So then you need to have a "smart" phone to gain entrance as well?

Leaves me out, no big loss to me. Will love to see the half or quarter full stadiums.

jb

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TheGreek

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Nate

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TheGreek
I will continue to mask up and stay safe and follow the guidelines . This has worked for me that in the past year I have not been sick with a common cold a sore throat or anything . Why would I drop my guard against a practice that has gotten results and kept me safe ? I am fully vaccinated with the Pfizer.

If you believe that wearing a mask has prevented you from picking up the common cold,sore throat etc are you now going to wear one forever?

Nate

Quality of life and you can't put a price tag on it as it hasn't cost me a cent or anything or anyone . All of my friends and immediate family feel the same . We are all lock step on this .

Interesting how low the instances of flu/cold are this year in our community...the mask thing definitely impacted that. Makes you wonder post-COVID what the legacy of mask wearing might be.

From CNN:

"The idea that some Americans might need cash incentives to get a potentially life-saving vaccine would likely be mind-boggling
to the millions of vulnerable people and health-care workers in the developing world who still don't have access to the vaccine".

Vaccination

(CNN)Doughnuts, dollars or dating app perks? Krispy Kreme is offering free treats to people who are vaccinated against Covid-19, several US states have launched lotteries with cash prizes for those who get the shot, and proof of vaccination can get you added extras on some dating apps. In a bid to boost flagging inoculation rates, Ohio, New York and Maryland are all giving away millions of dollars through special lotteries, just the latest in efforts by governments, employers, sports teams and others to motivate more people to get the shot as vaccination rates slow.

The White House is trying yet another way. It announced today it is partnering with a series of prominent dating apps to offer incentives to customers who've been inoculated. Vaccinated users on Tinder, Hinge, OKCupid, BLK, Chispa, Plenty of Fish, Bumble and Badoo will gain access to premium content "like boosts, super likes, and super swipes" with proof of vaccination, according to the White House. Users will also be able to filter potential matches by vaccination status or book vaccination appointments through the apps. The announcements sparked both reams of praise and howls of outrage on social media. The idea that some Americans might need cash incentives to get a potentially life-saving vaccine would likely be mind-boggling to the millions of vulnerable people and health-care workers in the developing world who still don't have access to the vaccine.

It's not just the world's poorest countries that are struggling to offer the inoculation to everyone who wants it. In the United Kingdom, people under the age of 34 are still not eligible for the shot. Australia is currently vaccinating people over the age of 50. France and Germany are only planning to open their programs to all adults in the coming weeks. Japan hasn't even started vaccinating the general public yet. But while younger people in many rich countries must still wait their turn, at least their governments have guaranteed they will receive the vaccine eventually. In the developing world, that's not the case. COVAX, the vaccine-sharing initiative, is only expected to reach 27% of the populations of lower-income countries this year. The rest will have to wait until next year, at least.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Krispy Kremes: exchange a heart attack for a covid death. Seems so Amerikkkan.

jb

Quote
Hairball
From CNN:

"The idea that some Americans might need cash incentives to get a potentially life-saving vaccine would likely be mind-boggling
to the millions of vulnerable people and health-care workers in the developing world who still don't have access to the vaccine".

Vaccination

(CNN)Doughnuts, dollars or dating app perks? Krispy Kreme is offering free treats to people who are vaccinated against Covid-19, several US states have launched lotteries with cash prizes for those who get the shot, and proof of vaccination can get you added extras on some dating apps. In a bid to boost flagging inoculation rates, Ohio, New York and Maryland are all giving away millions of dollars through special lotteries, just the latest in efforts by governments, employers, sports teams and others to motivate more people to get the shot as vaccination rates slow.

The White House is trying yet another way. It announced today it is partnering with a series of prominent dating apps to offer incentives to customers who've been inoculated. Vaccinated users on Tinder, Hinge, OKCupid, BLK, Chispa, Plenty of Fish, Bumble and Badoo will gain access to premium content "like boosts, super likes, and super swipes" with proof of vaccination, according to the White House. Users will also be able to filter potential matches by vaccination status or book vaccination appointments through the apps. The announcements sparked both reams of praise and howls of outrage on social media. The idea that some Americans might need cash incentives to get a potentially life-saving vaccine would likely be mind-boggling to the millions of vulnerable people and health-care workers in the developing world who still don't have access to the vaccine.

