City Winery, among others, who are implementing COVID-19 restrictions as the delta variant continues to surge in Tennessee. Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, scheduled for Sept. 2-5 in Manchester, Tennessee, also implemented similar COVID-19 restrictions.

Need a vaccine? COVID-19 test?: Where to get a vaccine or COVID-19 test as music festivals, events require them

Exit/In replied to Bluebird's announcement on Twitter sending support.

"Sending all our support & love to @BluebirdCafeTN," the venue said.

Daniella Medina is a digital producer for the USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter @danimedinanews.

Read the original here:

Bluebird Cafe is latest Nashville music venue to require proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test - Tennessean

The Bluebird Cafe is the latest Nashville music venue to announce it will be requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test upon entry.

The new COVID-19 restrictions which apply to all patronsand staff go into effect Aug. 20, the venue announced on Friday. For performers, this goes into effect Sept. 16.

Bluebird reopened for the first time July 16 after being closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are joining many other local venues in making the health and safety of our staff, songwriters and customers our highest priority," Bluebird Cafe said in a statement.

A negative COVID-19 test is required to be administered within 48 hours of entry. This can be presented as a printed or digital copy. At-home tests will not be accepted, the venue added.

Bluebird Cafe tickets: 5 tips to snag a reservation at Nashville's iconic venue

Are there COVID-19 restrictions in Nashville?: No, but here's where you'll need a vaccine or mask

The proof of vaccination must match the name of your government-issued ID. A photo, copy or original copy of your vaccination card will be accepted.

The venue also said masks are strongly recommended, although they are not required.

The iconic Bluebird Cafe joins other Nashville music venues like Exit/In, The 5 Spot and City Winery, among others, who are implementing COVID-19 restrictions as the delta variant continues to surge in Tennessee. Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, scheduled for Sept. 2-5 in Manchester, Tennessee, also implemented similar COVID-19 restrictions.

Need a vaccine? COVID-19 test?: Where to get a vaccine or COVID-19 test as music festivals, events require them

Exit/In replied to Bluebird's announcement on Twitter sending support.

"Sending all our support & love to @BluebirdCafeTN," the venue said.

Daniella Medina is a digital producer for the USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter @danimedinanews.

Link:

Bluebird Cafe is latest Nashville music venue to require proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test - Tennessean

Health care workers met by protesters at a school board mask meeting

Hundreds of parents yelled at doctors, nurses and others who had successfully advocated for a mask mandate in Tennessees Williamson County.

USA TODAY, Storyful

Some of Cumberland County Schools year-round schools have reported COVID-19 cases that have led to some students and staff being forced to quarantine at home.

The news comes as tens of thousands of students prepare to return to class on Aug. 23.

The school system operates four year-round schools, which opened for students on July 26. They are E.E. Miller Elementary School; Anne Chesnutt Middle School; and Reid Ross Classical Middle and High schools.

'Please get vaccinated': Cumberland County officials discuss rising COVID-19 cases

Myron B. Pitts: Fayetteville's Terry Sanford principal lays down tough love over masks

More: Cumberland County School board unanimously approves mask mandate

E.E. Miller has had seven positive cases among four weekly reports starting July 15, according to the school systems COVID-19 dashboard. Five of those were from the Aug. 5 report. Sixteen people have been quarantined.

In the same time period, Anne Chesnutt had twocases, 16 quarantined. Reid Ross Classical Middle and High schools had zerocases. The high school had oneperson in quarantine.

There have been no reported clusters. According to the N.C. Dept. of Health & Human Services, a cluster in a school setting is defined as a minimum of five confirmed casesthat are linked together, within a 14-day period.

Cumberland County Schools did not have a cluster in the 2020-21 school year.

The COVID-19 dashboard numbers encompass all students, faculty and other personnel affiliated with the school system. In the report dated July 30-Aug. 5, there were 42 positive cases in the system and 70 people in quarantine. Both figures were a leap from the previous report, dated July 23-29, which was 13 cases and 29 in quarantine.

Lindsay Whitley,a school spokesman, said the length of quarantine for a student or staff member varies based on a variety of factors, such as COVID-19 testing status or whether the individual exhibits symptoms.

The CCS Office of Health Services works with each case in collaboration with the Health Department and responds appropriately, he wrote in an email response to questions.

Whitley said he did not know if the jump in cases between the July 29 and Aug. 5 reports was driven by the highly contagious Delta variant.

