The Prince

From Yahoo/INSIDER”

“In 'The Prince,' the new HBO Max cartoon about the royal family, Kate Middleton is an alcoholic, Camilla's mute, and Prince Harry doesn't know what a fridge is”

"The Prince," a cartoon spoofing the royal family, was released on HBO Max on Thursday. The series pokes fun at 8-year-old Prince George and his parents, Kate Middleton and Prince William. It also takes jabs at Queen Elizabeth, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and the late Prince Philip. When it comes to "The Prince," the new satirical HBO Max cartoon about the royal family, nothing is off-limits.

The controversial show, which was inspired by Gary Janetti's Instagram account and features voice acting by Orlando Bloom and Sophie Turner, doesn't hold back - it takes jabs at everything from Kate Middleton and Prince William's marriage to Prince Harry's relationship with his son, whose name Harry can't seem to remember. "The Prince" follows Middleton and William's 8-year-old son, Prince George, on quests such as getting Kelly Ripa to follow him on Instagram and becoming a star on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" (which the show's Meghan Markle joins when she can't land a real acting gig). Throughout the 12 episodes, which were released on Thursday, George tortures his sweet butler, Owen; can't stand his younger sister, Charlotte; and constantly sucks up to the Queen. On the show, Middleton hates her sister-in-law and is often seen guzzling a glass of wine - or five. "Excuse me, I'm late for an appointment," Middleton says in one scene. "I didn't think the pubs were open yet," William replies. "I have a haircut, if you must know. That's when someone takes scissors and cuts your hair, in case you forgot," she shoots back. Meanwhile, Markle and Harry have moved into a small apartment in Los Angeles, where they struggle to find anyone to hire them. Harry is portrayed as being so lost in the real world that he doesn't understand how to buy milk at a grocery store and is in awe of how refrigerators work. "Did you know it's cold in there?" he asks Markle before gleefully pressing the button on the ice dispenser over and over, covering their kitchen floor in ice cubes as Markle sighs. Camilla doesn't say a word, while Prince Charles desperately tries to win his mother's love, with no success.

The release of "The Prince" was delayed following the death of Prince Philip, who's portrayed in the show as a babbling old man who can't speak or even chew his food. "Get the defibrillator paddles ready," George quips in the first episode. Many critics were especially angered that "The Prince" focused on a real child. Others criticized the show for repeatedly mocking Philip's health months after his death. "It appears that no one involved in this show figured out that a sensible use of the extra time they had been gifted would be to remove Philip from the series, in which he is far from sympathetically portrayed," the Daily Beast correspondent Tom Sykes wrote in his review. That's likely something the series hoped to get ahead of with a "royal decree" displayed at the beginning of each episode. "Like, this isn't really the Royal Family. It's like, a parody, or whatever," it reads. "And certain recent events will not be reflected in this programme because, again, not real. So chill. That's an order." But, as has become increasingly clear on Twitter, many people aren't amused. Representatives for HBO Max, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

^ This is a very funny show. It’s along the same lines as “The Windsors.” ^

https://news.yahoo.com/prince-hbo-max-cartoon-royal-191649086.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Witty Sarcasm

 

Delayed Data

From Yahoo:

“Delta's threat: CDC reveals data on why masks are important for the vaccinated and unvaccinated”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has had a busy week. Only a few days after announcing updated mask guidelines, the agency on Friday released new scientific data on the delta variant that gives a snapshot of how the highly contagious strain triggered a wave of coronavirus cases. The much-anticipated report comes a day after a presentation compiled by a doctor with the agency was leaked to the media and detailed the dangers of the delta variant and how mask-wearing is essential to bring it under control. In a briefing Tuesday, CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the new data spurred the agency to take immediate action by recommending fully vaccinated people to wear mask indoors in public settings where coronavirus transmission is high. "The delta variant is showing every day its willingness to outsmart us and be an opportunist in areas where we have not shown a fortified response against it," she said earlier this week. "This new science is worrisome and unfortunately warrants an update to our recommendations."

Here's everything to know about the delta variant and how it impacts fully vaccinated people. Fully vaccinated people made up nearly three-quarters of COVID-19 infections that occurred in a Massachusetts town during and after Fourth of July festivities, according to a CDC study published Friday in the agency’s Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report. Out of 469 cases that were identified in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, from July 3 to 17, the agency found 74% occurred in fully vaccinated people. The CDC sequenced samples taken from 133 patients and discovered 90% were caused by the delta variant. “High viral loads suggest an increased risk of transmission and raised concern that, unlike with other variants, vaccinated people infected with delta can transmit the virus,” Walensky said in a statement sent to USA TODAY on Friday. “This finding is concerning and was a pivotal discovery leading to the CDC’s mask recommendation.” Health officials continue to reiterate the majority of COVID-19 transmission occurs among the unvaccinated, not fully vaccinated people.

“Vaccinated individuals continue to represent a very small amount of transmission occurring around the country,” Walensky said. “We continue to estimate that the risk of breakthrough infection with symptoms upon exposure to the delta variant is reduced by sevenfold. The reduction is twentyfold for hospitalizations and death.” Four fully vaccinated people between the ages of 20 and 70 were hospitalized, two of whom had underlying medical conditions. No deaths were reported. The study found 79% of patients with breakthrough infection reported symptoms including cough, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, and fever. Of the 346 breakthrough infections, 56% of people were vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, 38% with Moderna and 7% with Johnson & Johnson. As of Friday, over 190 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine has been administered in the U.S., nearly 140 million of Moderna and 13.3 million of Johnson & Johnson, according to the CDC.

Health experts say the reason why more breakthrough infections occurred in the mRNA vaccines compared to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is because more people in the U.S. received the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. "When you look at the data, it may concern some people that there appears to be a higher rate of breakthrough COVID infections in people fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine, however, as a percentage of people who are fully vaccinated, more people have been vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine," said Dr. Teresa Murray Amato, chair of emergency medicine at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills in Queens, New York. "It still appears that all three of the current vaccines with emergency use administration authorization in the United States are safe and effective against the delta variant of the COVID-19 virus," she added. While study authors say evidence suggests fully vaccinated people exposed to the delta variant can contract and spread the virus, it is not sufficient to determine the vaccines' effectiveness against the highly contagious strain.

Delta substantially more contagious than other variants Although the study didn't specify if fully vaccinated people can transmit the virus to other fully vaccinated people, health experts say they should wear a mask and socially distance largely to protect those who haven't been vaccinated or who have a weakened immune system and can't get full protection from the vaccine. "The data makes a pretty compelling justification for why we need to go back to mask wearing and other public health measures," said Dr. Charles Chiu, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. "I do think it's because of the delta variant." The delta variant is known to be substantially more contagious than other variants – as contagious though deadlier than chicken pox, according to the CDC presentation. Among common infectious diseases, only measles is more contagious. People may also be infectious for longer with the delta variant, 18 days instead of 13, the presentation says. Vaccines remain effective at preventing hospitalization and death from COVID-19, though they worked better against the original strain and the alpha variant than they do against delta, data finds.

What do the CDC mask guidelines say? The CDC is urging fully vaccinated Americans to wear masks indoors in areas of high or substantial coronavirus transmission. They're also recommending universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students and visitors inside schools from kindergarten to 12th grade, regardless of vaccination status. That aligns closely with guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommended this month that anyone older than 2 be required to wear a mask in school. The CDC and the AAP are still urging that children return to full-time in-person learning in the fall. The goal behind the guidance may be to protect both the fully vaccinated and the unvaccinated, health experts say, especially vaccinated people who may be immunocompromised and children under 12 who aren’t yet eligible to get their shot. But the reality is there’s hardly any transmission among fully vaccinated people to truly affect community spread, they say. "It makes sense why they did it, but I don't think it's going to make a major difference in the large surge that we're having," said Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health in Providence, Rhode Island. "The real issue still is unvaccinated people who are not going around masked up. I have no reason to think that this guidance will get unvaccinated, unmasked people putting on masks. And that's what we really need."