It's not just the world's poorest countries that are struggling to offer the inoculation to everyone who wants it. In the United Kingdom, people under the age of 34 are still not eligible for the shot. Australia is currently vaccinating people over the age of 50. France and Germany are only planning to open their programs to all adults in the coming weeks. Japan hasn't even started vaccinating the general public yet. But while younger people in many rich countries must still wait their turn, at least their governments have guaranteed they will receive the vaccine eventually. In the developing world, that's not the case. COVAX, the vaccine-sharing initiative, is only expected to reach 27% of the populations of lower-income countries this year. The rest will have to wait until next year, at least.

Free Krispy Kreme Modernuts. Mmm mmm mmm!

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jbwelda
Krispy Kremes: exchange a heart attack for a covid death. Seems so Amerikkkan.

jb

At least heart attacks aren't contagious.

>Vaccinated users on Tinder, Hinge, OKCupid, BLK, Chispa, Plenty of Fish, Bumble and Badoo


No Chatterbate? What a missed opportunity.

jb

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NashvilleBlues

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jbwelda
Krispy Kremes: exchange a heart attack for a covid death. Seems so Amerikkkan.

jb

At least heart attacks aren't contagious.

I forgot to mention diabetes. Which isn't contagious either.

Jah, you lick dem with diseases.






jb

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treaclefingers

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TheGreek

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Nate

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TheGreek
I will continue to mask up and stay safe and follow the guidelines . This has worked for me that in the past year I have not been sick with a common cold a sore throat or anything . Why would I drop my guard against a practice that has gotten results and kept me safe ? I am fully vaccinated with the Pfizer.

If you believe that wearing a mask has prevented you from picking up the common cold,sore throat etc are you now going to wear one forever?

Nate

Quality of life and you can't put a price tag on it as it hasn't cost me a cent or anything or anyone . All of my friends and immediate family feel the same . We are all lock step on this .

Interesting how low the instances of flu/cold are this year in our community...the mask thing definitely impacted that. Makes you wonder post-COVID what the legacy of mask wearing might be.

No doubt that wearing a mask will help lower the numbers of common colds,flu etc and everyone is of course free to do as they wish to protect themselves.
Personally I wouldn’t entertain the idea of wearing one after everyone who wants a Covid vaccine has had one.

Nate

With all the various scattershot rules and regulations amongst different stores, businesses, cities, states, etc., the confusion for many continues.
Even some of the good people of Hawaii are experiencing the mask confusion.........

Hawaii retailers see confusion, conflict over mask mandates

"Gov. David Ige said the state’s mask mandate will remain in place for now
because it’s difficult to discern who has been vaccinated and who has not".

Masks

HONOLULU (AP) — Retailers in Hawaii say the state’s mask mandate is creating confusion and conflict among customers, many of whom come from different states to vacation in the islands. Hawaii still requires people to wear masks — whether vaccinated or not — at all indoor public places as well as outdoors when physical distancing is not possible. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its mask recommendations for vaccinated people, state laws still apply, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Thursday.

Tina Yamaki, president of Retail Merchants of Hawaii, said enforcement has been a struggle throughout the pandemic, but it’s becoming harder now. “Now we’re having more visitors who say, ‘Well, we don’t have to wear masks in our state and the CDC said,’” Yamaki noted. “The CDC offers guidelines. It’s not the law. It’s a recommendation, and we have to follow the state law.” She said it puts retailers in a tough spot. “People are confrontational now,” said Yamaki. “We’ve had confrontations, and that’s the sad part about it. No. 1: We’re not doing it because we want to make your life harder. It’s the law. No. 2: We want to make sure everybody is safe.” Violations of the mask mandate can result in fines for the violator as well as for the retail business, Yamaki said. “The burden is on us when we’re trying to tell them don’t do it,” she said.

