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| Dozens of medical groups call for mandatory health worker vaccinations – US politics live | Dozens of medical groups call for mandatory health worker vaccinations – US politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Statement comes as vaccinations stall in US and Delta variant surges and New York mayor requires city workers to get vaccinated | |
| All of New York’s city employees will be required to get vaccinated against coronavirus, mayor Bill de Blasio has just announced at a press conference. | |
| The Democratic mayor said that, as of September 13, all city workers must either be vaccinated or start receiving weekly coronavirus tests. | |
| “Let’s be clear about why this is so important: this is about our recovery. This is about what we need to do to bring back New York City,” de Blasio said. | |
| “This is about keeping people safe. This is about making sure that our families get through Covid safe. This is about bringing back jobs. You name it.” | |
| De Blasio described September as “the pivot point of the recovery” because it is when students will return to schools and more offices will start reopening. | |
| The White House is not lifting travel restrictions “at this point” because of concerns over the delta variant, an administration official told Reuters. | The White House is not lifting travel restrictions “at this point” because of concerns over the delta variant, an administration official told Reuters. |
| According to Reuters, the official cited the more highly transmissible delta variant and the rising number of coronavirus cases in the US to justify keeping the restrictions in place. | According to Reuters, the official cited the more highly transmissible delta variant and the rising number of coronavirus cases in the US to justify keeping the restrictions in place. |
| The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, has been repeatedly asked about when the administration will relax the restrictions on international travel. | The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, has been repeatedly asked about when the administration will relax the restrictions on international travel. |
| “There are ongoing working groups that are having discussions about how to, hopefully, move forward to a point where there is international travel and is returning something we would all like to see -- not just for tourism, but for families to be reunited,” Psaki said on Friday. | “There are ongoing working groups that are having discussions about how to, hopefully, move forward to a point where there is international travel and is returning something we would all like to see -- not just for tourism, but for families to be reunited,” Psaki said on Friday. |
| “There are a range of topics in those discussions that are ongoing. The president receives regular briefings on them, but we rely on public health and medical advice on when we’re going to determine changes to be made.” | “There are a range of topics in those discussions that are ongoing. The president receives regular briefings on them, but we rely on public health and medical advice on when we’re going to determine changes to be made.” |
| Anthony Fauci, the White House chief medical adviser, said on Sunday top US health officials were discussing whether to revise mask guidance for Americans vaccinated against Covid-19. | Anthony Fauci, the White House chief medical adviser, said on Sunday top US health officials were discussing whether to revise mask guidance for Americans vaccinated against Covid-19. |
| “This is under active consideration,” Fauci told CNN’s State of the Union, though he also emphasized that local governments can issue their own rules under current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). | “This is under active consideration,” Fauci told CNN’s State of the Union, though he also emphasized that local governments can issue their own rules under current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). |
| Los Angeles county and St Louis, Missouri, have reinstated indoor mask requirements and other cities are weighing whether to do the same. | Los Angeles county and St Louis, Missouri, have reinstated indoor mask requirements and other cities are weighing whether to do the same. |
| After a significant drop in Covid-19 cases because of the national vaccine campaign, infections are rising in all 50 states and Washington DC. The increases are highest in states with large groups of unvaccinated people. More than 610,000 have died from Covid-19 in the US. | After a significant drop in Covid-19 cases because of the national vaccine campaign, infections are rising in all 50 states and Washington DC. The increases are highest in states with large groups of unvaccinated people. More than 610,000 have died from Covid-19 in the US. |
| At a White House briefing on Thursday the surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, said 97% of hospital admissions and 99.5% of Covid deaths were occurring among unvaccinated people. | At a White House briefing on Thursday the surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, said 97% of hospital admissions and 99.5% of Covid deaths were occurring among unvaccinated people. |
| More than 162.7 million Americans are vaccinated – or 49% of the population, according to the CDC. | More than 162.7 million Americans are vaccinated – or 49% of the population, according to the CDC. |
| Meanwhile, the mayor of New York is reportedly preparing to expand his vaccination mandate to include all city employees. | Meanwhile, the mayor of New York is reportedly preparing to expand his vaccination mandate to include all city employees. |
| NBC New York reports: | NBC New York reports: |
