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Thread: COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus pandemic

  1. #1401
    Moderator puzzld's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Angiebla View Post
    Im getting my second shot tomorrow, Im nervous!
    It'll be fine. And the relief is extraordinary.
    Quote Originally Posted by Boston Babe 73 View Post
    I was super nervous and even went on a crazy diet to help avoid the side effects. I think the real key is to stay super hydrated so Coconut Water or Gatorade helps. I chugged both for a few days and although I peed like crazy, I avoided any harsh side effects. I was just really tired and my neck was a little sore. Both could have just been me being me though and nothing to do with the shot. Hard to tell. It's well worth it. You'll be fine
    I was so tired after the first. I slept for 3 days and felt great. Couldn't rest after the second. Crazy times here and I feel like I'm still paying for it... but such a relief to not have to worry quite so much.
    Quote Originally Posted by bowieluva View Post
    lol at Nestle being some vicious smiter, she's the nicest person on this site besides probably puzzld. Or at least the last person to resort to smiting.
    Quote Originally Posted by nestlequikie View Post
    Why on earth would I smite you when I can ban you?

  2. #1402
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    https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5...ildren-wearing

    Tucker Carlson is the New Del Bigtree. I swear I seen this shit before because Del Bigtree was ranting about masks on his Youtube show before he was banned.

    Fox News host Tucker Carlson urged viewers late Tuesday to call child protective services and report the parents of children wearing masks outdoors.

    "As for forcing children to wear masks outside, that should be illegal," Carlson said on his program. "Your response when you see children wearing masks as they play should be no different from your response to seeing someone beat a kid in Walmart. Call the police immediately, contact child protective services. Keep calling until someone arrives."

    Carlson also said that requiring children to wear masks while outdoors constitutes child abuse and that all Americans "are morally obligated to attempt to prevent it."

    "If it’s your own children being abused, then act accordingly. Let’s say your kid's school emailed you and announced that every day after lunch, your sixth-grader was going to get punched in the face by a teacher. How would you respond to that?" he asked. "That’s precisely how you should respond when they tell you that your kids have to wear masks on the soccer field. That is unacceptable, it is dangerous, and we should act like it because it is. But too few of us have responded like that. We have been shamefully passive in the face of all of this."

    Public health officials have acknowledged in recent weeks the lowered likelihood of coronavirus infection among vaccinated Americans who do not wear masks outdoors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House coronavirus task force have maintained all Americans should continue wearing masks while indoors.

    All Americans 16 and older are now eligible for a coronavirus vaccination, the federal government announced last week, but health regulators have yet to approve a vaccine for widespread use among children.

    Carlson has downplayed the dangers of the coronavirus during the pandemic, especially among younger Americans, and questioned the science behind mask wearing, social distancing and other public health measures implemented by various state governments in an attempt to slow the spread of the highly contagious virus.

    “Many schools that do plan to reopen will do so under a series of restrictions that have no basis of any kind in science. It’s kind of a bizarre health theater. Students will be kept six feet apart, everyone will have to wear a mask, class sizes will be limited,” Carlson said last July.

    President Biden is expected this week to announce new guidance on mask wearing among vaccinated Americans while outdoors.

    On Sunday, Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious diseases expert, called the likelihood of a vaccinated person contracting coronavirus while not wearing a mask outdoors "minuscule."

    "I think it's pretty common sense now that outdoor risk is really, really quite low, particularly — I mean, if you are a vaccinated person, wearing a mask outdoors, I mean, obviously, the risk is minuscule," Fauci said.

    During his show late Tuesday, Carlson described mask wearing while outdoors among adults as a kind of partisan display of agreement with the Biden administration that should be outcast and shamed.

    "The people making these demands don't own America," Carlson said. "They didn't build America. They can't build anything. They can't. And they're not allowed to wreck it."

  3. #1403
    Senior Member curiouscat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Angiebla View Post
    Im getting my second shot tomorrow, Im nervous!
    You'll be fine. Just drink lots of water. Lots.

    Quote Originally Posted by raisedbywolves View Post
    CuriousCat-how are you feeling?
    It feels a bit like someone punched me in the arm, but so far so good. Thanks for asking! I've drunk 4 liters now.

    Quote Originally Posted by puzzld View Post
    It'll be fine. And the relief is extraordinary.