As a small-business owner, Debbie Ah Chick-Hopkins, owner of the Global Village boutique in Kailua, said the enforcement of mask rules puts her employees in an awkward position. “I don’t want our staff to be berated just because we’re trying to be in compliance with the state,” she said. “We’re here to service our customers. We’re here to be that friendly face and when we’re put into that position, it’s not a comfortable position to be in.” The shop has a sign on its front doors reminding people to wear masks and the property owner has another outside of the store. The problem is compounded as more national chains that have stores in Hawaii — such as Costco, Walmart and Target — have announced that they will no longer require masks for fully vaccinated customers. Hawaii Gov. David Ige said the state’s mask mandate will remain in place for now because it’s difficult to discern who has been vaccinated and who has not.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Quote
Hairball
They really should have come up with a more elaborate vaccination card...maybe something similar to paper bills with the security strips that can be seen when held to light.
As basic as they currently are - "a 3-x-4-inch piece of common heavy-stock paper with straightforward printing", practically anyone can print one right at home...

Fake, stolen vaccination cards have become commonplace in recent weeks – and identifying them can be difficult

FakeCards

Oregon announced Tuesday that fully vaccinated people now can go maskless in public indoor spaces, but only with proof that they’ve been inoculated against COVID-19. Some other states are considering similar approaches as they too fully reopen their economies. Anticipation of this development is surely one of the reasons fake vaccination cards have been selling briskly on eBay, Etsy and other internet sites for weeks. “We are seeing these vaccination cards being sold on many social-media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and even TikTok,” FBI Special Agent Jeanette Harper said in a press statement last month

An official vaccination card, which is a 3-x-4-inch piece of common heavy-stock paper with straightforward printing on it, is relatively easy to fraudulently reproduce. Selling (or buying) fake vaccination cards could result in a prison sentence of up to five years, as well as a fine, the FBI says. Legitimate vaccination cards also are being stolen. Police in Nassau County, New York, this week arrested a pharmacy employee for stealing more than 50 blank vaccination cards, Forbes reports. Zachary Honig, 21, told police he was going to “share them with family members and friends, so that they could go into venues and possibly even use them at schools.” There have been a handful of similar arrests in other states in recent weeks.

This thriving trade in fake and stolen vaccination cards could make Oregon’s new COVID-19 policy difficult for entertainment venues, retailers and eateries. Cybersecurity expert Alyssa Miller pointed out to NBC: “How are you going to make someone at the opposite end, the ones who are supposed to be verifying these, look at one and determine if it’s legitimate or if it’s fake?” Oregon, it appears, mostly will be relying on the honor system. Officials don’t expect businesses to verify the authenticity of cards. Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon’s state epidemiologist, said this week that state officials “hope that Oregonians will not lie or cheat and put others at risk by forging a vaccine record if they aren’t vaccinated.”

if you are gonna restrict access based on an ID....you're gonna get an illegal market for fake IDs...

it's basic capitalism.

anybody who's ever owned a fake ID in order to drink (which is basically everybody I knew growing-up) could've predicted this happening.

scammers getting around the system = yet another reason "no vax, no entry" is doomed to be ineffective...

Quote
stickyfingers101

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Hairball
They really should have come up with a more elaborate vaccination card...maybe something similar to paper bills with the security strips that can be seen when held to light.
As basic as they currently are - "a 3-x-4-inch piece of common heavy-stock paper with straightforward printing", practically anyone can print one right at home...

Fake, stolen vaccination cards have become commonplace in recent weeks – and identifying them can be difficult

FakeCards

Oregon announced Tuesday that fully vaccinated people now can go maskless in public indoor spaces, but only with proof that they’ve been inoculated against COVID-19. Some other states are considering similar approaches as they too fully reopen their economies. Anticipation of this development is surely one of the reasons fake vaccination cards have been selling briskly on eBay, Etsy and other internet sites for weeks. “We are seeing these vaccination cards being sold on many social-media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and even TikTok,” FBI Special Agent Jeanette Harper said in a press statement last month

An official vaccination card, which is a 3-x-4-inch piece of common heavy-stock paper with straightforward printing on it, is relatively easy to fraudulently reproduce. Selling (or buying) fake vaccination cards could result in a prison sentence of up to five years, as well as a fine, the FBI says. Legitimate vaccination cards also are being stolen. Police in Nassau County, New York, this week arrested a pharmacy employee for stealing more than 50 blank vaccination cards, Forbes reports. Zachary Honig, 21, told police he was going to “share them with family members and friends, so that they could go into venues and possibly even use them at schools.” There have been a handful of similar arrests in other states in recent weeks.