Is there a test for the delta variant? A traditional PCR test alone cannot differentiate the delta variant from the original virus. The delta variant has distinctive mutations that serve as biological markers that can only be detected through genome sequencing. Many U.S. laboratories sequence a small – but nationally representative – number of positive samples for epidemiological purposes. According to the CDC, more than 175,000 sequences have been collected through the agency’s surveillance program since Dec. 20. People who test positive for COVID-19 aren’t made aware if they were infected by the delta variant, even if their sample was sequenced. "Our patients will not learn if they have a variant or not," said Dr. Christina Wojewoda, chair of College of American Pathologists Microbiology Committee. "It is for epidemiology purposes only and currently, there is no medical use for that result." However, the CDC said more than 80% of sequenced samples have the delta variant, which means people sick with COVID-19 were most likely infected with the highly contagious strain. “It is safe to assume in most places, if you are infected now, it is likely delta," Wojewoda said.

^ I don’t like the fact that the CDC has been hiding these facts and figures. It makes people question the CDC and whatever they say now and in the future. Had the CDC simply come out from the very beginning and showed the data and said the vaccinated and the unvaccinated needed to wear masks that would be one thing – the right thing to do – but they didn’t and that secretive approach only makes everyone question everything now. The CDC has done more harm than good with how they handled this new Delta Variant. ^

https://news.yahoo.com/deltas-threat-cdc-reveals-data-174420545.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Friday

 

First 200

From the BBC:

“First group of evacuated Afghan interpreters arrives in US”

About 200 Afghan interpreters and their families have arrived in the US - the first of a group of 2,500 Afghans being evacuated as the Taliban advances. The interpreters are being resettled under a visa programme for those who worked with the US during the recently ended 20-year war with the Taliban. They arrived in the early hours of Friday morning and were taken to Fort Lee military base in Virginia. They are expected to stay there for around a week while they are processed. The Taliban have been advancing Afghanistan following a decision by the new US president, Joe Biden to withdraw the remaining American troops from the country. With those advances have come danger to those who worked alongside US troops during the two-decade conflict.

Since 2008, approximately 70,000 Afghans have been resettled in the US on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV). Last week, a senior state department official said that the total number of visa applicants now stands just over 20,000. About half have yet to complete the first steps of the process. Those yet to go through the process face potential threats in attempting to secure a visa. Mike Jason, a former US Army battalion commander who was deployed to Afghanistan, told the BBC that travelling across Taliban-controlled areas with the documentation needed for SIVs puts interpreters in "mortal danger". "That's basically an entire confession that you're an interpreter working for the Americans. We're asking them to travel with the evidence," he said Not-for-profit group No One Left Behind estimates that at least 300 Afghans or their family members have been killed for working with the US.

In the UK, military commanders, including four former Chiefs of the Defence Staff, have written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling on the government to allow more Afghans who worked for British forces to be allowed to resettle. The government has recently expanded its relocation scheme, but the former military chiefs said they were "gravely concerned" about the safety of hundreds of Afghans who had worked with UK forces but had their applications to come to the UK rejected.

The Taliban were removed from power by the US-led invasion in 2001, following the attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York. Fighting between the insurgent Taliban and Afghan government forces has increased over the past two months as international troops pull out of the country. The Taliban claimed recently that their fighters had retaken 85% of the country - but the figure is disputed by the government and impossible to verify independently.

^ This is a good first step. Hopefully, the US Government completes this before the US Military leaves Afghanistan and the Taliban takes over. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58019650

Fire Charges

From News Nation:

“PG&E could face criminal charges over deadly California fire”

Pacific Gas & Electric will face criminal charges because its equipment sparked a wildfire last year that killed four people and destroyed hundreds of homes, a Northern California prosecutor announced Thursday. It would be the latest action against the nation’s largest utility, which was forced into bankruptcy over devastating wildfires ignited by its long-neglected electrical grid. Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett announced on Facebook that her office had determined that PG&E was “criminally liable” for the Zogg Fire. Prosecutors hadn’t yet decided which charges to file, but they plan to do so before the September anniversary of the blaze, Bridgett said.

PG&E said the loss of life and devastation from the fire was “heartbreaking” but said it has resolved civil claims with Shasta County and continues to reach settlements with victims and their families ïn an effort to make it right.” “We do not, however, agree with the district attorney’s conclusion that criminal charges are warranted given the facts of this case,” the utility’s statement said. Pushed by strong winds, the fire that began on Sept. 27 raged through the Sierra Nevada mountains and local communities, killing four people, burning about 200 homes and blackening about 87.5 square miles of land. In March, state fire investigators concluded that the fire was sparked by a gray pine tree that fell onto a PG&E transmission line. Two counties, Shasta and Tehama, have sued the utility for negligence, arguing that PG&E had failed to remove the tree even though it had been marked for removal two years earlier.

PG&E, which has an estimated 16 million customers in central and Northern California, filed for bankruptcy protection in 2019 after its equipment was blamed for a series of fires, including the 2018 Camp Fire that killed 85 people and destroyed 10,000 homes. That blaze largely destroyed the town of Paradise, about 145 miles northeast of San Francisco. It was the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century. PG&E pleaded guilty to more than 80 counts of involuntary manslaughter over that blaze, which was linked to a badly maintained and aging transmission tower. PG&E emerged from bankruptcy last summer and negotiated a $13.5 billion settlement with some wildfire victims. But it still faces both civil and criminal actions. The Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office filed charges in April over a 2019 blaze that forced nearly 200,000 people to evacuate. PG&E also has been rebuked by California power regulators and a federal judge overseeing its criminal probation for breaking promises to reduce the dangers posed by trees near its power lines. Last week, PG&E announced plans to bury 10,000 miles of its power lines in an effort to prevent its fraying grid from sparking wildfires when electrical equipment collides with millions of trees and other vegetation across the drought-stricken state. The cost was put at $15 billion, most of which will likely be covered by customers.

The announcement came just days after PG&E told regulators that its equipment may have ignited the Dixie Fire northeast of San Francisco. That blaze in Plumas County had burned more than 346 square miles of timber and head-high chaparral and was only 23% contained. Currently the largest fire in California, it has destroyed more than 40 homes and other buildings and threatens about 10,700 more, while the end of the week could see hotter temperatures and lower humidity that could make the battle harder, fire officials said. A historic drought and recent heat waves tied to climate change have made wildfires harder to fight in the American West. Scientists say climate change has made the region much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.