    I was so tired after the first. I slept for 3 days and felt great. Couldn't rest after the second. Crazy times here and I feel like I'm still paying for it... but such a relief to not have to worry quite so much.
    Quote Originally Posted by Boston Babe 73 View Post
    I don't have a thousand dollars hanging around to buy a fart in a jar lol.

  4. #1404
    Senior Member curiouscat's Avatar
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    Puzz, paying for it how?

    Tucker Carlson needs to get bent!
    Quote Originally Posted by Boston Babe 73 View Post
    I don't have a thousand dollars hanging around to buy a fart in a jar lol.

  5. #1405
    Moderator puzzld's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by curiouscat View Post
    Puzz, paying for it how?

    Tucker Carlson needs to get bent!
    Tired, but not sleeping great mostly. Still don't feel as good as I did after the first shot. I mean, it's nothing that a really good night sleep wouldn't fix, but I just haven't got one.
    Quote Originally Posted by bowieluva View Post
    lol at Nestle being some vicious smiter, she's the nicest person on this site besides probably puzzld. Or at least the last person to resort to smiting.
    Quote Originally Posted by nestlequikie View Post
    Why on earth would I smite you when I can ban you?

  6. #1406
    Scoopski Potatoes Nic B's Avatar
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    My second shot is on a Thursday, I told my work to count on me not coming in the next day. And hey, if I feel fine then I will surprise them and show up!


    Quote Originally Posted by marakisses View Post
    yes i said i will leave it under you storage he said cuddle with me i said shut up it over??? what am i doing wrong??
    Quote Originally Posted by curiouscat View Post
    Happy Birthday! I hid a dead body in your backyard to celebrate. Good luck finding it under the cement. You can only use a stick to look for it.

  7. #1407
    Moderator puzzld's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nic B View Post
    My second shot is on a Thursday, I told my work to count on me not coming in the next day. And hey, if I feel fine then I will surprise them and show up!
    Good plan. You may well feel fine, but treat yourself to a "you" day. Sleep in. Watch TV, read, whatever as it suits you and pat yourself on the back for doing your patriotic duty.
    Quote Originally Posted by bowieluva View Post
    lol at Nestle being some vicious smiter, she's the nicest person on this site besides probably puzzld. Or at least the last person to resort to smiting.
    Quote Originally Posted by nestlequikie View Post
    Why on earth would I smite you when I can ban you?

  8. #1408
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nic B View Post
    My second shot is on a Thursday, I told my work to count on me not coming in the next day. And hey, if I feel fine then I will surprise them and show up!
    Wait, didn't you just get your first one last week? That's super fast.

  9. #1409
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    https://www.fox61.com/article/news/p...7-cac3e46726b7

    We have an update the Connecticut Legislature has removed non medical vaccine exemptions in this bill

    HARTFORD, Conn. — A bill that would eliminate the religious exemption for vaccines required for school, passed in the state Senate Tuesday night. It passed by a vote of 22-14.

    The vote came after thousands of people spent hours outside of the State Capitol protesting the bill. Hundreds of them were still gathered outside when the vote came in.

    “We'll see them in court. We're very prepared for a legal challenge. We're excited for it,” said LeeAnn Ducat of Informed Choice CT.

    Many said they were not surprised by the results, but still left disappointed.

    “We're taking the way the rights of parents to make choices for their children. It's a really sad day in Connecticut when a policy like this would go forward and go through,” said Jonathan Johnson of New Britain.

    If the bill is signed into law, it will take effect in September 2022. Children already in grades K-12 will be grandfathered in, meaning they can still claim the religious exemption. However, those starting school from then on, cannot claim it.

    “I have to figure out a plan to school this little one right here. She can't go to public school now as of five minutes ago so what do we do now? How do we educate her? That's what's going through my mind right now,” said Monica Szymonik of Glastonbury.

    Tuesday’s rally brought people from all over the state and even out of state to the Capitol. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed the crowd supporting their stance.

    Those in favor of the bill say it is meant to protect children, especially those who cannot get vaccinated for medical reasons.

    “I worry about children who are in the schools who aren't being protected from deadly infectious diseases,” said Amy Pisani of Vaccinate Your Family.

    “Vaccines are safe, we need them to keep our children protected in daycares and schools,” she said.

    The bill now moves to the governor’s desk.

    Earlier Tuesday, thousands of people lined the streets along the State Capitol to rally against a bill that would get rid of religious and medical exemptions for school vaccines.

    This rally started at 9 a.m. and went on until the afternoon.