In North Carolina, the Delta Variant has been the most commonly circulating variant since the week ending June 26, 2021, he wrote.

But he said county Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green, at a schoolboard committee meeting last week, said there is no county-level data regarding the Delta variant.

In March of last year, Cumberland County Schools students went into remote learning to protect against COVID-19. Most students returned to class late in the spring term of 2021, after parents were given the option of sending their children to school.

As all students prepare to return, some key metrics for COVID-19 in the county and region have health and hospital officials concerned.

Earlier this month, Greenreported at a county Board of Commissioners meeting thatthe case positivity rate was 15%, double what it was three weeks prior. Shesaid 94% of new COVID-19 caseswere people who wereunvaccinated.

On Friday, Cape Fear Valley Health system reported there were 122 COVID-19 patients at its main medical center on Owen Drive, 22 in Intensive Care Units and 21 on ventilators, according to health systemspokeswoman Roxana Ross. All represent spikes from just a few weeks ago. There is one pediatric patient.

The system reported an additional 28 in-house patients at Hoke Healthcare and 45in-house patients at facilities it runs in Bladen and Harnett counties.

On Friday, FirstHealth of the Carolinas, which is headquartered in Moore County, said in a news release it was experiencing strain,withmore than 100 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the system.

The year-round students in Cumberland County Schools wear masks, and on Tuesday night, members of the county school boardvoted unanimously to continue the mask requirement for indoor settings and school buses, in all grades.

Officials with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state Health & Human Services are recommending masks in grades K-12 because of the spread of the Delta variant and the fact that children under 12 are not eligible for a vaccine. There have been heated debates at school boards across the country over the issue of mask mandates. Around 15 people showed up to protest outside the Cumberland County school board meeting on Tuesday.

The boards vote made it one of nearly 60 school districts out of 115 in North Carolina that will require masks for students.

Opinion Editor Myron B. Pitts can be reached at mpitts@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3559.

Support local journalism with a subscription to The Fayetteville Observer. Click the subscribe link at the top of this article.

Read the original post:

Year-round schools in Cumberland County report COVID-19 cases - The Fayetteville Observer

Health care workers met by protesters at a school board mask meeting

Hundreds of parents yelled at doctors, nurses and others who had successfully advocated for a mask mandate in Tennessees Williamson County.

USA TODAY, Storyful

Some of Cumberland County Schools year-round schools have reported COVID-19 cases that have led to some students and staff being forced to quarantine at home.

The news comes as tens of thousands of students prepare to return to class on Aug. 23.

The school system operates four year-round schools, which opened for students on July 26. They are E.E. Miller Elementary School; Anne Chesnutt Middle School; and Reid Ross Classical Middle and High schools.

'Please get vaccinated': Cumberland County officials discuss rising COVID-19 cases

Myron B. Pitts: Fayetteville's Terry Sanford principal lays down tough love over masks

More: Cumberland County School board unanimously approves mask mandate

E.E. Miller has had seven positive cases among four weekly reports starting July 15, according to the school systems COVID-19 dashboard. Five of those were from the Aug. 5 report. Sixteen people have been quarantined.

In the same time period, Anne Chesnutt had twocases, 16 quarantined. Reid Ross Classical Middle and High schools had zerocases. The high school had oneperson in quarantine.

There have been no reported clusters. According to the N.C. Dept. of Health & Human Services, a cluster in a school setting is defined as a minimum of five confirmed casesthat are linked together, within a 14-day period.

Cumberland County Schools did not have a cluster in the 2020-21 school year.

The COVID-19 dashboard numbers encompass all students, faculty and other personnel affiliated with the school system. In the report dated July 30-Aug. 5, there were 42 positive cases in the system and 70 people in quarantine. Both figures were a leap from the previous report, dated July 23-29, which was 13 cases and 29 in quarantine.

Lindsay Whitley,a school spokesman, said the length of quarantine for a student or staff member varies based on a variety of factors, such as COVID-19 testing status or whether the individual exhibits symptoms.

The CCS Office of Health Services works with each case in collaboration with the Health Department and responds appropriately, he wrote in an email response to questions.

Whitley said he did not know if the jump in cases between the July 29 and Aug. 5 reports was driven by the highly contagious Delta variant.

In North Carolina, the Delta Variant has been the most commonly circulating variant since the week ending June 26, 2021, he wrote.

But he said county Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green, at a schoolboard committee meeting last week, said there is no county-level data regarding the Delta variant.