^ Not only should there be criminal charges, but more Local, State and Federal regulation of them and other companies like them. ^

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/west/pge-could-face-criminal-charges-over-deadly-california-fire/

Dog Food Recall

From News Nation:

“Multiple dog food brands recalled over substance that could harm your pet”

Multiple dog food brands have been recalled due to possible high levels of a by-product that can be harmful to pets if consumed in large quantities. According to a release, Sunshine Mills, Inc. issued a voluntary recall of some dog food under the brands Triumph, Evolve, Wild Harvest, Nurture Farms, Pure Being and Elm. The food may contain potentially high levels of aflatoxin, a naturally occurring by-product from the mold Aspergillus flavus that can grow on pet food ingredients such as corn, peanuts and other grains, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The affected products were distributed in retail stores nationally. Retailers who received the recalled lots have been contacted and asked to pull them from their inventory and shelves. They include the following:

TRIUMPH® WILD SPIRIT CRAFT DOG FOOD DEBONED CHICKEN & BROWN RICE RECIPE   3.5 lbs.  Best if used By 11 Feb 2022 Lot: TD2 11/Feb/2021          073657 008736

TRIUMPH® WILD SPIRIT CRAFT DOG FOOD DEBONED CHICKEN & BROWN RICE RECIPE   30 lbs.   Best if used By 11 Feb 2022 Lot: TA2 11/Feb/2021          073657 008750

EVOLVE® CLASSIC SUPER PREMIUM FOOD FOR DOGS DEBONED CHICKEN & BROWN RICE RECIPE15 lbs. Best if used By 11 Feb 2022 Lot: TA1 11/Feb/2021 Best if used By 11 Feb 2022 Lot: TA2 11/Feb/2021 073657 380320

WILD HARVEST® PREMIUM DOG FOOD CHICKEN & BROWN RICE RECIPE               14 lbs.   Best if used By 11 Feb 2022 Lot: TA2 11/Feb/2021     711535 509523

NURTURE FARMS® NATURAL DOG FOOD DEBONED CHICKEN & BROWN RICE RECIPE      15 lbs.   Best if used By 11 Feb 2022 Lot: TA2 11/Feb/2021          070155 113597

EVOLVE® CLASSIC SUPER PREMIUM FOOD FOR DOGS DEBONED CHICKEN & BROWN RICE RECIPE30 lbs. Best if used By 11 Feb 2022 Lot: TA2 11/Feb/2021     073657 380313

HEART TO TAIL PURE BEING® NATURAL DOG FOOD DEBONED CHICKEN & BROWN RICE RECIPE 5 lbs.     Best if used By 11 Feb 2022 Lot: TD2 11/Feb/2021     4099100129441

ELM PET FOODS NATURALS CHICKEN & RICE RECIPE DOG FOOD                40 lbs.   Best if used By 11 Feb 2022 Lot: TA1 11/Feb/2021      070155 225221

No illnesses have been reported to date, but Sunshine Mills, Inc. chose to issue the recall as a precaution. If any pets show symptoms of illness after consuming the recalled products, they should be seen immediately by a veterinarian. Symptoms include sluggishness or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, vomiting, yellowish tint to the eyes or gums, and diarrhea. Anyone who purchased the recalled products should stop using them and may return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers may contact Sunshine Mills, Inc. customer service at (800) 705-2111 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday, or by email at customer.service@sunshinemills.com for additional information.

^ Check your dog food and see if it is included in this recall. ^

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/recalls/multiple-dog-food-brands-recalled-over-substance-that-could-harm-your-pet/

Berlin Tests

From Reuters:

“Germany tightens rules for travellers on virus concerns”

 Germany will require all unvaccinated travellers arriving in the country from Sunday to present a negative COVID-19 test result, stepping up health checks on returning holidaymakers amid concern over rising case loads in holiday destinations. Previously, only airline passengers were required to produce a negative test if they were not vaccinated and had not recovered from COVID-19 in the previous six months. People entering by road, rail or sea were not required to do so. The move, announced by the government on Friday, comes amid growing concern over travellers bringing back infections from their summer holidays as the Delta variant of the coronavirus spreads across tourist hot spots. Children under the age of 12 are exempt from the new testing requirement, the government said.

As many as one in five new coronavirus infections detected in Germany last week were contracted abroad, with travellers from Spain and Turkey accounting for nearly 500 cases, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases. The number of new COVID-19 cases in Spain has been rising fast, with the 14-day incidence rate reaching 700 infections per 100,000 inhabitants earlier this week, though officials said the situation was improving in some hard-hit areas. read more In Turkey, the daily case load jumped to 22,291 earlier this week, the highest since early May, and the daily death toll reached a six-week high of 76 people. read more In Germany, cases have also been rising since early July, albeit not as strongly, after more than two months of steady decline. On Friday, the RKI reported a daily increase of 2,454 new cases and 30 deaths. Germany got off to a slow start but then picked up the pace of its vaccination programme. More than half the population has now received two shots, dramatically reducing the severity and lethality of the disease.

^ It makes sense for Germany to require negative tests when entering the country. ^

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-tightens-rules-travellers-virus-concerns-2021-07-30/

Christmas Shortage

From News Nation:

“Toy stores warn Christmas supply could be low”

It’s still summer, but already shipping backups around the world are threatening to steal Christmas. Some retailers are getting worried about holiday inventory. “I’m having a nervous breakdown from this,” Ilene Gayer, who owns HomBom Toys in New York City, said. “I’m not getting merchandise in. I’m not getting anything. “It’s a mess. It’s a total, total mess.” The problem is a global shipping backlog caused by the pandemic. 2020 was bad, and 2021 will likely be even worse.

Manufacturers like Hasbro are doing what they can to get Christmas toys and board games around the bottleneck and get creative with their sourcing. But, even when merchandise gets to ports like Los Angeles, there often aren’t enough longshoremen to offload cargo. Suppliers say the plastics they need are being used to make syringes. If you want to put something under the tree this holiday, experts recommend planning — and saving for price hikes — now. “The companies are now telling us that when you do get our new shipments in, the prices are going to be astronomical,” Gayer said. “We don’t even know the percentage yet. It could be 10, 20, 30% higher.”

^ I guess Parents better start Christmas shopping now otherwise there will be a Hunger Games-style shopping experience in December. ^

https://www.newsnationnow.com/business/your-money/toy-stores-warn-christmas-supply-could-be-low/

$100 Per Shot

From the BBC:

“Covid-19: Biden tells states to offer $100 vaccine incentive as cases rise”

US President Joe Biden has called for states to offer $100 (£71) to the newly vaccinated in an effort to address flagging jab rates amid virus surges. The president also issued a strict new vaccine requirement for US federal workers, the nation's largest workforce with some two million people.The order requires employees to show proof of vaccination or be subjected to mandatory testing and masking. Just under half of the US is fully vaccinated, according to official data.

Speaking from the White House on Thursday, Mr Biden said that the new measures are a result of the highly contagious Delta variant's spread, made worse by a "pandemic of the unvaccinated". "People are dying and will die who don't have to die," the president said. Mr Biden added that the monetary incentive may seem unfair to already vaccinated Americans, but "we all benefit if we can get more people vaccinated". States would use money from the $1.9tn American Rescue Plan legislation to fund the incentives. Mr Biden said that the federal government will be "fully reimbursing" small or medium-sized businesses that provide workers paid time off to get vaccinated.

While government workers who refuse to get vaccinated will not be fired, this move by the White House aims to set an example for other employers nationwide. The Democratic president also addressed theories, spreading mostly in conservative circles, that the jabs are unsafe. He emphasised there "is nothing political" about the vaccines, which were developed and authorised under a Republican administration and further distributed under his. Last month, a study showed that over 99% of Covid-19 deaths have been among the unvaccinated.

Nearly 70% of adults have received at least one jab, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control. But vaccination rates are varied across the country. Southern and western regions, which are now experiencing Covid outbreaks, have much lower rates. It comes as virus-related deaths climb to around 2,000 per week. New cases are now at their highest point in the last three months, with about 60,000 being recorded per day.

Earlier this week, the CDC revised its mask policy for even fully vaccinated Americans in certain regions due to the Delta variant surges. Indoor mask use is now recommended for people in areas with higher rates of Covid transmission. New York, California, and several other states have gone one step further - requiring that masks be worn in public indoor spaces.

In other Covid news: Mr Biden has called on Congress to act to halt a federal moratorium on evictions, which is is due to expire on Saturday. Starting on Thursday, Apple will begin requiring customer to wear masks in about half of their stores. Atlanta and Washington DC have become the latest cities to return to imposing indoor mask mandates. At the White House, staff and reporters are wearing masks again after Washington DC upgraded it's transmission level to "substantial".