| De Blasio announced on Wednesday that all workers at city-run health care facilities and hospitals would be required to get vaccinated or receive weekly coronavirus tests. | De Blasio announced on Wednesday that all workers at city-run health care facilities and hospitals would be required to get vaccinated or receive weekly coronavirus tests. |
| Yolette Bonnet, 60, the chief executive of a group of community health clinics in underserved neighborhoods across Palm Beach County, Florida, got vaccinated. Perhaps this would be unremarkable, except that she got her shot Thursday, more than seven months after she was eligible to get the vaccine with ready access as a healthcare provider. | Yolette Bonnet, 60, the chief executive of a group of community health clinics in underserved neighborhoods across Palm Beach County, Florida, got vaccinated. Perhaps this would be unremarkable, except that she got her shot Thursday, more than seven months after she was eligible to get the vaccine with ready access as a healthcare provider. |
| Bonnet, who is Black, described her resistance as a mix of hope the pandemic would fade, and skepticism born from the American medical establishment’s history of racism. | Bonnet, who is Black, described her resistance as a mix of hope the pandemic would fade, and skepticism born from the American medical establishment’s history of racism. |
| Bonnet’s story is just one example of how people in a vast, heterogeneous country are reckoning with the re-emergence of the pandemic with the more contagious Delta strain predominantly causing new cases and their own willingness to prevent it using the most powerful tool at humanity’s disposal – the vaccine. | Bonnet’s story is just one example of how people in a vast, heterogeneous country are reckoning with the re-emergence of the pandemic with the more contagious Delta strain predominantly causing new cases and their own willingness to prevent it using the most powerful tool at humanity’s disposal – the vaccine. |
| It also reveals the complex, highly personal deliberations behind a stalled vaccination campaign in the US, one that threatens to undermine vaccine efficacy as each new infection provides an opportunity for the development of a new variant. | It also reveals the complex, highly personal deliberations behind a stalled vaccination campaign in the US, one that threatens to undermine vaccine efficacy as each new infection provides an opportunity for the development of a new variant. |
| Bonnet said she was still uncertain when she got her first Pfizer shot, but the encouragement of her two daughters, husband and staff prevailed, and amid fanfare she got the shot. So did 12 of her staff members, who saw their leader’s willingness to get vaccinated as a sign of its safety. | Bonnet said she was still uncertain when she got her first Pfizer shot, but the encouragement of her two daughters, husband and staff prevailed, and amid fanfare she got the shot. So did 12 of her staff members, who saw their leader’s willingness to get vaccinated as a sign of its safety. |
| Greetings from Washington, live blog readers. | Greetings from Washington, live blog readers. |
| Nearly 60 medical groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, are now calling for mandatory coronavirus vaccinations of all health workers in the US. | Nearly 60 medical groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, are now calling for mandatory coronavirus vaccinations of all health workers in the US. |
| “Due to the recent Covid-19 surge and the availability of safe and effective vaccines, our health care organizations and societies advocate that all healthcare and long-term care employers require their workers to receive the Covid-19 vaccine,” the groups said in a joint statement, which was shared with the Washington Post. | “Due to the recent Covid-19 surge and the availability of safe and effective vaccines, our health care organizations and societies advocate that all healthcare and long-term care employers require their workers to receive the Covid-19 vaccine,” the groups said in a joint statement, which was shared with the Washington Post. |
| “This is the logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all healthcare workers to put patients as well as residents of long-term care facilities first and take all steps necessary to ensure their health and wellbeing.” | “This is the logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all healthcare workers to put patients as well as residents of long-term care facilities first and take all steps necessary to ensure their health and wellbeing.” |
| The statement comes as vaccinations have stalled in the US, even as the Delta variant of coronavirus has caused a surge in cases in regions with low vaccinations rates. | The statement comes as vaccinations have stalled in the US, even as the Delta variant of coronavirus has caused a surge in cases in regions with low vaccinations rates. |
| Because of the recent uptick in cases, the medical groups also suggested that employers in other sectors consider requiring vaccinations for their workers. | Because of the recent uptick in cases, the medical groups also suggested that employers in other sectors consider requiring vaccinations for their workers. |
| “As the healthcare community leads the way in requiring vaccines for our employees, we hope all other employers across the country will follow our lead and implement effective policies to encourage vaccination,” the groups said. | “As the healthcare community leads the way in requiring vaccines for our employees, we hope all other employers across the country will follow our lead and implement effective policies to encourage vaccination,” the groups said. |
| “The health and safety of US workers, families, communities and the nation depends on it.” | “The health and safety of US workers, families, communities and the nation depends on it.” |
| The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned. | The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned. |