In March of last year, Cumberland County Schools students went into remote learning to protect against COVID-19. Most students returned to class late in the spring term of 2021, after parents were given the option of sending their children to school.

As all students prepare to return, some key metrics for COVID-19 in the county and region have health and hospital officials concerned.

Earlier this month, Greenreported at a county Board of Commissioners meeting thatthe case positivity rate was 15%, double what it was three weeks prior. Shesaid 94% of new COVID-19 caseswere people who wereunvaccinated.

On Friday, Cape Fear Valley Health system reported there were 122 COVID-19 patients at its main medical center on Owen Drive, 22 in Intensive Care Units and 21 on ventilators, according to health systemspokeswoman Roxana Ross. All represent spikes from just a few weeks ago. There is one pediatric patient.

The system reported an additional 28 in-house patients at Hoke Healthcare and 45in-house patients at facilities it runs in Bladen and Harnett counties.

On Friday, FirstHealth of the Carolinas, which is headquartered in Moore County, said in a news release it was experiencing strain,withmore than 100 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the system.

The year-round students in Cumberland County Schools wear masks, and on Tuesday night, members of the county school boardvoted unanimously to continue the mask requirement for indoor settings and school buses, in all grades.

Officials with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state Health & Human Services are recommending masks in grades K-12 because of the spread of the Delta variant and the fact that children under 12 are not eligible for a vaccine. There have been heated debates at school boards across the country over the issue of mask mandates. Around 15 people showed up to protest outside the Cumberland County school board meeting on Tuesday.

The boards vote made it one of nearly 60 school districts out of 115 in North Carolina that will require masks for students.

Opinion Editor Myron B. Pitts can be reached at mpitts@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3559.

Support local journalism with a subscription to The Fayetteville Observer. Click the subscribe link at the top of this article.

View original post here:

Year-round schools in Cumberland County report COVID-19 cases - The Fayetteville Observer

Bruce Schreiner| Associated Press

FRANKFORT, Ky. A Republican Kentucky congressman who holds a key assignment over health policy has highlighted the importance of getting the COVID-19 shots as the delta variant spreads through communities.

U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie emphasized that COVID-19 vaccines work. His statement on Friday came on the same day Kentucky reported 4,009 new coronavirus cases, its 10th-highest daily number of infections since the pandemic began. About a month ago, daily virus cases statewide had declined to about 200, but the highly contagious delta variant is fueling the new surge.

In his statement, Guthrie said: The data from local health care providers and federal health agencies proves it. Unvaccinated patients represent the vast majority of hospitalizations from COVID-19 right now in Kentucky and across the country. With the delta variant relentlessly spreading through communities across the country, I encourage everyone to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

Guthrie has consistently touted the COVID-19 vaccines. The congressman urged people with questions about the vaccines to contact their health care providers.

Guthrie represents Kentuckys Second Congressional District. The congressman serves as the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committees Health Subcommittee.

Religion: As delta variant spreads, Louisville places of worship take caution

More than 1,400 virus patients were hospitalized in Kentucky on Friday, including nearly 400 in intensive care units, and there were 12 more virus-related deaths, the state reported.

Hospitals are filling up or are entirely full all across the commonwealth, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said in a video message Friday on social media.

About 54% of Kentuckys population is vaccinated against COVID-19. With the delta variant spreading rapidly, the governor has warned that the unvaccinated are at greater risk than any time since the pandemic began. Also, the number of children infected with the virus has risen amid the delta variant outbreak. Children under age 12 arent eligible for the coronavirus vaccine.

Meanwhile, Americans at high risk of COVID-19 because of severely weakened immune systems are now allowed to get a third vaccination in hopes of better protection.

The Food and Drug Administration ruled that transplant recipients and other similarly immune-compromised patients can get a third dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The decision offers an extra dose only to those high-risk groups not the general public. Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grappled with who qualifies before endorsing the FDAs decision.

News: Ford and Churchill Downs are mandating worker vaccines. Here's who could be next

Guthrie said the decision is important for people who are organ transplant recipients, have certain cancers, or have other medical conditions that compromise their immune system. It gives them an extra layer of protection, the congressman said.

See the original post here:

GOP congressman from Kentucky emphasizes the importance of the COVID-19 vaccines - Courier Journal

Fauci: Get vaccinated, mask up to stop deadly COVID variant

Dr. Anthony Fauci encourages everyone to get vaccinated to stop the deadly COVID variant from spreading.