    "My body, my choice," said Marissa Delikat of Groton.

    Parents and their children were filled with emotions as they were rallying, filled with frustration and anger.

    Just last week, lawmakers spent up to 16 hours debating this controversial bill in the House, one that would remove Connecticut's religious and medical exemptions for schools beginning with the 2022 school year.

    Parents told FOX61 it is not up to lawmakers to decide what goes into their children's bodies.

    "It’s not something I’m willing to do. I don’t co-parent with the government; I co-parent with my husband and I’m doing what’s best for my children and my body," added Delikat.

    "I would like to see them change this and not pass it. I mean, no one should be forced to inoculate any children, it should be a parent’s choice. Plain and simple," said Matthew Didomizio of Cromwell.

    Some Republicans opposed the bill and called it a government overreach, but Democrat argued this is the right way to prevent outbreaks from happening in schools.

    The bill does not force children to be vaccinated, but it does bar unvaccinated children who do not qualify for medical or religious exemptions from enrolling in school.

    Those vaccinations include - measles, mumps, rubella, and several others.

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke at the rally and urged senators to vote no on the bill.

    "We need long term studies that show if you take it, you're actually a healthier human being," said Kennedy Jr.

    On the flip side, those who support the bill said a vaccine could have saved their life.

    Francesca Testa said she was in the hospital for days from meningitis and had she gotten the vaccine, it would not have happened.

    "As someone who had one of these vaccine preventable diseases, it’s devastating that parents don’t want to prevent their children from having the same thing that happened to myself and my family," said Testa.

    "Vaccines are safe. We need them to keep our children protected in daycares and schools," said Amy Pisani of Vaccinate Your Family.


    Governor Lamont had said he is ready to sign this bill into law if it gets passed in the Senate.

  10. #1410
    Scoopski Potatoes Nic B's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by raisedbywolves View Post
    Wait, didn't you just get your first one last week? That's super fast.
    No not this Thursday lol. Just said it was ON a Thursday (May 13th).

    I was just pointing out if I do get sick, I only have to miss one day and then I have all weekend :)


    Quote Originally Posted by marakisses View Post
    yes i said i will leave it under you storage he said cuddle with me i said shut up it over??? what am i doing wrong??
    Quote Originally Posted by curiouscat View Post
    Happy Birthday! I hid a dead body in your backyard to celebrate. Good luck finding it under the cement. You can only use a stick to look for it.

  11. #1411
    Senior Member curiouscat's Avatar
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    Nic, it's been over 24 hours since I got my shot and so far I feel fine.
    Quote Originally Posted by Boston Babe 73 View Post
    I don't have a thousand dollars hanging around to buy a fart in a jar lol.

  12. #1412
    Scoopski Potatoes Nic B's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by curiouscat View Post
    Nic, it's been over 24 hours since I got my shot and so far I feel fine.
    Good news!

    Don't mind me, just being paranoid haha


    Quote Originally Posted by marakisses View Post
    yes i said i will leave it under you storage he said cuddle with me i said shut up it over??? what am i doing wrong??
    Quote Originally Posted by curiouscat View Post
    Happy Birthday! I hid a dead body in your backyard to celebrate. Good luck finding it under the cement. You can only use a stick to look for it.

  13. #1413
    Cousin Greg Angiebla's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by curiouscat View Post
    Nic, it's been over 24 hours since I got my shot and so far I feel fine.
    What brand did you get?

    "The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man" -Charles Darwin

    Quote Originally Posted by bowieluva View Post
    Chelsea, if you are a ghost and reading mds, I command you to walk into the light.

  14. #1414
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nic B View Post
    No not this Thursday lol. Just said it was ON a Thursday (May 13th).

    I was just pointing out if I do get sick, I only have to miss one day and then I have all weekend :)
    Oh, ok. I was kind of thinking they were trying to overdose you.

    Quote Originally Posted by Angiebla View Post
    What brand did you get?
    Did you get yours Ang? How are you feeling?

  15. #1415
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    https://abcnews.go.com/US/debate-swi...ry?id=77326765

    As more colleges and universities announce plans to require all students be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to return to campus, they've placed themselves at the forefront of a politically charged debate over whether institutions should be able to mandate vaccines.

    Public health experts say that by requiring vaccinations against the virus that has so far resulted in more than 570,000 U.S. deaths, colleges and universities could play a significant role in helping vaccinate tens of millions of college-age Americans -- especially important after some college populations sparked waves of COVID-19 infections in their surrounding communities last year.

