Covid 19

CLAIM: President Joe Biden claimed Wednesday: “You’re not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations.” VERDICT: PARTLY FALSE. Vaccines greatly reduce the probability of COVID infections, but do not eliminate it. Biden tried to address vaccine hesitancy at a CNN town hall in Cincinnati, Ohio, Wednesday evening. In so doing, he provided inaccurate information about the vaccines, claiming falsely that vaccinated people cannot contract the virus. While the vaccines greatly reduce the chance of infection, the severity of illness, and the chances of hospitalization, they do not completely prevent infection, and there are examples of vaccinated individuals still contracting COVID-19. Even CNN’s post-event panel criticized Biden’s claim, with Anderson Cooper saying it was “just obviously not the case.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states on its website (original emphasis): A small percentage of people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will still … [Read more...] about Fact Check: Joe Biden Spreads Misinformation About COVID-19 Vaccines at CNN Town Hall

Home / News work-from-anywhere Google's work-from-home policy gets an extension. Derrek Lee 28 Jul 2021 1 Source: Android Central What you need to know Google CEO Sundar Pichai sends an open letter to employees about returning to the office. The new policy states that employees coming to the office much be vaccinated. Google is extending its optional work-from-home policy until October 18. While vaccinations continue to ramp up, so does the new Delta variant of COVID-19. Amid a steady return to the office for many employees, Google CEO Sunday Pichai has released an open letter to employees regarding its new policy and vaccinations. Pichai outlined the new company policy requiring that all employees returning to the office be fully vaccinated. He says that this new requirement "will vary according to local conditions and regulations, and will not apply until vaccines are widely available in your area." The policy will … [Read more...] about Google to require COVID-19 vaccinations for employees returning to the office

By Rachel Fritts Jul. 21, 2021 , 11:00 AM In many U.S. regions, the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 has caused the COVID-19 pandemic to surge once again. Last week’s 7-day average of daily new cases increased by nearly 70% , to more than 26,000; hospitalizations have jumped by more than one-third, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Part of the reason is that less than half of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated. Some scientists and physicians worry vaccine hesitancy is fueled by the fact that shots available in the United States—made by Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson (J&J)—have been authorized on an emergency basis but have yet to be fully approved. Antivaccine activists, talk show hosts, and far-right politicians have made the vaccines’ “experimental” nature a talking point. Full approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could help win over skeptics, says Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease physician at … [Read more...] about When will COVID-19 vaccines be fully approved—and does it matter whether they are?

Amazon has informed workers that it will end on-site COVID-19 testing at its US warehouses, as first reported by The Information . The company confirmed to The Verge that it will begin ramping down its testing operations in the US by July 30th. Although many in the US are vaccinated — 48 percent of the country is fully vaccinated, according to The New York Times’ data as of Monday — the change comes as case rates around the country are going up . The significant majority of new cases have been found among unvaccinated people . Amazon informed staff Monday about its plan to end COVID-19 testing, according to The Information . “Free COVID-19 testing is now widely available and our employees have many options available to them, including through health providers and public testing sites,” part of the message reportedly said. The company had instituted a massive testing operation, saying in October that it planned to handle 50,000 tests per day across 650 sites by … [Read more...] about Amazon will end onsite COVID-19 testing at its US warehouses

For years it has pushed an ambitious plan to lead the global stage with its unabashed adoption of technology, but Singapore now appears to have forgotten its smart nation roots amidst a current COVID-19 outbreak. In managing the spread, the government could have leveraged the strides it made in using data and technology--instead, it has chosen simply to revert to tighter restrictions that may erode public confidence and have long-term impact on local businesses. Just weeks before, Singapore had championed its vision of an "endemic norm" where COVID-19 could be managed as a less threatening disease much like influenza or chickenpox. "The bad news is that COVID-19 may never go away. The good news is that it is possible to live normally with it in our midst," the country's COVID-19 taskforce, comprising its health, finance, and trade ministers, wrote in an opinion piece published June 24 by local daily The Straits Times. The team laid out a roadmap to get the nation towards … [Read more...] about Singapore neglecting smart nation roots in COVID-19 fumble

