Also, from today's What the Fuck Just Happened Today?:
Texas COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased by 400% in the last month. As of Aug. 15, the state has reported around 2.8 million confirmed cases in 254 counties and 515,585 probable cases in 230 counties since the pandemic began. (Texas Tribune)
A quickie excerpt:
What You Should Know:
The highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading rampantly in Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott is resisting statewide action and barring local leaders from implementing mask mandates. Here’s the latest.
Hospitals: Hospitalizations are increasing quicker than at any other point of the pandemic. Hospital officials say upwards of 95% of COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated, and they will soon be overwhelmed. Dozens of hospitals are out of ICU beds as they struggle with historically low staffing levels and children’s hospitals are also under siege from RSV. Abbott said he will deploy 2,500 more medical workers to help. Cases are also skyrocketing at nursing homes.
Ban on mask mandates: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone wear a mask in indoor public spaces in “areas with substantial and high transmission,” which includes most of Texas. Local officials across the state are pushing back against Abbott’s ban. After the Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocked mask orders in Dallas and Bexar counties, a Bexar County judge ruled Monday that Bexar County officials can require masks in public schools.
Schools: Abbott’s ban is especially controversial in public schools because children under age 12 are not eligible for vaccination, and parents are on a frantic search for options to keep kids safe. The rule faces pushback from districts, and some have required masks. The state also won’t require schools to notify parents of COVID-19 cases. Meanwhile, many Texas universities are moving forward with full reopening plans.
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
@Cockycent:
If most evidence says what you mean, then every CDC and White House employee would be mandated to get the vaccine.
Federal employees, which, I would assume but confess am not entirely certain, include White House staffers and people at the CDC, are required to be vaccinated, or adhere to strict masking guidelines if not and have been since late July.
Biden orders tough new vaccination rules for federal workers
https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-joe-biden-business-health-travel-a1670ffa08f1f2eab42c675d99f1d9ad
Quickie excerpt:
President Joe Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new pandemic requirements aimed at boosting vaccination rates for millions of federal workers and contractors as he lamented the “American tragedy” of rising-yet-preventable deaths among the unvaccinated.
Federal workers will be required to sign forms attesting they’ve been vaccinated against the coronavirus or else comply with new rules on mandatory masking, weekly testing, distancing and more. The strict new guidelines are aimed at increasing sluggish vaccination rates among the huge number of Americans who draw federal paychecks — and to set an example for private employers around the country.
“Right now, too many people are dying or watching someone they love die and say, ‘If I’d just got the vaccine,’” Biden said in a somber address from the East Room of the White House. “This is an American tragedy. People are dying who don’t have to die.”
However, pushback is certain to Biden’s action. It puts him squarely in the center of a fierce political debate surrounding the government’s ability to compel Americans to follow public health guidelines.
The federal government directly employs about 4 million people, but Biden’s action could affect many more when federal contractors are factored in. New York University professor of public service Paul Light estimates there are nearly 7 million more employees who could potentially be included, combining those who work for companies that contract with the government and those working under federal grants.
Biden, seemingly fed up with persistent vaccine resistance among many Americans, delivered a sharp rebuke to those who have yet to get shots, saying “they get sick and fill up our hospitals,” taking beds away from others who need them.
“If in fact you are unvaccinated, you present a problem to yourself, to your family and those with whom you work,” he said bluntly.”
At the same time, he expressed sympathy for people who have received their shots and are “frustrated with the consequences of the minority that fail to get vaccinated.” And he again emphasized that the fight against the virus is far from over, girding Americans to remain strong in the face of setbacks in the pandemic.
“I know this is hard to hear. I know it’s frustrating. I know it’s exhausting to think we’re still in this fight. I know we hoped this would be a simple straightforward line, without problems or new challenges. But that isn’t real life,” he said.
His comments came as some 60% of American adults have been fully vaccinated. He had set a July 4 goal to get at least one shot in 70% of adults, and is still not quite there. The latest figure is 69.3%. And there remains significant resistance from many Republicans and some unions to vaccine mandates for employers.
Which, again, affirms my point that "getting the vaccine is better than not getting it", even if it doesn't include the CDC or White House specifically (and there's no reason to assume it doesn't).