^ I don’t think we should pay the unvaccinated any money to get vaccinated. No one paid me when I got my shot. If a person doesn’t get vaccinated then they can easily get sick and die and if a person gets vaccinated then it is near unlikely they will get sick or die – that is the payment. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58020090

Facts Not Statements

From Yahoo:

“The One Thing Everyone Who Catches the Delta Variant Has in Common, CDC Says:

The Delta variant has taken over the U.S. in the last few weeks, increasing COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths once again. The fast-spreading variant is so concerning that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just reversed mask recommendations for vaccinated people in areas where the virus is surging on July 27. Despite the new mask guidance and increased reports of breakthrough infections, CDC director Rochelle Walensky, MD, maintains that the new strain is mainly affecting unvaccinated individuals. But whether vaccinated or not, the CDC has found some worrying similarities among people who get sick with the Delta variant.

On July 27, CDC officials held a press briefing where they announced the agency's updated mask guidance and discussed the virus' spread with the now-dominant Delta variant. According to the CDC's data, 8 in 10 sequenced COVID cases are infected with Delta, as of right now—and that's concerning, because the variant has notable differences compared to previously dominant strains. "I have seen new scientific data from recent outbreak investigations showing that the Delta variant behaves uniquely differently from past strains of the virus that cause COVID-19," Walensky said during the briefing. One of the major changes is that everyone infected with the Delta variant "may be contagious and spread the virus to others," whether unvaccinated or vaccinated, per the CDC. Walensky says this new scientific data has emerged from recent Delta variant outbreaks in several states and other countries. "This new science is worrisome and unfortunately warrants an update to our recommendations," she said.

According to the CDC, both vaccinated and unvaccinated people with COVID have a similar amount of virus in their bodies. When the Alpha variant was dominant, health experts believed that vaccinated individuals had reduced viral loads and could not transmit the virus to others. However, Walensky says that vaccinated people infected with the Delta variant could spread the virus further. "We felt it important for [vaccinated] people to understand that they have the potential to transmit virus to others," Walensky said. "And that is important in the case, for example, of a vaccinated individual who might be going to visit an immunocompromised family member. We wanted to make sure that they took the precautions necessary to not pass the virus to them."

Walensky said the rate of transmission among vaccinated individuals is still low because breakthrough infections are rare. According to ABC News, an unpublished internal CDC document obtained by the news outlet showed that around 153,000 symptomatic breakthrough cases have occurred as of last week out of more than 156 million fully vaccinated U.S. adults. This is only .098 percent of vaccinated people, though it doesn't include asymptomatic breakthrough infections and breakthrough cases among adolescents. "Vaccinated individuals continue to represent a very small amount of transmission occurring around the country," Walensky confirmed during the press briefing. "Of the transmission that is happening in the country right now, the vast majority of transmission occurring is occurring through unvaccinated individuals."

The CDC also estimates that the risk of symptomatic breakthrough infection with the Delta variant is reduced by seven-fold through the vaccines. And the reduction for hospitalizations and deaths is even higher, at 20-fold. "We continue to strongly encourage everyone to get vaccinated. Getting vaccinated continues to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death, even with Delta," Walensky said.

^ If the CDC had provided this kind of information when they first recommended vaccinated people go back to wearing masks indoors it would have made more sense. Instead they just kept saying “The science has changed” and gave no other explanation. After reading about the actual science (maybe a little “dumbed-down” since I’m not a Doctor or Scientist) I can now understand the reasons the CDC now says the vaccinated should wear a mask in-doors in places with high Covid infections. I have no issue changing my opinion when I am given the actual facts and figures and not simple and generalized statements like “The science has changed.”

Covid went from the “Pandemic of Everyone” to the “Pandemic of the Unvaccinated” to going back to the “Pandemic of Everyone” (although this time the severity of infections, hospitalizations and death continues to affect the unvaccinated by nearly 99%.) People should get the Covid Vaccine if they want to limit the risk of getting sick or dying. Vaccinated and Unvaccinated people should wear a mask in areas with high infection levels – even if their State doesn’t require them to. I wore a mask from March 2020 to May 2021 and my State only had a Mask Mandate from November 2020 to May 2021. ^

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/one-thing-everyone-catches-delta-155435367.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Invisible Likes

 Friend: "You haven't liked any of my posts in months."

- Me: "You haven't posted anything new since May 2nd and I liked that one."

Friend: "Yeah. So...... you should still like what's not there."

^ It's hard to argue with that "logic." ^

Best/Worst Schools

From News Nation:

“List: States with the best and worst public school systems”

Students are getting ready to head back into the classroom, some for the first time in nearly a year and half after the trials and tribulations of virtual learning. After the frustrations of the past year, many parents are wondering how they can contribute to their child’s academic success. Wallethub took a look at 2021’s best and worst public school systems weighing everything from standardized test scores to dropout rates. WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across two key dimensions and 32 key metrics. The two key dimensions were quality and safety. The metrics included: dropout rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, bullying-incidence rate and testing scores in subjects like math and reading.

The states with the best public school systems:

Massachusetts

Connecticut

New Jersey

Virginia

New Hampshire

Massachusetts reported having the lowest share of high school students who reported being threatened or injured with a weapon on school property, 4.50%. That is 2.8 times lower than in Louisiana, the highest at 12.40%. Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire all tied for first in the highest median ACT score reported.

The states with the worst public school systems (47 to 51):

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Louisiana

New Mexico

WalletHub also examined the amount each state spent on education. For the most part, states that spent less on education, ended up having lower rankings, however some states like Alaska spent high on education but had weak standings. Teresa Coffman, education professor at University of Mary Washington said equitable funding is the key “Equitable funding across states improves school quality. Strategic funding targeted directly to student populations can oftentimes bring about the largest sustained community improvements as compared to funding directed towards other populations,” said Coffman. “Allocating funding to schools (per-pupil spending) improves not only school quality, but additionally the communities within which the schools operate.”

^ This was an interesting read. Hopefully the best States continue what they are doing and the worst States do not continue what they are doing. ^

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/list-states-with-the-best-and-worst-public-school-systems/

Deaf Win

From the BBC:

“Covid: Deaf woman wins claim over lack of sign language at briefings”

A deaf woman has won a claim against the government after a judge found a lack of sign language at two Covid briefings "served to disempower, to frustrate and to marginalise". Katie Rowley, 36, from Leeds, started court action after the sessions went ahead without interpreters on screen. The government denied breaching its legal obligation to make broadcasts accessible to deaf people. In his ruling, a judge said the lack of provision constituted discrimination.

Katie Rowley, 36, from Leeds, launched the court action against Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove in relation to the "data briefings" on 21 September and 12 October 2020. She had argued that being unable to access the official information had caused her stress and affected her wellbeing. Finding in her favour, Mr Justice Fordham said: "The lack of provision - the provision of subtitles only - was a failure of inclusion, suggestive of not being thought about, which served to disempower, to frustrate and to marginalise." Though he agreed with Ms Rowley's claim in respect of both, the judge said subsequent briefings were not in breach of equality legislation. The level of damages awarded to the claimant would be assessed by a county court judge, he added. After the ruling, Ms Rowley thanked the judge and her legal team and said she was "very happy with the outcome". She said she was "emotional that we have achieved what we needed to be equal but sad at the same time that we had to fight for our rights".

