New York Metropolis is bracing for a plethora of potential issues — together with mounting trash, closed firehouses and fewer police and ambulances on the streets — as town’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate looms and 1000’s of municipal staff stay unwilling to get the pictures.
Law enforcement officials, firefighters, rubbish collectors and most different metropolis staff confronted a 5 p.m. Friday deadline to point out proof they’ve gotten no less than one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Staff who do not comply can be placed on unpaid depart beginning Monday.
Pat Lynch, president of the Police Benevolent Affiliation, mentioned the laborious deadline “units town up for an actual disaster.”
Individuals who refuse to get vaccinated at the moment are an enormous issue within the continued unfold of the virus. Backers of mandates say New Yorkers have a proper to not be contaminated by public servants unwilling to get the pictures.
Almost one-fifth of metropolis workers lined by the upcoming mandate had but to obtain no less than one vaccine dose as of Thursday, together with 21% of police personnel, 29% of firefighters and EMS staff and 33% of sanitation staff, in keeping with metropolis information. Metropolis jail guards have one other month to conform.
COVID-19 is the main explanation for demise of legislation enforcement officers within the U.S., killing 498 officers because the begin of 2020 in comparison with 102 gun deaths, in keeping with the Officer Down Memorial Web page, which tracks police fatalities.
In the meantime, healthcare staff in New York state will now not have the choice of non secular exemption to the state vaccine mandate after a federal appeals panel on Friday rejected arguments that the mandate did not adequately shield these with non secular objections
Additionally within the information:
► Khloe Kardashian and her daughter, 3-year-old True Thompson, have examined constructive for COVID-19 and are quarantining, she said in a tweet. That is Kardashian’s second time testing constructive, as she was beforehand contaminated in 2020. The truth star is vaccinated, she mentioned.
► “Piano Man” singer Billy Joel revealed he continued to pay members of his band’s wage in the course of the COVID pandemic although they weren’t taking part in reveals. “I needed to deal with the band,” he told Howard Stern.
📈In the present day’s numbers: The U.S. has recorded 45 million confirmed COVID-19 circumstances and greater than 743,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. International totals: Greater than 245 million circumstances and 4.9 million deaths. Greater than 191 million People – 57% of the inhabitants – are absolutely vaccinated, according to the CDC.
📘 What we’re studying: Well being officers, medical doctors and different medical suppliers say you’ll be able to safely get your flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine on the similar time. Here’s what you need to know.
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Vaccines provide extra safety than earlier an infection, new examine says
Vaccines forestall COVID-19 greater than earlier infections do, in keeping with a brand new examine launched by the CDC Friday.
Adults within the examine who have been hospitalized after both having a earlier an infection or receiving their vaccine have been greater than 5 instances extra more likely to have COVID if that they had a earlier an infection however have been unvaccinated than those that have been absolutely vaccinated and had no prior an infection.
The examine may assist sway some who’re hesitant to get vaccinated in opposition to COVID citing immunity from a previous an infection as defending them.
“Vaccine-induced immunity was extra protecting than infection-induced immunity in opposition to laboratory-confirmed COVID-19,” the examine mentioned. “All eligible individuals needs to be vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19 as quickly as doable, together with unvaccinated individuals beforehand contaminated with SARS-CoV-2.”
Information for the examine was collected throughout 9 states and 187 hospitals, and included greater than 7,000 individuals.
The examine additionally discovered that the good thing about vaccination in comparison with prior an infection with out vaccination was greater with Moderna than Pfizer, in line with earlier research displaying Moderna’s greater effectiveness.
Supreme Courtroom received’t cease vaccine mandate for Maine well being staff
The Supreme Courtroom on Friday declined to block a vaccine mandate for health care workers in Maine over objections that it would not embody a non secular exemption, the newest instance of the excessive courtroom steering away from the difficulty.
The go well with centered particularly on the shortage of a non secular exemption. The courtroom’s ruling, which got here over the objection of three of its conservatives, permits the state requirement to stay in place whereas litigation continues.
In a concurring opinion, Affiliate Justice Amy Coney Barrett famous the courtroom has “discretionary judgment” about whether or not to take an emergency enchantment just like the Maine case. With out that, she wrote, “candidates may use the emergency docket to drive the courtroom” to present a “deserves preview in circumstances” on a “quick fuse.” The courtroom’s emergency docket has come below appreciable criticism in latest weeks for doing precisely that.
– John Fritze, USA TODAY
FDA authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for youths 5-11
The Meals and Drug Administration on Friday voted to advocate Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine to youngsters ages 5 to 11, however steps stay earlier than youngsters will be capable of obtain injections.
The FDA cleared kid-size doses – only a third of the quantity given to teenagers and adults –for emergency use, and as much as 28 million extra American youngsters might be eligible for vaccinations as early as subsequent week.
Yet one more regulatory hurdle stays: On Tuesday, advisers to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention will make extra detailed suggestions on which kids ought to get vaccinated, with a closing resolution by the company’s director anticipated shortly afterward.
Iowa invoice says these fired over COVID vaccine mandates may get unemployment
Iowans may have wider latitude to say medical and spiritual exemptions from employer COVID-19 vaccination mandates — and would qualify for unemployment advantages if a enterprise fires them for not complying — under a bill state lawmakers approved Thursday.
The invoice would mark a big change in the way in which Iowa approaches vaccination necessities by employers if Gov. Kim Reynolds indicators it into legislation.
“Not solely do I plan to signal this laws, however I’m dedicated to doing much more,” she mentioned in a Thursday information launch.
The Republican invoice specifies that workers who refuse the vaccine and are fired wouldn’t be disqualified from advantages.
The invoice moreover says employers “shall” waive a vaccine requirement for an worker who submits a press release that receiving the vaccine could be “injurious” to their well being or well-being, or that it conflicts “with the tenets and practices” of a faith the worker adheres to or belongs to.
– Ian Richardson, Des Moines Register
Florida governor calls federal mandate ‘heavy-handed,’ sues Biden admin
Florida has filed a lawsuit in federal courtroom to dam the Biden administration from finishing up a measure to require vaccinations in opposition to COVID-19 for federal workers and contractors.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made the announcement at a information convention Thursday morning the place he described the mandate for federal contractors as “heavy-handed” and an overreach by the federal authorities. He mentioned Florida will search a preliminary injunction that will block the federal rule from taking impact Dec. 8 as scheduled.
Thursday’s announcement is the newest salvo in DeSantis’ ongoing battle with the administration of President Joe Biden over federal vaccine necessities. Biden says the vaccine mandate will assist convey an finish to the pandemic.
DeSantis additionally blasted a pending rule from the Occupational Security and Well being Administration that will compel firms with 100 or extra workers to require vaccinations or frequent COVID-19 assessments for staff.
– Gary White, The Ledger
5% of unvaccinated adults have left a job due to a vaccine requirement
Because the federal authorities prepares to unveil new vaccination guidelines for workplaces, 5% of unvaccinated adults say they’ve left a job due to a COVID-19 vaccination requirement, according to a survey released Thursday.
That represents 1% of all adults, in keeping with the nonpartisan Kaiser Household Basis, which performed the survey of 1,519 adults Oct. 14-24.
The White Home is reviewing an emergency Labor Division rule requested by President Joe Biden spelling out vaccination guidelines for companies with 100 or extra workers. When launched, the rule will fill within the particulars on how staff at bigger companies should get vaccinated or be examined often for the coronavirus.
Individually, federal workers and contractors should get inoculated except they qualify for an exemption.
— Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY
Contributing: The Related Press