This thriving trade in fake and stolen vaccination cards could make Oregon’s new COVID-19 policy difficult for entertainment venues, retailers and eateries. Cybersecurity expert Alyssa Miller pointed out to NBC: “How are you going to make someone at the opposite end, the ones who are supposed to be verifying these, look at one and determine if it’s legitimate or if it’s fake?” Oregon, it appears, mostly will be relying on the honor system. Officials don’t expect businesses to verify the authenticity of cards. Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon’s state epidemiologist, said this week that state officials “hope that Oregonians will not lie or cheat and put others at risk by forging a vaccine record if they aren’t vaccinated.”

if you are gonna restrict access based on an ID....you're gonna get an illegal market for fake IDs...

it's basic capitalism.

anybody who's ever owned a fake ID in order to drink (which is basically everybody I knew growing-up) could've predicted this happening.

scammers getting around the system = yet another reason "no vax, no entry" is doomed to be ineffective...

Yes, and some people will continue to downplay the problem along with the mask confusion as if neither are of any concern.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

^^

Agree.

I personally think "no vax, no entry" needs to be dropped ASAP before this problem gets worse (among other reasons)....we also need to reduce the drinking age to 19, but that's another story

as for "masks," I find "mask confusion" pretty ridiculous.

My philosophy at this point...do what you want outdoors, do what the sign on the door says if you go indoors.

seems simple. but, nothing is simple anymore....if it ever was.

Quote
stickyfingers101
^^

Agree.

I personally think "no vax, no entry" needs to be dropped ASAP before this problem gets worse (among other reasons)....we also need to reduce the drinking age to 19, but that's another story

as for "masks," I find "mask confusion" pretty ridiculous.

My philosophy at this point...do what you want outdoors, do what the sign on the door says if you go indoors.

seems simple. but, nothing is simple anymore....if it ever was.

The Mask Confusion...sounds like it could be a good name for a young rock band...

Seems the confusion for some people (including business owners) lies with the variety of different rules and regulations depending on the store, the business, the city, or the state.
If it were as simple and streamlined as you made it out to be, no problem, yet the announcement itself from the CDC blindsided many without much clarification.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Quote
Nate

Quote
treaclefingers

Quote
TheGreek

Quote
Nate

Quote
TheGreek
I will continue to mask up and stay safe and follow the guidelines . This has worked for me that in the past year I have not been sick with a common cold a sore throat or anything . Why would I drop my guard against a practice that has gotten results and kept me safe ? I am fully vaccinated with the Pfizer.

If you believe that wearing a mask has prevented you from picking up the common cold,sore throat etc are you now going to wear one forever?

Nate

Quality of life and you can't put a price tag on it as it hasn't cost me a cent or anything or anyone . All of my friends and immediate family feel the same . We are all lock step on this .

Interesting how low the instances of flu/cold are this year in our community...the mask thing definitely impacted that. Makes you wonder post-COVID what the legacy of mask wearing might be.

No doubt that wearing a mask will help lower the numbers of common colds,flu etc and everyone is of course free to do as they wish to protect themselves.
Personally I wouldn’t entertain the idea of wearing one after everyone who wants a Covid vaccine has had one.

Nate

For sure...it's just that in some societies masks are pervasive and have been long before COVID. I don't know the history to that but I'm sure there had to be some sort of catalyst. I was only opining that maybe this could be a catalyst to something similar in Western society. Whereas seeing someone walk around in a mask 14 months ago looked weird, now of course it does not.

I am SO confused...what ever will I do?

As for the no vax, no entry, has it ever occurred to anyone that anyone who cheats by buying and using a fake vax cert is only hurting themselves? Spread the plague around amongst yourself, vax fakers, and have a fun time at the show. And two weeks later. Just remember: do not tax the medical system with your problems, just go home and let nature take its course. How bad could it be? Its all a hoax anyway.

jb

Looking forward to a great summer in Southern California.