Similar briefings in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland included British Sign Language interpreters on screen. A Cabinet Office spokesman said after the ruling: "We are pleased that the court ruled our policy of using on-screen British Sign Language interpreters was lawful during the pandemic. "Our priority has always been to reach the largest possible audience with important public information, and we will continue to ensure that British sign language interpretation is made available during Covid-19 briefings." Officials said there had been more than 170 Covid briefings and "only two" had been found to be unlawful because British sign language was not provided on screen. Ms Rowley, who was 25 weeks' pregnant when she launched the judicial review claim, previously said the stress caused by being unable to access information at the briefing impacted upon her wellbeing. Many who use BSL as their first language say they cannot rely on subtitles because the average reading age for deaf people is nine years. "I have dyslexia myself - I am a slow reader - so that means when I was reading the subtitles, I would miss so much information and [it] would just mess up my head. It would be so difficult - it became impossible," Ms Rowley previously told the BBC through an interpreter.

^ This win is a win for every Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing person in the UK. It’s sad that the court had to make this happen rather than the Government itself -  they should have known better. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-57998047

State Dept. Swastika

From Reuters:

“Biden condemns anti-Semitism after swastika found at State Department”

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke out against anti-Semitism after officials said that a swastika had been found carved into the wall of a U.S. State Department elevator. "Let me be clear: Anti-Semitism has no place in the State Department, in my administration, or anywhere in the world. It's up to all of us to give hate no safe harbor and stand up to bigotry wherever we find it," Biden tweeted late on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, a State Department spokeswoman told reporters the swastika had been discovered on Monday and that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had addressed the incident with department staff. read more The swastika, a symbol of Nazi hate, has been removed and the incident is under investigation, Blinken said in a statement on Twitter. "As this painfully reminds us, anti-Semitism isn't a relic of the past. We must be relentless in standing up and rejecting anti-Semitism," he said, likening anti-Semitism to other forms of hate including racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia. "None of these ideologies should have a home in our workplace or our nation." The State Department is working on the nomination of a special envoy to combat anti-Semitism, spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters.

^ This was a hate crime and should be treated as such by law enforcement. ^

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-condemns-anti-semitism-after-swastika-found-state-department-2021-07-28/

State Masks

From USA Today:

“CDC mask recommendations have changed again. What's required in your state?”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in May that fully vaccinated individuals didn't need to wear masks in most settings — but that guidance changed Tuesday in light of new data and rising cases. Now even fully vaccinated Americans should wear masks indoors in areas of high COVID-19 transmission, according to the new guidance. Although the majority of new infections in the U.S. are in unvaccinated people, “breakthrough” infections, which generally cause milder illness, can occur in vaccinated people. The new guidance was in part prompted by data showing that the highly-transmissible delta variant can be spread by vaccinated people, according to the CDC. Since May, most states have backed off mask requirements for vaccinated people and some lifted their mask mandates for everyone. A few never had any requirements in the first place. Ahead of the CDC's announcement, several local governments — including Los Angeles County and St. Louis — began requiring vaccinated people to again wear masks, citing concerns about the delta variant.

Here's where the states stand on mask requirements:

Alabama  Alabama lifted its mask requirements in May when the state entered its third phase of pandemic health orders. The Safer Apart Order, which expired on May 31st, encouraged mask wearing and physical distancing but did not require any safety measures.

Alaska There is no mask requirement in Alaska, however the state recommends mask wearing in public spaces where physical distancing isn't possible. This summer the state also opened its boarders to all travelers and is offering visitors a free COVID vaccine. Select airports have vaccination clinics so you can touchdown and get the shot in one trip. Anchorage and Juneau, two of the state's largest cities, implemented their own mask mandates for unvaccinated individuals but both were repealed in May.

Arizona Arizona has lifted all COVID-19 restrictions and barred its cities and counties from instituting any mask requirements that would conflict with the executive order. The order encouraged businesses, which are still allowed to enforce their own safety policies, to follow the recommendations of the CDC and federal government.

Arkansas Arkansas dropped their mask requirements in April but a few of the state's larger cities, including Little Rock, chose to keep their mask mandates. However an executive order by Gov. Asa Hutchinson that took effect in July prohibits all local governments from imposing mask requirements.

California Fully vaccinated people are not required to wear masks in California except in some spaces, including public transit and health care facilities, where everyone is required to be masked. Unvaccinated individuals are required to wear a mask in all indoor public spaces. On July 18, Los Angeles reinstated a county-wide mask mandate in indoor public spaces regardless of vaccination status. In response, Dr. Antony Fauci said, "If you’re looking at what’s going on locally, in the trenches, in places like LA county, the local officials have the discretion, and the CDC agrees with that ability and discretion capability." Several counties in the Bay Area have followed suit in response to rising COVID cases.

Colorado Masks are required on Colorado public transportation for all individuals regardless of vaccination status. The state only requires unvaccinated individuals to wear masks in certain spaces such as medical facilities, prisons, and homeless shelters. However, the public health department encourages anyone who is unvaccinated to wear a mask in all indoor public spaces to prevent the spread of the virus.

Connecticut Only unvaccinated individuals are required to wear masks indoors. However, vaccinated people are also required to wear a mask on public transit, in schools, and in CDC recommended public spaces.

Washington, D.C. Mask mandates have been lifted for fully vaccinated people in the nation's capital, although the city is still requiring everyone wear a mask in government buildings and in certain public spaces such as healthcare facilities, homeless shelters and detention cities.

Delaware Delaware lifted its mask requirements in May but still requires masks in state-owned buildings and on public transportation, as well as some other indoor public spaces, such as healthcare facilities. The state encourages unvaccinated and partially vaccinated individuals to continue wearing masks and taking precautions.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order suspending all city and county governments' coronavirus emergency orders, including mask mandates. The order states that, "Florida will favor a presumption of commercial operation and individual liberty." However, the order does not impact the policies of private businesses and the Florida Department of Education, so some spaces have maintained their restrictions.

Georgia Throughout the pandemic Georgia never instituted a state-wide mask mandate, but many local governments imposed their own. In April, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp removed many of the safety regulations imposed on businesses, including mask requirements for employees and distance between tables. The city of Savannah reinstated a mask mandate after Mayor Van Johnson signed an emergency order on July 26 in response to a surge in cases.

Hawaii Mask mandates remain for indoor spaces but masks are no longer required in Hawaii's outdoor spaces.

Idaho Idaho never imposed a statewide mask mandate, but a number of cities that did have now lifted their requirements, including Boise and Sun Valley.

Illinois The Illinois Department of Public Health on July 27 aligned itself with the latest CDC mask recommendations. “While data continues to show the effectiveness of the three COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized in the U.S., including against the Delta variant, we are still seeing the virus rapidly spread among the unvaccinated,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. The state dropped its mask requirements for fully vaccinated people in June but still required those who are unvaccinated to mask up indoors. Illinois is also mandating that everyone be masked on public transportation and congregate facilities such as homeless shelters and detention centers.

Indiana Indiana repealed its statewide mask mandate in April and many cities have since done the same for their vaccinated residents. The city of Indianapolis still requires masks for unvaccinated individuals but the health department said they won't "police" people on mask-wearing.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds lifted mask mandates and social distancing requirements in February, ending Iowa's four month long coronavirus measures. The mayor of Des Moines also ended their city-wide mask mandate in May.

Kansas Fully vaccinated Kansans are welcome to enjoy the indoors and outdoors mask free but unvaccinated individuals are still required to mask up indoors. Masks are still required of everyone in healthcare facilities and on public transportation. Douglas and Wyandotte counties maintained their local mask requirements.

Kentucky There are no mask requirements in Kentucky as of June, but masks are still required in select locations, such as healthcare facilities, and for anyone who has either tested positive for COVID in the last 10 days or is exhibiting symptoms.