Staff Video, USA TODAY

Several states have logged 1 million coronavirus cases as the highly contagious delta variant continues to wreak havoc across the country. To slow the spread of the virus, public health officials are encouraging Americans to get vaccinated.

But on social media, some have hatched a different planto treat COVID-19: using anti-parasite products designed for farm animals.

"Less than a hour after taking Ivermectin paste per my body weight I was mostly symptom free," reads an Aug. 8 testimonial on Facebook. "Was in bad shape until then!"

The post, which includes a photo of an apple-flavored pastefor treating parasites in horses, only accumulated about 200 shares within three days. But similar posts touting ivermectin have been widely shared across platforms, and farm supply stores across the country are running low on anti-parasitics for horses, cows and pigs.

"(Hydroxychloroquine) and treatments like ivermectin cure coronavirus within days. Always has," an Instagram user wrote Aug. 4.

They don't.

Fact check: Fauci's emails don't show he 'lied' about hydroxychloroquine

"There is no evidence that ivermectin is effective for treatment," Dr. Krutika Kuppalli,an assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, said in an email.

USA TODAY reached out to the social media users who shared the claim for comment. One of them, Shayne Ward, said in a Facebook message that he's heard "countless stories of people that Ivermectin has helped get over Covid."

"Fact Check that!" he wrote.

Ivermectin has been promoted as a COVID-19 cure throughout the pandemic. Scientists are still studying whether the drug could be used as a treatment, butso farthere's little data to suggest it's effective against COVID-19.

Ivermectin isapproved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat certain kinds of parasites and neglected tropical diseases, including scabies and parasitic worms. It is not approved to treat any viruses.

Some limited studies have suggested ivermectin could help treat COVID-19. But other, more rigorousresearch has found little or no impact.

"The reason for the interest in ivermectin is that studies in the lab have shown it can block viruses from multiplying in experimental settings i.e. in a petri dishand so people hoped this would mean it could help treat COVID-19 in people too," Dr. Denise McCulloch,an infectious disease specialistwith the University of Washington's School of Medicine, said in an email."Unfortunately, the few high-quality studies that have been done to date do not demonstrate a beneficial effect of ivermectin when it is used in people with COVID-19."

Two of the highest-quality studies available include a double-blind, randomized trial in Colombia and a meta-analysis of 14 studiesinvolving more than 1,600 participants, McCulloch said.

More: What science has learned works and what doesnt in COVID-19 treatments

The Colombia study found that, among adults with mild COVID-19 cases,a five-day course of ivermectin "did not significantly improve the time to resolution of symptoms." The meta-analysis, published in late July,concluded that "the reliable evidence available does not support the use of ivermectin for treatment or prevention of COVID19 outside of welldesigned randomized trials."

Those findings have been clouded by the publication of lower-quality studies and research with potential sources of bias, experts say.

One non-peer reviewed studywidely cited by ivermectin proponents was posted on Research Square in November. The preprint platformwithdrew the study in July "due to an expression of concern communicated directly to our staff."

A peer-reviewed meta-analysisof 15 trials, published in the July/August issue of the American Journal of Therapeutics, found that "large reductions in COVID-19 deaths are possible using ivermectin." But experts told PolitiFact, an independent fact-checking outlet, that some of the trials the study included were not high-quality, and some of its authors were affiliated with a pro-ivermectin group.

COVID cases rising in unvaccinated children

The number of children contracting COVID-19 is increasing rapidly and children's hospitals are filling up with young patients not eligible for the vaccine now being used against the virus. (Aug. 10)

AP

Absent more randomized, controlled clinicaltrials, scientists remain skeptical about the benefits of ivermectin in treating COVID-19.

"To extrapolate from how much drug is needed to work in the test tube to how much is required to work in a human being against the virus makes these trials and all the meta-reviews published less than worthless its dangerous,"Dr.Benhur Lee, a microbiology professor at Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine, said in an email.

Public health officials and pharmaceutical companieshave advised against taking ivermectin to treat COVID-19.

The FDAsaid in April 2020 that people should not take ivermectin unless it's "prescribed to them by a licensed health care provider and is obtained through a legitimate source." The agency reiterated that position in March.

Fact check: 6 of the most persistent misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines

"The FDA has not reviewed data to support use of ivermectin in COVID-19 patients to treat or to prevent COVID-19;however, some initial research is underway," the FDA says on its website."Taking a drug for an unapproved use can be very dangerous."