From the L.A. Times:

California unveils sweeping plan for full reopening on June 15 as COVID fades

California

State officials on Friday unveiled perhaps their most eagerly anticipated pandemic-related guidelines, which will steer California into a new, fully reopened age. Come June 15, Californians will wake up to a world that looks nothing like the last year-plus — one where businesses can open their doors without COVID-19 constraints on capacity or requirements for physical distancing, and where people who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear masks in most situations. California also will align with recommendations from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when it comes to travel, according to Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state’s Health and Human Services secretary. “The big message today is we’re at a place with this pandemic where those requirements of the past are no longer needed for the foreseeable future,” he said during a briefing. Regardless of the updated regulations, the state will not be eliminating COVID awareness. Ghaly emphasized that “we will be watching closely to determine if and when we need other public health protections to come back into place.” Gov. Gavin Newsom foreshadowed the announcement Thursday, telling reporters that, with the new guidance, “people can really paint that future and see themselves in it: Post-masks and post-any modification in this blueprint,” referring to the system of color-coded tiers that has guided reopenings statewide for the last nine months.

Though June 15 has been billed as California’s full reopening date, it remained somewhat unclear until now under what circumstances modifications might remain. Initially, the plan was to keep the state’s mask mandate in place, but officials this week instead announced that Californians who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be allowed to go mask-free in most indoor settings starting June 15 — a move that will bring the state into alignment with recent CDC guidance. Employers also will still be subject to any relevant standards handed down by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA. The state Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board was scheduled Thursday to consider a proposal that would have allowed workers to return to their jobs without social distancing or face masks as long as everyone in a room is vaccinated, but members postponed a decision given the changes coming next month.

A full reopening also doesn’t necessarily mean an immediate return to pre-pandemic normal. Some people may still opt to wear masks or otherwise moderate their behavior to minimize risk. And working from home could become more common at some companies. “The last 14 or 15 months have been transformational — not only from a health perspective, but from an economic perspective as we’ve seen things like remote work and new tools for jobs and workplaces rethink how they operate,” Dee Dee Myers, senior advisor to Newsom and director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, said during Friday’s briefing. “And so I think we’re still in the middle of that transition, and we’re not sure what the ‘next normal’ is going to look like.” It’s also conceivable that some proprietors could decide to require customers or event attendees to prove they’ve either been vaccinated or recently tested negative for coronavirus infection. “I do think that there will be some businesses that decide to require some level of verification of vaccination in order to really have all of their patrons feel comfortable,” Ghaly said. “That isn’t something that’s going to be driven from the state necessarily, but that might be an operational decision. And we’re trying to be ready to support individuals who want to do that thoughtfully and responsibly.”

One area where there will be additional state requirements is high-attendance indoor events. California will require organizers of indoor events with more than 5,000 people to verify that attendees are either vaccinated or have recently tested negative, according to Ghaly. The state will recommend, but not require, the same for outdoor events with more than 10,000 people — though organizers will have the option of allowing unvaccinated and untested attendees, provided they wear a mask. Despite that, Ghaly said the state is not considering a centralized “vaccine passport” system that would provide regularly accessible records of immunization status. “We know that technology is being privately developed, we understand that certain business sectors, certain specific operators, may have some requirements on a vaccine passport, and our intention is to provide some guidance, some guidelines, so that those who do implement it do it in a way with ultimate integrity, responsibility, in a way that doesn’t discriminate,” he said.

Moving beyond the state’s tier reopening system is dependent on two factors. Officials said they needed to have enough COVID-19 vaccine to inoculate all willing and eligible Californians. On top of that, the number of coronavirus-positive patients hospitalized statewide had to be stable and low — with particular attention paid to how many fully vaccinated people were falling ill enough to need that level of care. Unlike the earlier days of the vaccine rollout, California’s inoculation campaign today is constrained less by available supply and more by falling demand. Earlier in the spring, the state was doling out roughly 400,000 vaccine doses per day, on average. Over the last week, though, providers statewide have administered an average of 225,652 doses per day, according to data compiled by The Times. Though the pace has slowed, California has still made a significant dent in its inoculation queue. Roughly 63.5% of residents who are eligible for vaccination — that is, those who are at least 12 years old — have received at least one dose to date, CDC figures show. And 46.7% of that cohort are fully vaccinated, meaning they’ve received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine or both required doses of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.

