Hmmmm…..why NOW? Was over 600,000 deaths the “magic number”, or was it those impending lawsuits, that made you suddenly “care” so much?
https://www.thv11.com/article/news/...1NVXvxV9q5xYRNKuBUR-OO0rX0gkXZ8tKaqQGupXpoPQ4 Study indicates COVID-19 causes brain damage, even in mild cases Brain scans of people who recovered from COVID-19 had more brain atrophy in parts of the brain that control taste, smell, and memory. Study indicates COVID-19 causes brain damage, even in mild cases A year and a half into the pandemic, we’re seeing the long-term impacts of COVID-19. Many people notice “brain fog” months after recovering from the virus. A new study of brain scans before and after COVID has found evidence of brain damage even in mild cases.
https://www.al.com/news/2021/07/im-...eating-unvaccinated-dying-covid-patients.html ‘I’m sorry, but it’s too late’: Alabama doctor on treating unvaccinated, dying COVID patients Updated Jul 21, 12:19 PM; Posted Jul 21, 7:00 AM By Dennis Pillion | dpillion@al.com Dr. Brytney Cobia said Monday that all but one of her COVID patients in Alabama did not receive the vaccine. The vaccinated patient, she said, just needed a little oxygen and is expected to fully recover. Some of the others are dying. “I’m admitting young healthy people to the hospital with very serious COVID infections,” wrote Cobia, a hospitalist at Grandview Medical Center in Birmingham, in an emotional Facebook post Sunday. “One of the last things they do before they’re intubated is beg me for the vaccine. I hold their hand and tell them that I’m sorry, but it’s too late.”
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued an impassioned plea for residents of her state to get vaccinated against Covid-19, arguing it was “time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks” for the disease’s continued spread.
The resurgence of COVID-19 continues in North Carolina. On Saturday, the number of single-day new cases surpassed 2,000 -- with 2,133 new COVID-19 cases reported in the state. That's the highest since April 30. 1,910 new cases were reported Sunday and 1,401 new cases were reported Monday morning. On Friday, NCDHHS said North Carolina had experienced a 66% increase in cases from the week prior. The percent of positive tests is at 8.6%. That's the highest it has been since early April. 943 people are currently hospitalized in the state with COVID-19. One week ago, 612 people were hospitalized. Hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 9 and are at the highest rate they have been since May. 60% of the adult population of North Carolina has at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 57% is fully vaccinated. 13,580 have died since the start of the pandemic. Take a look at the metrics for yourself at this website.
That huge spike in Dec/Jan. prevents it from being resized correctly and then the other one might have to go as well.
We are currently seeing a major uptick for the Delta variant in July, which will certainly lead to many more illnesses and deaths in the coming weeks and months. At the present time, some hospitals in the South are nearing capacity right now, including the New Orleans Children’s Hospital. I fail to see how presenting an illegible “chart”, or data which ignores this undeniable uptick, can be construed as “better” in any way. You seem to be minimizing this threat yet again, just as you did all of last year regardless of the number of deaths that occurred after these obvious upticks. Unfortunately, we know all too well where this leads.
Just change the chart period setting to "3 months" instead of the default "all time" to see the upticks without the super downscaling. The buttons are centered just over the chart.
We don’t need to be hair-splitting statisticians this year to understand and acknowledge the result of those upticks from last year.
North Carolina requiring workers at state-run health facilities to get vaccine Updated: 6:23 PM EDT Jul 28, 2021 RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s health department will require workers, volunteers and others at 14 state-run health care facilities to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by Sept. 30 unless they qualify for a medical or religious exemption, according to a memo. The Associated Press obtained a departmental FAQ about the vaccine mandate that says those who don’t get fully vaccinated or exempted by the deadline could face “disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, for unacceptable personal conduct.” Republican House Speaker Tim Moore first shed light on the development through a news release Tuesday evening. Although he is vaccinated and encourages others to get the shots, he believes residents should have the ability to make their own decisions without fear of reprisal. “At the end of the day, the decision whether or not to vaccinate is a personal one and should be made between a doctor and patient,” Moore wrote. “North Carolinians will not be bullied into being vaccinated against their will.” The speaker also noted that none of the available COVID-19 vaccines the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved for emergency use have thus far received full FDA approval. North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services did not comment on Moore’s criticism, but confirmed it will require many within the Division of State Operated Health Facilities to get vaccinated. In the Tuesday memo, North Carolina health officials cite May guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission confirming that federal law does not prohibit employers from mandating vaccination for employees who work on-site. North Carolina’s vaccine requirement will apply to “all facility employees, volunteers, students, trainees” in addition to “contracted and temporary workers” at 14 state-run health care sites. The locations across the state include three alcohol and drug abuse treatment centers, three developmental centers, three psychiatric hospitals, three neuro-medical treatment centers and two residential programs for children. According to the state health department, 75% of staff at the sites are already vaccinated. At three facilities, more than 90% of workers are vaccinated. This is substantially higher than the overall share of North Carolina residents who have come in for a shot. As of Wednesday, 58% of residents eligible for a COVID-19 shot have had at least one dose and 55% are fully vaccinated. The announcement from the health department comes after several hospital systems announced last week that they will require workers to get a COVID-19 shot if they want to remain employed. WakeMed Health & Hospitals, the leading health services provider in the state’s second largest county, said Tuesday that it will join the growing list of hospital systems compelling staff to get vaccinated. In the memo, state health officials noted that the vaccine mandate is particularly necessary to combat the more contagious delta variant, which has contributed to a 121% increase in hospitalizations in the past two weeks. Over the past 14 days, the rolling average number of daily new cases has increased by nearly 208%. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s office has not responded to questions about whether the governor supports a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for state workers.