The FDA warns that ivermectin products for animals can be toxic to humans due to their high concentration of the drug.ABC News reportedin February that there hadbeen an uptick in calls to poison control centers related to ivermectin.

The World Health Organization has also warned against using ivermectin to treat COVID-19,saying the drugshould "only be used within clinical trials." Merck, the pharmaceutical company that makes ivermectin, said in February it had found "no scientific basis for a potential therapeutic effect against COVID-19 from pre-clinical studies."

Clinical trials studying whether ivermectin could be used to treat COVID-19 are ongoing. Until those trials conclude, experts told USA TODAY it's tough to say with certainty how the drug affects COVID-19 patients.

Based on our research, the claim that ivermectin is an effective treatment for COVID-19 is MISSING CONTEXT. Scientists are still studying whether ivermectin could be used to treat COVID-19. While some studies have shown promise, experts say the more scientifically rigorous studies conducted to date more frequently find no connection between use of ivermectin and improved COVID-19 recoveries. Public health agencies and pharmaceutical companies have warned against using ivermectin to treat COVID-19.

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You cansubscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

Read more:

Fact check: Ivermectin is not a proven treatment for COVID-19 - USA TODAY

Fauci: Get vaccinated, mask up to stop deadly COVID variant

Dr. Anthony Fauci encourages everyone to get vaccinated to stop the deadly COVID variant from spreading.

Staff Video, USA TODAY

Several states have logged 1 million coronavirus cases as the highly contagious delta variant continues to wreak havoc across the country. To slow the spread of the virus, public health officials are encouraging Americans to get vaccinated.

But on social media, some have hatched a different planto treat COVID-19: using anti-parasite products designed for farm animals.

"Less than a hour after taking Ivermectin paste per my body weight I was mostly symptom free," reads an Aug. 8 testimonial on Facebook. "Was in bad shape until then!"

The post, which includes a photo of an apple-flavored pastefor treating parasites in horses, only accumulated about 200 shares within three days. But similar posts touting ivermectin have been widely shared across platforms, and farm supply stores across the country are running low on anti-parasitics for horses, cows and pigs.

"(Hydroxychloroquine) and treatments like ivermectin cure coronavirus within days. Always has," an Instagram user wrote Aug. 4.

They don't.

Fact check: Fauci's emails don't show he 'lied' about hydroxychloroquine

"There is no evidence that ivermectin is effective for treatment," Dr. Krutika Kuppalli,an assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, said in an email.

USA TODAY reached out to the social media users who shared the claim for comment. One of them, Shayne Ward, said in a Facebook message that he's heard "countless stories of people that Ivermectin has helped get over Covid."

"Fact Check that!" he wrote.

Ivermectin has been promoted as a COVID-19 cure throughout the pandemic. Scientists are still studying whether the drug could be used as a treatment, butso farthere's little data to suggest it's effective against COVID-19.

Ivermectin isapproved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat certain kinds of parasites and neglected tropical diseases, including scabies and parasitic worms. It is not approved to treat any viruses.

Some limited studies have suggested ivermectin could help treat COVID-19. But other, more rigorousresearch has found little or no impact.

"The reason for the interest in ivermectin is that studies in the lab have shown it can block viruses from multiplying in experimental settings i.e. in a petri dishand so people hoped this would mean it could help treat COVID-19 in people too," Dr. Denise McCulloch,an infectious disease specialistwith the University of Washington's School of Medicine, said in an email."Unfortunately, the few high-quality studies that have been done to date do not demonstrate a beneficial effect of ivermectin when it is used in people with COVID-19."

Two of the highest-quality studies available include a double-blind, randomized trial in Colombia and a meta-analysis of 14 studiesinvolving more than 1,600 participants, McCulloch said.

More: What science has learned works and what doesnt in COVID-19 treatments

The Colombia study found that, among adults with mild COVID-19 cases,a five-day course of ivermectin "did not significantly improve the time to resolution of symptoms." The meta-analysis, published in late July,concluded that "the reliable evidence available does not support the use of ivermectin for treatment or prevention of COVID19 outside of welldesigned randomized trials."

Those findings have been clouded by the publication of lower-quality studies and research with potential sources of bias, experts say.

One non-peer reviewed studywidely cited by ivermectin proponents was posted on Research Square in November. The preprint platformwithdrew the study in July "due to an expression of concern communicated directly to our staff."