Louisiana Louisiana lifted its mask mandate in May for anyone who is vaccinated except in certain settings such as educational and healthcare facilities. The state is still allowing local governments to institute safety mandates. The city of New Orleans is advising everyone, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask when indoors.

Maine There are no mask requirements in Maine after the state ended its state of emergency in June. However, the Maine CDC is recommending that anyone who is not fully vaccinated continue to wear masks indoors. They also encourage fully vaccinated citizens to consider wearing a mask indoors as an example to young children who are not yet eligible for the vaccine.

Maryland In May, Maryland ended all mask and social distancing requirements, except in select spaces such as healthcare facilities, homeless shelters and detention centers. Baltimore City maintained its local mask mandate but lifted it on July 1 as vaccination rates rose.

Massachusetts The Commonwealth has rescinded its mask mandate for everyone except when on public transportation or in certain facilities, such as hospitals, homeless shelters and detention centers. The state has also issued a mask advisory for unvaccinated individuals to continue practicing safety measures like wearing masks indoors and social distancing.

Michigan Michigan has lifted mask requirements for fully vaccinated people and is allowing everyone regardless of vaccination status to go mask-free in outdoor spaces. When announcing the executive order, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said, "This pandemic has been one of the toughest challenges of our lifetimes, but we came together as a state to persevere."

Minnesota Minnesota lifted its statewide mask mandate for everyone but recommends that people who are not fully vaccinated continue to wear masks indoors. Shortly after the statewide order ended on May 14, the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul lifted their mandates on June 1.

Mississippi Mississippi began to phase out its coronavirus safety measures in March when it replaced state-wide mask mandates with a set of safety recommendations. Some cities maintained local mask mandates, including the Jackson capitol and Hattiesburg, which has since lifted its order.

Missouri Missouri lifted its mask mandate for everyone in outdoor areas in April and for fully vaccinated people in indoor areas in May. In July, the city of St. Louis reinstated its mask mandate in response to a growing number of cases. On July 26, the Attorney General of Missouri Eric Schmitt sued the city in an effort to strike down the mandate.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte lifted Montana's statewide mask mandate in February, something he promised his constituents the day after he assumed office on January 4. Many counties chose to maintain restrictions. However, on May 10 Gianforte signed legislation that nullified local mask mandates.

Nebraska Nebraska transitioned its state-wide mask mandate to an advisory in April. Many cities, including Lincoln and Omaha, continued to enforce mask requirements but they expired in May.

Nevada Nevada has issued an emergency order requiring all people — whether they're vaccinated or not — to wear masks in public indoor spaces. Starting at 12:01 a.m. July 30, the mandate becomes effective in counties with substantial or high transmission of COVID-19, according to a news release shared Tuesday afternoon. Nevada counties that will be impacted include: Carson, Churchill, Clark, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Washoe and White Pine. Previously, fully vaccinated individuals were not required to wear masks indoors. Only July 16, Clark County — where Las Vegas is located — issued a directive recommending all persons regardless of vaccination status wear masks indoors. The county is also requiring all employees wear masks indoors at their place of work from July 22 to August 17.

New Hampshire New Hampshire lifted its statewide mask mandate on April 16. The city of Lebanon maintained its mask mandate but rescinded the order on June 16, opting for a set of recommendations that unvaccinated individuals continue to wear masks.

New Jersey In May, New Jersey ended its mask mandate for indoor and outdoor spaces, along with the state's social distancing requirements and capacity limitations. There is no statewide vaccination requirement, but Gov. Phil Murphy in his executive order encouraged unvaccinated individuals to continue practicing safety measures. Face masks are still required for everyone in CDC recommended facilities and most state offices.

New Mexico Fully vaccinated people are no longer required to wear masks in New Mexico's indoor and outdoor spaces. However, the state's mask mandate is still in effect for those who are unvaccinated. Masks are required of everyone regardless of vaccination status in healthcare facilities, homeless shelters and other congregate places.

New York In June, Gov. Andrew Cuomo lifted the mask requirements in New York state for fully vaccinated people. Masks are still required for unvaccinated people and for every New Yorker in K-12 schools, on public transportation and the indoor gathering places specified by the CDC.

North Carolina North Carolina lifted its mask mandate for most indoor spaces in May. The state is still requiring masks in schools, childcare settings, and camps, as most children are not yet eligible for the vaccine. In certain indoor spaces recommended by the CDC, masks are required of everyone.

North Dakota North Dakota's mask mandate expired in January, leaving restrictions in only a few cities and private businesses. In April, the state House passed legislation that would prohibit state officials, including the governor, from instituting mask mandates, shifting power to city and county governments.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine lifted Ohio's mask mandate at the beginning of June and reminded all unvaccinated Ohioans of their duty to wear a mask indoors. In July, the school boards in Columbus and Cleveland announced that all students would be required to wear masks at least during the first weeks of the school year. The decision received national attention from Delaware's Sen. Andrew Brenner (R), who introduced a bill to prevent Ohio's Department of Education and local schools boards from requiring masks.

Oklahoma During the pandemic, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt resisted pressure to implement a statewide mask mandate. Requirements in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, the state's two largest cities, expired at the end of April. With zero safety measures in most of the state, many local businesses have chosen to enforce private mask requirements on their patrons.

Oregon At the end of June, Gov. Kate Brown rescinded all COVID restrictions including mask mandates in Oregon. Masks are still required in healthcare facilities and the state is recommending that unvaccinated and immunocompromised individuals continue to wear masks at large gatherings and in crowded public settings.

Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania Department of Health lifted statewide mask requirements in June. The announcement encouraged individuals who are not fully vaccinated to continue to wear masks in public settings. On July 22, Philadelphia health officials urged citizens, including those who are fully vaccinated, to consider wearing masks indoors as cases begin to rise.

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico's Department of Public Health requires unvaccinated individuals to wear masks in indoor public places and that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in healthcare facilities.

Rhode Island Rhode Island rescinded its mask mandate in early July but continues to require vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals to wear face coverings in healthcare facilities. The health department recommends unvaccinated persons wear a mask in indoor publics spaces.

South Carolina On May 11, Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order prohibiting local governments and school districts from issuing mask mandates. The order also bans the state and local government from requiring individuals to provide proof of vaccination. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control encouraged those who are unvaccinated to continue wearing masks, but the recommendations are not enforced. "We are counting on all South Carolinians to use the honor system concerning their vaccination status," the announcement read.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem never issued a mask mandate in South Dakota. Instead, during the pandemic, citizens were under recommendation by the Department of Health to wear face coverings "in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission."

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee issued an executive order in April barring 89 counties from issuing mask requirements. Tennessee’s health department recommends residents wear masks in public settings, when around people not living in the same household and when social distancing measures are difficult.

Texas Texas lifted its statewide mask mandate in March. In May, Gov. Greg Abbott banned counties, cities, school districts, public health authorities or government officials from requiring masks. But the state “strongly encouraged” residents to wear masks when not possible to maintain social distance with people not from the same household.

Utah Utah lifted its statewide mask mandate in April but simultaneously passed a law allowing counties to issue their own mask requirements. The state recommends residents follow CDC guidance on when vaccinated and unvaccinated people must wear masks. The state has banned local school districts from implementing mask mandates in K-12 schools.

Vermont Vermont lifted its mask mandate for fully vaccinated people in May, with the mandate still in place for those who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, including children. The state’s department of health recommends residents follow CDC guidance.

Virginia Virginia lifted its mask mandate for fully vaccinated people in most settings at the end of May and recommends people follow CDC guidance. The state gives local school districts the ability to make decisions on masking guidance.