UNC, Duke Health among NC hospitals mandating COVID-19 vaccines for healthcare workers Thursday, July 22, 2021 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- Several health care providers in North Carolina are now going to require all their employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Top Articles CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- Several health care providers in North Carolina are now going to require all their employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. UNC Health alerted employees Thursday that they would have to be vaccinated by Tuesday, Sept. 21. That includes anyone working at UNC Medical Center, UNC REX Healthcare, Chatham Hospital, Johnston Health, UNC Health Southeastern, UNC Rockingham Health Care, UNC Physicians Network Practices and UNC Health Shared Services locations that support those hospitals. The North Carolina Healthcare Association (NCHA) commended the policy. Atrium Health, Cone Health, Duke University Health System, Novant Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health agreed to similar mandates. "Together and alongside the North Carolina Healthcare Association, we believe that a mandatory vaccine program is in the best interest of public health and is essential for the safety of our patients, teammates and communities," UNC Health CEO Wesley Burks said in the message to employees. Burks said approximately 72 percent of UNC Health's employees were currently vaccinated. Duke Health's deadline for employees is also Sept. 21. Duke Executive Vice President William Fulkerson said 75 percent of its employees already have their shots. He mentioned the Delta variant as a reason for the change in policy, given that it's highly contagious. "Similar to our existing influenza vaccination policy, the COVID vaccine requirement aligns with our core value of 'caring for our patients, their loved ones and each other,'" he wrote in an email to staff. According to the Charlotte ABC affiliate WSOC, Atrium Health is requiring their employees to be fully vaccinated by October 31, and Novant Health set its deadline for September 15. "I am so grateful to our hospitals and health systems who have been tremendous partners as we've worked together to respond to the pandemic," NCDHHS Health Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said in a statement. "We owe an incredible debt of gratitude to our healthcare workforce who have selflessly given so much of themselves to protect and care for us and put us on a path to recovery. Thank you to the North Carolina Healthcare Association, and the health systems that are leading the way requiring vaccination for employees, for taking action to protect the health care workforce, their patients, our communities and the state. Vaccinations are our way out of the pandemic. Don't wait to vaccinate." NCHA announced Thursday it approved of vaccination mandates for healthcare workers with the following statement: "North Carolina's hospitals and health systems exist to improve and protect the health of our communities, which is why they place patient, visitor and team member health and safety at the heart of the care they provide. In keeping with that goal, the North Carolina Healthcare Association strongly supports hospital and health system policies that require all hospital employees and clinical team members to be vaccinated against COVID-19. NCHA recognizes that each hospital and health system is unique and encourages each to determine the appropriate time to implement a requirement. All hospitals should continue to require other infection control measures per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, such as wearing masks and other personal protective gear. Our state's health systems and hospitals have seen first-hand how debilitating and deadly this disease can be. When the COVID-19 vaccines were first released, the NCHA and its members strongly encouraged all North Carolinians, including hospital and health system employees, to get vaccinated against COVID-19. In the months since, clinical data has shown the COVID-19 vaccines to be extraordinarily safe and effective, and our best tool to prevent the spread of the disease. The evidence is clear - vaccination against COVID-19 has prevented people from becoming seriously ill, requiring hospitalization, or dying from the virus, as well as spreading it to others. To date, more than 4.7 million North Carolinians and more than 161 million Americans have been vaccinated with minimal side effects. Most concerning, however, is the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reporting that nearly 99% of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths during May and June were among people not fully vaccinated. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported a sharp rise in new coronavirus cases as the delta variant becomes increasingly pervasive. Protecting patients, visitors and healthcare personnel from COVID-19 continues to be of paramount importance. Hospital and health system employee vaccination against COVID-19 is vital to safely care for patients by protecting them from infection, and to mitigate the spread of the virus within healthcare facilities and among clinicians, patients and their families and friends."
Molly Jong-Fast @MollyJongFast Good for Canada Quote Tweet Ana Cabrera @AnaCabrera · 13h NEW: Two travelers from the US fined nearly $20K each for providing false vaccination information to Canadian authorities, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. 8:41 AM · Aug 1, 2021
NIH Director - Vaccinated people can have very high viral loads and be infecting many people. And since the vaccine lowers symptoms and most have a very mild case if they have any symptoms at all, many vaccinated people may be asymptomatic but yet have a high vrial load and spread the Delta variant to many people without knowing it.
All the more reason to vaccinate everyone so they do not die and to use masks in areas where spread is more likely so as to minimize the spread and protect those who cannot be vaccinated.