A peer-reviewed meta-analysisof 15 trials, published in the July/August issue of the American Journal of Therapeutics, found that "large reductions in COVID-19 deaths are possible using ivermectin." But experts told PolitiFact, an independent fact-checking outlet, that some of the trials the study included were not high-quality, and some of its authors were affiliated with a pro-ivermectin group.

COVID cases rising in unvaccinated children

The number of children contracting COVID-19 is increasing rapidly and children's hospitals are filling up with young patients not eligible for the vaccine now being used against the virus. (Aug. 10)

AP

Absent more randomized, controlled clinicaltrials, scientists remain skeptical about the benefits of ivermectin in treating COVID-19.

"To extrapolate from how much drug is needed to work in the test tube to how much is required to work in a human being against the virus makes these trials and all the meta-reviews published less than worthless its dangerous,"Dr.Benhur Lee, a microbiology professor at Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine, said in an email.

Public health officials and pharmaceutical companieshave advised against taking ivermectin to treat COVID-19.

The FDAsaid in April 2020 that people should not take ivermectin unless it's "prescribed to them by a licensed health care provider and is obtained through a legitimate source." The agency reiterated that position in March.

Fact check: 6 of the most persistent misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines

"The FDA has not reviewed data to support use of ivermectin in COVID-19 patients to treat or to prevent COVID-19;however, some initial research is underway," the FDA says on its website."Taking a drug for an unapproved use can be very dangerous."

The FDA warns that ivermectin products for animals can be toxic to humans due to their high concentration of the drug.ABC News reportedin February that there hadbeen an uptick in calls to poison control centers related to ivermectin.

The World Health Organization has also warned against using ivermectin to treat COVID-19,saying the drugshould "only be used within clinical trials." Merck, the pharmaceutical company that makes ivermectin, said in February it had found "no scientific basis for a potential therapeutic effect against COVID-19 from pre-clinical studies."

Clinical trials studying whether ivermectin could be used to treat COVID-19 are ongoing. Until those trials conclude, experts told USA TODAY it's tough to say with certainty how the drug affects COVID-19 patients.

Based on our research, the claim that ivermectin is an effective treatment for COVID-19 is MISSING CONTEXT. Scientists are still studying whether ivermectin could be used to treat COVID-19. While some studies have shown promise, experts say the more scientifically rigorous studies conducted to date more frequently find no connection between use of ivermectin and improved COVID-19 recoveries. Public health agencies and pharmaceutical companies have warned against using ivermectin to treat COVID-19.

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You cansubscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

Go here to see the original:

Fact check: Ivermectin is not a proven treatment for COVID-19 - USA TODAY

`;// articleContent = document.querySelector(".article-content");// articleContent.innerHTML = articleContent.innerHTML + formbox;let firstParagraph = document.querySelector("div.article-content > p:nth-child(1)");if (firstParagraph !== null) {firstParagraph.insertAdjacentHTML("afterend", formbox);}function waitForElement(id, callback){var goStahp = setInterval(function(){if(document.getElementById(id)){clearInterval(goStahp);callback();}}, 100);}waitForElement("JotFormIFrame-202185815209151", function(){const expandButton = document.querySelector('h3.expand_box_click_to_open_covid_form');expandButton.addEventListener('click', function() {let box = document.querySelector('.corona_form_expand_box_covid_form');let first = 'opening';let second = 'open';let buttonAction = 'Hide story tip submission form';let deviceAction = "Tap";if (window.innerWidth > 666) {deviceAction = "Click";}// console.log(window.innerWidth);if(box.classList.contains(first)) {[first, second] = [second, first];buttonAction = `${deviceAction} to submit a coronavirus story tip`;}expandButton.innerHTML = buttonAction;box.classList.toggle(first);setTimeout(() => {box.classList.toggle(second);}, 0);});var ifr = document.getElementById("JotFormIFrame-202185815209151");if(window.location.href && window.location.href.indexOf("?") > -1) {var get = window.location.href.substr(window.location.href.indexOf("?") + 1);if(ifr && get.length > 0) {var src = ifr.src;src = src.indexOf("?") > -1 ? src + "&" + get : src + "?" + get;ifr.src = src;}}window.handleIFrameMessage = function(e) {if (typeof e.data === 'object') { return; }var args = e.data.split(":");if (args.length > 2) { iframe = document.getElementById("JotFormIFrame-" + args[(args.length - 1)]); } else { iframe = document.getElementById("JotFormIFrame"); }if (!iframe) { return; }switch (args[0]) {case "scrollIntoView":iframe.scrollIntoView();break;case "setHeight":console.log(`case: setHeight`);iframe.style.height = parseInt(args[1]) + 15 + "px";break;case "collapseErrorPage":console.log(`case: collapseErrorPage`);if (iframe.clientHeight > window.innerHeight) {iframe.style.height = window.innerHeight + "px";}break;case "reloadPage":window.location.reload();break;case "loadScript":var src = args[1];if (args.length > 3) {src = args[1] + ':' + args[2];}var script = document.createElement('script');script.src = src;script.type = 'text/javascript';document.body.appendChild(script);break;case "exitFullscreen":if (window.document.exitFullscreen) window.document.exitFullscreen();else if (window.document.mozCancelFullScreen) window.document.mozCancelFullScreen();else if (window.document.mozCancelFullscreen) window.document.mozCancelFullScreen();else if (window.document.webkitExitFullscreen) window.document.webkitExitFullscreen();else if (window.document.msExitFullscreen) window.document.msExitFullscreen();break;}var isJotForm = (e.origin.indexOf("jotform") > -1) ? true : false;if(isJotForm && "contentWindow" in iframe && "postMessage" in iframe.contentWindow) {var urls = {"docurl":encodeURIComponent(document.URL),"referrer":encodeURIComponent(document.referrer)};iframe.contentWindow.postMessage(JSON.stringify({"type":"urls","value":urls}), "*");}};if (window.addEventListener) {window.addEventListener("message", handleIFrameMessage, false);} else if (window.attachEvent) {window.attachEvent("onmessage", handleIFrameMessage);}});//