COVID-19 hospitalizations have also fallen to some of the lowest levels recorded during the pandemic. On Thursday, there were 1,326 coronavirus-positive patients hospitalized statewide. That’s down about 450 from a month ago. “On both those metrics — vaccines and the state of COVID in our hospitals — we feel like we are tracking well toward meeting our goal of being ready for June 15,” Ghaly said. It’s unclear how many of those people may have been admitted despite being fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Though exceedingly uncommon, it is possible for someone to be infected even after completing his or her inoculation course. Rarer still is for one of those “breakthrough” cases to result in serious illness. Of the 3.3 million Los Angeles County residents fully vaccinated as of May 7, for instance, only 933 later tested positive for the coronavirus — including people who showed no symptoms but were tested anyway because of workplace requirements, according to Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. Only 71 fully vaccinated residents had to be hospitalized. Twelve people later died, though Ferrer noted four of them had severely weakened immune systems. Nationwide, 1,811 cases of a fully vaccinated person being hospitalized with coronavirus-related illness had been reported to the CDC as of Monday, along with 353 deaths. However, federal health officials said 25% of those hospitalizations, and 18% of fatalities, were “reported as asymptomatic or not related to COVID-19.” More than 123 million Americans had been fully vaccinated as of that date.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

THE AGE --- 22 May 2021



ROCKMAN

Look at it as your very own personal souvenir! You're welcome!

jb

From the New York Times:

C.D.C. Is Investigating a Heart Problem in a Few Young Vaccine Recipients

Vaccine

The agency is reviewing several dozen reports that teenagers and young adults may have developed myocarditis
after vaccination, officials said. But the agency has not determined whether the vaccine caused the condition.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is looking into reports that a very small number of teenagers and young adults vaccinated against the coronavirus may have experienced heart problems, according to the agency’s vaccine safety group. The group’s statement was sparse in details, saying only that there were “relatively few” cases and that they may be entirely unrelated to vaccination. The condition, called myocarditis, is an inflammation of the heart muscle, and can occur following certain infections.

The C.D.C.’s review of the reports is in the early stages, and the agency has yet to determine whether there is any evidence that the vaccines caused the heart condition. It has posted some guidance on its website for doctors and clinicians to be alert to unusual heart symptoms among young people who had just received their shots. “It may simply be a coincidence that some people are developing myocarditis after vaccination,” said Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York. “It’s more likely for something like that to happen by chance, because so many people are getting vaccinated right now.”

The cases seem to have occurred predominantly in adolescents and young adults about four days after their second dose of one of the mRNA vaccines, which are Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. And the cases were more common in males than in females. “Most cases appear to be mild, and follow-up of cases is ongoing,” the vaccine safety group said. The C.D.C. strongly recommends Covid vaccines for Americans ages 12 and older. “We look forward to seeing more data about these cases, so we can better understand if they are related to the vaccine or if they are coincidental,” said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’s Committee on Infectious Diseases. “Meanwhile, it’s important for pediatricians and other clinicians to report any health concerns that arise after vaccination.”

Experts emphasized that the potentially rare side effect of myocarditis paled in comparison to the potential risks of Covid, including the persistent syndrome called “long Covid.” Acute Covid itself can cause myocarditis. As of May 13, the coronavirus has infected more than 3.9 million children and sent more than 16,000 to hospitals, more than are hospitalized for flu in an average year, according to data collected by the A.A.P. About 300 children have died of Covid-19 in the United States, making it one of the top 10 causes of death in children since the pandemic began.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Get a free laptop dance with your vaccine, here in las vegas. Man,all I got was an old lady jabbing my arm.

[www.fox10tv.com]

.... well probably better
than an old dog humpin' ya leg ... HHHhghhhaaa HHHAAAA HHHHaaaaa



ROCKMAN

The Age -- 23 May 2021



ROCKMAN

Quote
Rockman


The Age -- 23 May 2021

No surprise really. Those kind of figures are well known over the past decades in relation to "regular" flu epidemics. Covid-19 is a real killer virus, so the WHO estimates look quite realistic. There's still more to come, I afraid ...
Schools in the Netherlands will be open again as of the end of May. Why, political idiots, not just leave them closed till the Summer holidays? It's merely a month more and with those holidays following, contacts among young people will be limited long enough to "complete" the vaccination program. After it's disastrous "December policy", leading to more than 25.000 additional deaths in the first two months of this year, Britain shows that a rigorous vaccination scheme really shows very positive results.
"when will they ever learn"

