While mask obligations may have been a flash point in school districts across the country when students returned to school at the end of this summer, studies helped the policy prevent students from catching COVID-19. Continues to show that.
A study by two Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published Friday, found that outbreaks and pediatric cases were more common when schools did not require masks.
A study of about 1,000 schools in two counties in Arizona found that schools without mask mandates were 3.5 times more likely to occur than schools that started this year with mask mandates. .. Another study of hundreds of counties in the United States found an increasing proportion of pediatric cases in areas where schools were not obliged to mask.
The author warned that many variables could affect the analysis, but the findings are consistent with what experts have long said. Masks, though imperfect, provide instant protection from infection.
“School mask requirements are important to reduce the prevalence of COVID-19 in schools in combination with other preventive strategies, including COVID-19 vaccination,” the author wrote in a second study.
According to a third study, the outbreak closed nearly 2,000 schools this year.
Even in the news:
► A third federal judge blocked Tennessee Governor Bill Lee from not allowing families to opt out of mandatory masks at school late Friday. The judge’s order applies to Williamson County. Another judge had previously blocked Lee’s orders in Knox County.
► The USDA announced on Friday that the first ferret test in Florida was positive for COVID-19 after showing symptoms such as coughing and sneezing. Slovenian ferrets were previously positive.
► President Joe Biden urged those targeted for COVID vaccine booster shots to inoculate them, calling them “significant steps” in combating pandemics. Biden also said he plans to get a booster as soon as possible.
► Dr. Sue McIntosh, a former Connecticut doctor, has suspended his license for issuing fake COVID vaccines, masks, and other exemption forms to untreated people.
► Sunny Hostin, co-host of The View, and contributor Ana Navarro tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday prior to a studio interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
📈Today’s numbers: According to data from Johns Hopkins University, more than 42.8 million COVID-19 infections have been identified in the United States, killing more than 686,000 people. Global total: more than 231 million cases and 4.7 million deaths. 182.9 and above According to the CDC, one million Americans (55.1% of the population) are fully vaccinated.
📘 What we are reading: Over 20 million Americans are eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot. Should you get it? Read the full text.
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Civil rights complaints filed with Idaho as a state-distributed medical resource
The advocacy group has filed a complaint against Idaho, claiming that the state discriminates against older people with guidance on critical standard treatment in overwhelming COVID cases.
The state said it would allow medical facilities to provide distribution care while dealing with the surge in COVID cases in one of the country’s lowest vaccination rates.
Hospitals are allowed to allocate scarce resources, such as intensive care units, to patients who are most likely to survive, or to make other dramatic changes to the way patients are treated. Other patients will continue to receive care, but may be placed in hospital classrooms or conference rooms instead of traditional hospital rooms, or may go without medical equipment.
Allegations of civil rights infringement allege that the state discriminates against older people by using factors such as age to determine how to allocate care. Greg Stahl, a spokesman for the Idaho Ministry of Health, told The Associated Press that the guidelines are based on ethical standards for resource allocation.
Five people died and 74 infected after the outbreak of a nursing home in Washington
The Nursing Center is trying to combat the outbreak of COVID-19, which began in August when the first new case was identified.
At the Pinewood Terrace Nursing Center in Colville, Washington, 22 staff and 52 residents tested positive for the coronavirus, killing 5 people. The first case was reported on August 25, according to the Northeastern Three County Health District.
Of the total 74 infected, 33 were fully vaccinated and one of the five dead residents was fully vaccinated.
— Keira Wingate, USA TODAY
Vaccine makers can benefit greatly from booster shots
Vaccine makers have seen a surge in expected income as President Joe Biden announced a plan to provide booster COVID vaccinations to most Americans in August.
Since the plan was announced, Moderna’s expected 2022 revenue has skyrocketed by 35%.
Since then, regulators have rejected Biden’s radical plan and decided that a third dose of Pfizer could only be given to those at highest risk. As the pandemic progresses, it is still possible that boosters will be more widely approved.
Morningstar analyst Karen Andersen predicts that boosters will have global sales of $ 26 billion for Pfizer and BioNTech next year and about $ 14 billion for Moderna.
— Associated Press
Contribution: Associated Press
Masks help prevent students from catching COVID-19: Live Update
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