Continued here:

University of Texas move-in begins, negative COVID-19 test for students checking into dorms required - KXAN.com

Bruce Schreiner| Associated Press

FRANKFORT, Ky. A Republican Kentucky congressman who holds a key assignment over health policy has highlighted the importance of getting the COVID-19 shots as the delta variant spreads through communities.

U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie emphasized that COVID-19 vaccines work. His statement on Friday came on the same day Kentucky reported 4,009 new coronavirus cases, its 10th-highest daily number of infections since the pandemic began. About a month ago, daily virus cases statewide had declined to about 200, but the highly contagious delta variant is fueling the new surge.

In his statement, Guthrie said: The data from local health care providers and federal health agencies proves it. Unvaccinated patients represent the vast majority of hospitalizations from COVID-19 right now in Kentucky and across the country. With the delta variant relentlessly spreading through communities across the country, I encourage everyone to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

Guthrie has consistently touted the COVID-19 vaccines. The congressman urged people with questions about the vaccines to contact their health care providers.

Guthrie represents Kentuckys Second Congressional District. The congressman serves as the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committees Health Subcommittee.

Religion: As delta variant spreads, Louisville places of worship take caution

More than 1,400 virus patients were hospitalized in Kentucky on Friday, including nearly 400 in intensive care units, and there were 12 more virus-related deaths, the state reported.

Hospitals are filling up or are entirely full all across the commonwealth, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said in a video message Friday on social media.

About 54% of Kentuckys population is vaccinated against COVID-19. With the delta variant spreading rapidly, the governor has warned that the unvaccinated are at greater risk than any time since the pandemic began. Also, the number of children infected with the virus has risen amid the delta variant outbreak. Children under age 12 arent eligible for the coronavirus vaccine.

Meanwhile, Americans at high risk of COVID-19 because of severely weakened immune systems are now allowed to get a third vaccination in hopes of better protection.

The Food and Drug Administration ruled that transplant recipients and other similarly immune-compromised patients can get a third dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The decision offers an extra dose only to those high-risk groups not the general public. Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grappled with who qualifies before endorsing the FDAs decision.

News: Ford and Churchill Downs are mandating worker vaccines. Here's who could be next

Guthrie said the decision is important for people who are organ transplant recipients, have certain cancers, or have other medical conditions that compromise their immune system. It gives them an extra layer of protection, the congressman said.

Continued here:

GOP congressman from Kentucky emphasizes the importance of the COVID-19 vaccines - Courier Journal

Texas State Health Dept. reports over 21K new cases of COVID-19, over 9K from Bexar County  WOAI

See the rest here:

Texas State Health Dept. reports over 21K new cases of COVID-19, over 9K from Bexar County - WOAI