I'm a GHOST living in a ghost town

From CNN:

How feasible is it for businesses to require proof of vaccination? Experts are split

Proof of Vaccination

After a year of wearing masks, physical distancing and only small outdoor gatherings, a world of possibilities is finally beginning to open up for the vaccinated. More states are easing coronavirus restrictions as per the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, meaning vaccinated people are now permitted to go maskless in many settings. Because loosening those rules would otherwise largely hinge on the honor system, though, some businesses and organizations have announced that they'll require proof of vaccination for entry -- either because they want to ensure a safer environment or because their state or local government mandates it. It's an interim solution that allows vaccinated people to regain a sense of normalcy, while establishments ramp up operations after an economically devastating year. But requiring proof of vaccination also raises challenges around logistics and enforcement, as well as concerns about forgery and privacy.

Here's where some experts and business owners stand.

For larger events, the details are still unclear

Music festivals are returning, performance venues are opening and sports stadiums are filling up -- and a number of them will be checking vaccination status. Among the events back this summer is Lollapalooza, with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announcing earlier this week that festivalgoers would have to provide proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test taken within 24 hours of attending each day. New York's Radio City Music Hall is also planning to reopen at full capacity next month for the final night of the Tribeca Film Festival -- but only for vaccinated people, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said this week. Both reopening announcements, made by public officials, appeared to function in part as incentives for residents to get their shots. "The whole point of our change is to say to people, 'There are benefits to being vaccinated,'" Cuomo said at a news conference on Monday. It's still unclear, though, exactly how both events are planning to implement those protocols. Lollapalooza, which regularly draws hundreds of thousands of attendees, notes on its website that details on the entry process will be available in early July, and organizers did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Madison Square Garden Entertainment, which operates Radio City Music Hall, referred questions about enforcing the vaccination requirement to the Tribeca Film Festival. The festival did not respond to a request for comment. Businesses and establishments in New York, at least, may have an easier time of checking for vaccine status than other parts of the country -- the state's voluntary Excelsior Pass app presents digital proof of the Covid-19 vaccination or negative test results and has already been used at Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center and Yankee Stadium. Still, only people who have been vaccinated or tested in New York can get a pass through the app -- though the state notes that individuals can present alternate forms of vaccination or testing, including paper forms.

Some businesses are doing so out of safety

For some businesses, allowing only vaccinated patrons inside is a means of ensuring they are keeping their communities as safe as possible. The Bayou, an independently owned bar in Salt Lake City, Utah, has been closed for dine-in service throughout the pandemic. Given the Covid-19 case numbers in Utah, the owners simply didn't feel that they could responsibly operate without a customer or an employee potentially getting sick. "A lot of us know intuitively that masks in restaurants are fairly comical and mostly theater," co-owner Mark Alston told CNN last week. "Because as soon as you sit down at the table, you have to take off your mask to eat and drink." Now that all of its staff has been fully vaccinated and the shots are more widely available, The Bayou is finally opening up for indoor service -- but only for the vaccinated. Nancy Kass, a professor of bioethics and public health at Johns Hopkins University, says she understands why businesses would want to require patrons to prove they've been vaccinated. Managers need to be able to reassure both their employees and customers that they're providing a safe and low-risk environment. But businesses may also need to allow for accommodations in certain instances, she added. "What I think is challenging and important is whether these venues will allow an alternative mitigation strategy if someone doesn't want to be vaccinated or is unable to provide proof of vaccination," Kass said. The Bayou is trying to make the process as easy as possible for customers -- a photo of a vaccination card on a phone, an email from a health department and other similar documentation all suffice, Alston said. Those who aren't vaccinated are welcome to order curbside takeout, and the bar notes on its website that it plans to have a designated day and time where people who are unvaccinated due to a disability or religious objection can dine in. Still, it's a decision that has prompted backlash for the establishment, Alston said. But the bar is standing firm, even though it may lose business. "I can't be a part of making anyone sick," he said. "We have a responsibility for our customers, even if they won't take responsibility for themselves."