Olympic athletes in Tokyo continue to test positive for COVID-19 by the dozens , the United States gymnastics team left the Olympic Village for a hotel in an attempt to avoid the virus, and the chief of the games’ organizing committee said there could still be a last-minute cancellation . Still, the head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday that the Tokyo Olympics could “inspire” and “bring the world together.” “It is my sincere hope the Tokyo Games succeed,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday. He said it was impossible to expect zero cases of COVID-19, and that the most important thing would be to isolate people, contact trace, and stop the virus from spreading. "Beyond competition, medals & records, the #Tokyo2020 Games bring the nations of the together in celebration of sport, health, excellence, friendship & respect. But ultimately, they are a celebration of something that our needs now, more than ever: "- … [Read more...] about WHO head cheers Olympic ‘hope’ as COVID-19 cases in athletes’ village rise

As coronavirus cases rise in unvaccinated populations, Democratic senators are introducing a new bill Thursday that would strip away Facebook and other social media platforms’ Section 230 liability shield if they amplify harmful public health misinformation. The Health Misinformation Act , introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) Thursday, would create a carveout in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act opening social media platforms like Facebook up to lawsuits for hosting some dangerous health misinformation. The bill directs the Health and Human Services secretary to issue guidelines on what should be classified as “health misinformation.” The carveout would only apply in situations where online misinformation is related to an existing public health emergency like the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, as declared by the HHS secretary. It would only open a platform up to liability if the content is being algorithmically amplified, not through “a … [Read more...] about Senators target Section 230 to fight COVID-19 vaccine misinformation

Ten days before the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, Kara Lawson, the coach of the United States women’s 3x3 basketball team, gave a press conference. The sport is new to the Olympics this year, and Lawson, a former WNBA player and coach at Duke University, told the dozen or so reporters participating online what she liked about it—the game is faster-paced, Lawson said, and more unpredictable than the five-on-five version. But during a global pandemic, Lawson added, the health of her players was her number one priority. “We’re obviously tested daily. I’m actually quarantined in my room right now,” Lawson said. “We’re masked all the time … a positive test at this juncture is hard for any team getting ready to go to Tokyo. We’re focused on doing our part, not just so we can have a good competition, but we definitely feel a responsibility to fellow human beings to be smart about eliminating transmission of the disease worldwide.” Less than a week later, one of Lawson’s … [Read more...] about The Tokyo Olympics could be a Covid-19 “super evolutionary event”

DeAndre Hopkins is not the only player who has publicly questioned the NFL’s policy on vaccines. With a handful of teams already in training camp and the rest to soon follow, the wave of backlash continued through the weekend against the NFL following Thursday’s memo announcing that players will be held accountable for any outbreaks among unvaccinated teammates. Here is a roundup of the latest comments from players and coaches against the NFL’s policy: After the NFL’s announcement Thursday, three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins posted on Twitter, “Never thought I would say this, but being put in a position to hurt my team because I don’t want to partake in the vaccine is making me question my future in the @NFL.” He then deleted the tweet and posted instead, “Freedom?” Freedom? — Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) July 22, 2021 Former Washington receiver Terrelle Pryor, who has not been on a roster since 2019, posted Saturday night in a now-deleted tweet, … [Read more...] about ‘NFLPA F*ck*ng Sucks’: Players Blast Union, League Over Covid Rules

More than 50 U.S. medical groups, representing millions of health care professionals, are calling for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for all health and long-term care workers, according to news reports. On Monday (July 26), 57 medical organizations — including the American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics — released a joint statement urging such vaccine requirements, The Washington Post reported . A vaccination mandate "is the logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all health care workers to put patients as well as residents of long-term care facilities first and take all steps necessary to ensure their health and well-being," the statement said . The statement noted that cases of COVID-19 are spiking in the U.S. again as more transmissible coronavirus variants , including the delta variant , spread throughout the country. "Vaccination is the primary way to put the pandemic behind us and … [Read more...] about Dozens of medical groups urge COVID-19 vaccination mandates for health workers