Washington Since the end of June, Washington has directed unvaccinated residents over five years old to wear face masks in most public indoor settings and outdoors when difficult to social distance. People who are fully vaccinated must wear masks in healthcare settings, in correctional facilities, in homeless shelters and at K-12 schools, childcare facilities, camps and other youth settings. On July 23, the state’s top epidemiologist recommended everyone — regardless of vaccination status — wear a mask or face covering in crowded indoor places. Health officials in at least eight counties are recommending the same: King, Snohomish, Pierce, Kitsap, Clallam, San Juan, Grays Harbor and Jefferson.

West Virginia West Virginia lifted its indoor face covering requirement for all residents, regardless of vaccination status, in June. The state’s department of health reiterates CDC mask guidance: People who are not fully vaccinated and fully vaccinated people with weakened immune systems should social distance and continue to wear masks in most settings.

Wisconsin At the end of March, the Wisconsin Supreme Court declared the statewide mask mandate invalid and blocked Gov. Tony Evers from issuing any new public health emergency orders mandating face masks without the legislature's approval. Several cities have since lifted their local mask mandates. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services recommends people who are unvaccinated wear a mask “in all indoor spaces that are not your home, as well as enclosed or crowded outdoor spaces.” Everyone — regardless of vaccination status — should wear masks in healthcare settings, on public transport, in correctional and detention facilities and homeless shelters, and in places where masks are required by local or tribal laws.

Wyoming Wyoming lifted its statewide mask mandate in March. In May, the Wyoming Department of Health recommended people who aren’t fully vaccinated wear masks in indoor public places “when common-sense physical distancing cannot be maintained among those who don’t live in the same household.”

^ The US is moving back to the dark days of 2020 all because of the unvaccinated. The vaccinated should not be forced to wear masks or have other restrictions placed on them because of this. The unvaccinated are the reason for us moving backwards and it’s time the vaccinated start to stand-up for our rights. We need a Federal Covid Passport System where Americans can willingly join and continue on with our lives if we want to. Anyone who decides to not get vaccinated or not to join the Covid Passport System should then be made to wear masks and have the other restrictions. We should not punish everyone because of a few.  ^

https://www.yahoo.com/news/cdc-mask-recommendations-changed-again-224021398.html

Best Airlines

From NECN:

“World's 20 Best Airlines Are Named by Air Safety Website”

For the first time, AirlineRatings.com factored Covid-19 safety measures into its annual rankings of the top airlines in the world. Travelers who are on the fence about flying again may want to check out a new list of the world's best airlines. The airline safety website AirlineRatings.com published its list of "Top Airlines in the World," which traditionally ranks carriers by safety, in-flight service, passenger comfort and flight routes. But this year, new judging criteria are shaking up the rankings. For the first time, airlines are being judged in part by how they responded to the Covid-19 global pandemic. "Covid impacted the ratings in two ways," said AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas. "Airlines had to be Covid-compliant to our standards to be considered, and we deleted profitability as a criterion this year."

And the winner is… Qatar Airways took the No. 1 spot this year, named "Airline of the Year" by the website. The Doha-based carrier was awarded the top prize due to its cabin innovation, in-flight service and "dedication and commitment to continue to operate throughout the Covid pandemic," according to the site's announcement on July 20. Doha-based Qatar Airways was launched in the mid-1990s and currently flies to more than 140 destinations. Qatar Airways also introduced industry firsts, AirlineRatings.com said, such as being the first to complete the International Air Transport Association's safety audit and among the first to trial its Covid Safe Travel Pass. Qatar Airways also has one of the world's youngest fleets, the announcement said.

Here's the full list, following by each airline's position last year:

1. Qatar Airways (9)

2. Air New Zealand (1)

3. Singapore Airlines (2)

4. Qantas (4)

5. Emirates (6)

6. Cathay Pacific (5)

7. Virgin Atlantic (7)

8. United Airlines (N/A)

9. EVA Air (8)

10. British Airways (17)

11. Lufthansa (11)

12. ANA, or All Nippon Airways (3)

13. Finnair (12)

14. Japan Airlines (13)

15. KLM (14)

16. Hawaiian Airlines (16)

17. Alaska Airlines (18)

18. Virgin Australia (10)

19. Delta Air Lines (19)

20. Etihad Airways (20)

Most carriers maintained a similar position as they did in the 2020 list. Still, Qatar Airways jumped eight places to clinch the top spot, a position typically dominated by Air New Zealand. "Air New Zealand has been our 'Airline of the Year' in six of the last eight years because of its outstanding innovation and cabin service," Thomas said. Qatar Airways' much-lauded Qsuites, which feature double beds and privacy panels to create a private room, have earned the airline "Best Business Class" accolades for three years in a row British Airways jumped seven places in the rankings to No. 10, while United leaped to No. 8, after not making the 2020 list at all. Only airlines with seven safety stars are considered for the annual list. That rating is based on crash history, pilot-related incidents, government audits — and now Covid protocols, such as social distancing, aircraft cleaning and masked cabin crew. Fewer than 150 of the 350-some airlines evaluated by AirlineRatings.com have seven stars. Eight airlines have just one star, according to the website. The company said rankings, which are judged by the website's editors, also consider airline service, staff engagement and passenger feedback.

Excellence Awards

Individual carriers are also singled out for "Airline Excellence Awards" for superior service and products. This year's awards went to:

Best first class: Singapore Airlines

Best business class: Qatar Airways

Best premium economy class: Air New Zealand

Best economy class: Air New Zealand

Best low-cost airline in Asia-Pacific: Jetstar

Best low-cost airline in Europe: EasyJet

Best low-cost airline in the Americas: Southwest

Best ultra-low-cost airline: Vietjet Air         

Best regional airline: Qantas

Best cabin crew: Virgin Australia

Best lounges: Qantas

In-flight catering award: Qatar

In-flight entertainment award: Emirates

Separately, AirlineRatings.com issues an annual "Top Twenty Safest Airlines" list that analyzes crash records and safety compliance. Next year, it too will factor in Covid compliance measures by the airlines, said Thomas. That list is expected in January 2022. 

^ Those in Bold are the airlines I have flown on. I didn’t care for Emirates or British Airways at all. I really liked Virgin Atlantic and KLM.  ^

https://www.necn.com/news/business/money-report/worlds-20-best-airlines-are-named-by-air-safety-website/2515394/

New Pandemic

From NYT:

“As Virus Cases Rise, Another Contagion Spreads Among the Vaccinated: Anger”

As coronavirus cases resurge across the country, many inoculated Americans are losing patience with vaccine holdouts who, they say, are neglecting a civic duty or clinging to conspiracy theories and misinformation even as new patients arrive in emergency rooms and the nation renews mask advisories. The country seemed to be exiting the pandemic; barely a month ago, a sense of celebration was palpable. Now many of the vaccinated fear for their unvaccinated children and worry that they are at risk themselves for breakthrough infections. Rising case rates are upending plans for school and workplace reopenings, and threatening another wave of infections that may overwhelm hospitals in many communities. “It’s like the sun has come up in the morning and everyone is arguing about it,” said Jim Taylor, 66, a retired civil servant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a state in which fewer than half of adults are fully vaccinated. “The virus is here and it’s killing people, and we have a time-tested way to stop it — and we won’t do it. It’s an outrage.”

The rising sentiment is contributing to support for more coercive measures. Scientists, business leaders and government officials are calling for vaccine mandates — if not by the federal government, then by local jurisdictions, schools, employers and businesses. “I’ve become angrier as time has gone on,” said Doug Robertson, 39, a teacher who lives outside Portland, Oregon, and has three children too young to be vaccinated, including a toddler with a serious health condition. “Now there is a vaccine and a light at the end of the tunnel, and some people are choosing not to walk toward it,” he said. “You are making it darker for my family and others like mine by making that choice.”

On Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City ordered that all municipal workers be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the time schools reopen in mid-September or face weekly testing. Officials in California followed suit hours later with a similar mandate covering all state employees and health care workers.

The Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday required that 115,000 on-site health care workers be vaccinated in the next two months, the first federal agency to order a mandate. Nearly 60 major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association, on Monday called for mandatory vaccination of all health care workers. “It’s time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks,” a frustrated Kay Ivey, the Republican governor of Alabama, told reporters last week. “It’s the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down.” There is little doubt that the United States has reached an inflection point. According to a database maintained by The New York Times, 57% of Americans ages 12 and older are fully vaccinated. Eligible Americans are receiving 537,000 doses a day on average, an 84% decrease from the peak of 3.38 million in early April. As a result of lagging vaccination and lifted restrictions, infections are rising. As of Sunday, the country was seeing 52,000 new cases daily, on average, a 170% increase over the previous two weeks. Hospitalization and death rates are increasing, too, although not as quickly.

Communities from San Francisco to Austin, Texas, are recommending that vaccinated people wear masks again in public indoor settings. Citing the spread of the more contagious delta variant of the virus, the counties of Los Angeles and St. Louis have ordered indoor mask mandates. For many Americans who were vaccinated months ago, the future is beginning to look grim. Frustration is straining relations even within closely knit families. Josh Perldeiner, 36, a public defender in Connecticut who has a 2-year-old son, was fully vaccinated by mid-May. But a close relative, who visits frequently, has refused to get the shots, although he and other family members have urged her to do so. She recently tested positive for the virus after traveling to Florida, where hospitals are filling with COVID-19 patients. Now Perldeiner worries that his son, too young for a vaccine, may have been exposed. “It goes beyond just putting us at risk,” he said. “People with privilege are refusing the vaccine, and it’s affecting our economy and perpetuating the cycle.” As infections rise, he added, “I feel like we’re at that same precipice as just a year ago, where people don’t care if more people die.” Hospitals have become a particular flash point. Vaccination remains voluntary in most settings, and it is not required for caregivers at most hospitals and nursing homes. Many large hospital chains are just beginning to require that employees be vaccinated. Even though she is fully vaccinated, Aimee McLean, a nurse case manager at University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, worries about contracting the virus from a patient and inadvertently passing it to her father, who has a serious chronic lung disease. Less than half of Utah’s population is fully vaccinated. “The longer that we’re not getting toward that number, the more it feels like there’s a decent percentage of the population that honestly doesn’t care about us as health care workers,” McLean, 46, said. She suggested health insurers link coverage of hospital bills to immunization. “If you choose not to be part of the solution, then you should be accountable for the consequences,” she said.

Many schools and universities are set to resume in-person classes as early as next month. As the number of infections increases, these settings, too, have seen tension rise between the vaccinated and unvaccinated. Recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on K-12 school reopening are tied to rates of community virus transmission. In communities where vaccination lags, those rates are rising, and vaccinated parents must worry anew about outbreaks at schools. The vaccines are not yet authorized for children under 12. The American Academy of Pediatrics has advised that children wear masks in class when schools reopen. On Friday, school districts from Chicago to Washington began putting mandates into effect. Universities, on the other hand, often can require vaccinations of students and staff members. But many have not, frustrating the vaccinated. “If we’re respecting the rights and liberties of the unvaccinated, what’s happening to the rights and liberties of the vaccinated?” said Elif Akcali, 49, who teaches engineering at the University of Florida, in Gainesville. The university is not requiring students to be vaccinated, and with rates climbing in Florida, she is worried about exposure to the virus.

Some are even wondering how much sympathy they should have for fellow citizens who are not acting in their own best interest. “I feel like if you chose not to get vaccinated, and now you get sick, it’s kind of your bad,” said Lia Hockett, 21, the manager of Thunderbolt Spiritual Books in Santa Monica, California. As the virus begins to spread again, some vaccinated people believe the federal government should start using sticks rather than carrots, like lottery tickets. Carol Meyer, 65, of Ulster County, New York, suggested withholding stimulus payments or tax credits from vaccine refusers. “I feel we have a social contract in this country with our neighbors, and people who can get vaccinated and choose not to get vaccinated are breaking it,” Meyer said. Bill Alstrom, 74, a retired innkeeper in Acton, Massachusetts, said he would not support measures that would directly affect individual families and children, but asked whether federal government funding should be withheld from states that don’t meet vaccination targets. Maybe the federal government should require employees and contractors to be vaccinated, he mused. Why shouldn’t federal funding be withheld from states that don’t meet vaccination targets?

Though often seen as a conservative phenomenon, vaccine hesitancy and refusal occur across the political and cultural spectrum in the United States, and for a variety of reasons. No single argument can address all of these concerns, and changing minds is often a slow, individualized process. Shon Neyland, a pastor who regularly implores members of his church in Portland, Oregon, to get the COVID-19 vaccines, estimated that only about half the members of the Highland Christian Center church have gotten shots. There have been tensions within the congregation over vaccination. “It’s disappointing, because I’ve tried to help them to see that their lives are in jeopardy and this is a serious threat to humanity,” he said. Shareese Harris, 26, who works in the office of Grace Cathedral International in Uniondale, New York, has not been vaccinated and is “taking my time with it.” She worries that there may be long-term side effects from the vaccines and that they were rushed to market. “I shouldn’t be judged or forced to make a decision,” Harris said. “Society will just have to wait for us.”

Rising resentment among the vaccinated may well lead to public support for more coercive requirements, including mandates, but experts warn that punitive measures and social ostracism can backfire, shutting down dialogue and outreach efforts. Elected officials in several Los Angeles County communities, for example, are already refusing to enforce the county’s new mask mandate. “Anything that reduces the opportunity for honest dialogue and an opportunity for persuasion is not a good thing,” said Stephen Thomas, a professor of health policy and management at University of Maryland School of Public Health. “We are already in isolated, siloed information systems, where people are in their own echo chambers.” Gentle persuasion and persistent prodding persuaded Dorrett Denton, a 62-year-old home health aide in Queens, to be vaccinated in February. Her employer urged Denton repeatedly to be immunized, but in the end, it was her doctor who convinced her. “She says to me: ‘You’ve been coming to me from 1999. How many times did I do surgery on you, and your life was in my hands? You trust me with your life, don’t you?’” Denton recalled. “I said, ‘Yes, Doctor.’ She said, ‘Well, trust me on this one.’”

^ The CDC is now saying that even the vaccinated should be made to wear masks and have restrictions placed on them because the unvaccinated continue to get infected (97% of the cases) and die (99% of the cases.)

The vaccinated should NOT be punished with Mask Mandates and restrictions simply because the unvaccinated refuse to either get the vaccine or wear a mask. The unvaccinated have made their choice and now have to risk getting infected and dying because of that choice.

When there was no vaccine things were different. I wore a mask from March 2020 until May 2021 (even though my State had no Mask Mandate until November 2020.) I also followed all the various restrictions. Back then it was a pandemic that affected everyone and we ALL had to do our part to keep everyone safe and healthy.

Those of us who take the health of ourselves, our friends, our family and complete strangers seriously and got the vaccine should now not feel sorry or any guilt when those who decide to not get the vaccine, get sick and die.

This is now a pandemic of the unvaccinated since 99% of those unvaccinated are the ones getting sick, hospitalized and dying.

The unvaccinated have a right to not get vaccinated, they have a right to get infected because of their decision and they have a right to die because of their decision.

The vaccinated also have the right to get the vaccine, the right to not get infected because of their decision, the right to not die because of their decision and the right to not wear a mask or have any restrictions placed on them because of others' choices. ^

https://www.yahoo.com/news/virus-cases-rise-another-contagion-121658945.html