Others see enforcement as a burden

Despite ongoing concerns about safety, other businesses and organizations don't see themselves implementing a proof of vaccination requirement -- largely because they don't have the resources. Xiomara Peña, vice president of engagement for the national organization Small Business Majority, said such policies would be challenging for many businesses in their network who don't already have a similar infrastructure in place. So for the time being, many are opting to keep previous protocols in place. "We're also hearing some concerns from businesses that are saying they will continue to require masks and social distancing because it's not easy or practical for them to determine who's been vaccinated or not," Peña said. Other Small Business Majority members have expressed concerns about how a vaccine requirement could unfairly burden those in communities where vaccine access has been more limited, she added. Audrey Fix Schaefer, communications director for the National Independent Venues Association, said many in the music industry breathed a sigh of relief when they heard the federal government wouldn't mandate Covid-19 vaccine verification."We were grateful to see that because we know that it's going to be incredibly hard to administer," Schaefer said. "Different companies and different businesses are going to choose to do that. Others are not."

Is it legal?

Those who oppose requiring proof of vaccination sometimes argue that it constitutes a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act -- known as HIPAA -- which protects sensitive health information from being disclosed without a patient's consent or knowledge. Legal expert Mark Hall, professor of social sciences and health policy at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, says that's not the case. Customers are not obligated to share their vaccination status with a business who asks for it. Similarly, businesses are within their rights to refuse service to customers who won't abide by their protocols. An added wrinkle to all of this is that some states -- among them Arizona, Florida and Texas -- have issued executive orders that would prohibit "vaccine passports," creating confusion for businesses on whether they are allowed to ask customers for vaccine verification. Hall says it's not clear that governors have the authority to restrict what businesses can require of their customers, and that such executive orders could be subject to legal challenges. But it could take time for that to play out. "Until the issue gets litigated, the law is the law," Hall said.

Experts are mixed on whether requiring vaccine proof is feasible

Businesses and organizations are in the midst of a messy, interim period, says Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. And figuring out how to implement policies that apply to vaccinated and unvaccinated people can be challenging. But from a public health standpoint, Benjamin says he doesn't view proof of vaccinations as the most efficient solution. "I think it's difficult to do," he said. "I think it's a waste of time, effort and money." The flimsy paper cards that typically signify that a person has been vaccinated against Covid-19 are easy to forge, Benjamin noted. And those checking vaccination status at the door often have no way of verifying that the proof being presented is real. Other experts, like Hall, view things differently. Hall acknowledges the difficulties of verifying a person's vaccination status, but said in the absence of a formal database or system, businesses and organizations will just have to do the best they can. "If the alternative to showing proof is just taking people's word for it, then I think asking for proof that might be forged is better than not asking for any proof," he said.

Meanwhile, Benjamin says a cheaper and easier method of keeping patrons safe is to continue to require masks for everybody. But if it's a bar or restaurant where the mask will eventually have to come off anyway, that system isn't the most logically sound either. Benjamin encourages businesses to think critically about who their safety protocols are designed to protect, whether they'll be able to enforce them and whether the rules are accomplishing their objective. He says he's not so concerned about people who might be unmasking despite being unvaccinated -- those people were likely already doing so, and people who are fully vaccinated are protected from the risk of being infected by an unvaccinated individual. "People are getting really nervous about a situation that existed before we took the mask off the vaccinated, and I would like to see us focus on getting people vaccinated," Benjamin said.

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Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Quote
MingSubu
Get a free laptop dance with your vaccine, here in las vegas. Man,all I got was an old lady jabbing my arm.

[www.fox10tv.com]

Laptop dance? Is that a digital lap dance?

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
MingSubu
Get a free laptop dance with your vaccine, here in las vegas. Man,all I got was an old lady jabbing my arm.

[www.fox10tv.com]

Laptop dance? Is that a digital lap dance?

Damn autocorrect.

THE AGE -- 23 May 2021



ROCKMAN

Quote
MingSubu

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
MingSubu
Get a free laptop dance with your vaccine, here in las vegas. Man,all I got was an old lady jabbing my arm.

[www.fox10tv.com]

Laptop dance? Is that a digital lap dance?

Damn autocorrect.

I already thought vaxxers got a free laptop ...