    But mandatory vaccinations could be a political minefield, just as mask-wearing in the U.S. has become a polarizing issue. The majority of America's roughly 4,000 accredited colleges and universities appear hesitant about requiring vaccines.

    At least 80 colleges and universities have announced plans to require COVID-19 vaccinations according to a count from The Chronicle of Higher Education, but a greater number have said outright that they will not. Republican governors in Utah, Texas, Florida and Montana have already signed orders banning institutions from mandating proof of vaccination.

    PHOTO: Illustration
    ABC News / Chronicle of Higher Education
    ABC News / Chronicle of Higher Education
    Colleges with COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates
    Dorit Reiss, a law professor at the University of California Hastings College of Law and a vaccine mandate expert, told ABC News that the mixture of politics with the pandemic is disturbing.

    "Some red states where universities want to mandate vaccines -- and are debating the issue now -- they are going to be very aware that they're acting at risk of retribution," Reiss said about schools that find themselves limited by state lawmakers in enforcing vaccine mandates.

    An ABC News/Washington Post poll out Monday found Americans are sharply divided on the issue, with 50% of respondents supporting colleges and universities requiring that students get vaccinated before being allowed on campus and 47% opposing the measure. Of that pool, 72% of Democrats expressed support compared to just 28% of Republicans.

    MORE: Employers grapple with tough new question: Can they demand workers get a COVID-19 vaccine?
    Reiss said part of the debate centers on how the vaccines have been approved for use. All currently available vaccines have been approved through the Food and Drug Administration's emergency use authorization, rather than through the standard drug approval process. Health experts expect formal approval of at least one COVID-19 vaccine by the fall -- but in the meantime, the current situation creates a gray area.

    "These universities are facing a political climate in which mandating a vaccine can backfire, can lead to legislative involvement that would prohibit a mandate," Reiss said of trying to mandate an emergency-use vaccine. "And universities would rather not have more legislative involvement than they have to put up with."

    Earlier this month, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed an executive order forbidding public or private entities that receive state funding from denying service or entry to a "consumer" due to their vaccination status. His order refers specifically to "any COVID vaccine administered under emergency use authorization."

    PHOTO: Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference in Austin, May 18, 2020.
    Pool/Getty Images, FILE
    Pool/Getty Images, FILE
    Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference in Austin, May 18, 2020.
    As a result, Texas A&M University -- one of the largest higher education systems in the country -- said it was following Abbott's order.

    "A&M is encouraging all faculty, staff and students to get the vaccine," a school official told ABC News in a statement -- but said that students will not be required to show proof of vaccination.


    St. Edward's University, a private school in Austin that receives funding from the state in the form of student aid, had previously announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students and faculty. But it amended its policy in response to Abbot's executive order. St. Edward's students can now exempt themselves without explanation.

    In Florida, only one private college in the state has announced a vaccine mandate. Nova Southeastern University said it would require all students and employees returning to campus be vaccinated by Aug. 1, with exceptions made for medical reasons and for those "who have sincerely held religious beliefs (not personal beliefs)."

    MORE: Can employers mandate the COVID-19 vaccine to return to work? Depends on the company
    One day after Nova Southeastern made the announcement, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis took the school by surprise when he signed an executive order, like Abbott's, banning institutions from requiring vaccines.

    University spokesperson Joe Donzelli said in a statement to ABC News that the school is moving forward with plans to enforce its vaccine requirement notwithstanding the governor's order, "while our administrative team continues to evaluate the best way to keep our community as safe as possible while following the law."

    PHOTO: Pharmacy student Jason Rodriguez administers a COVID-19 vaccine to Larry Grier at the Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center in Miami, April 15, 2021.
    Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images
    Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images
    Pharmacy student Jason Rodriguez administers a COVID-19 vaccine to Larry Grier at the Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center in Miami, April 15, 2021.
    Meanwhile, on the West Coast, the University of California and California State University announced last week that they intend to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all students and employees returning to campus in the fall -- but will only do so once the FDA gives formal approval to a vaccine. The public university system of Maryland announced a similar measure on Friday. As with vaccine mandates, schools across the country also have varying regulations when it comes to COVID-19 testing.

    On the legal front, there are currently two lawsuits playing out that challenge the right to mandate vaccines approved under emergency authorizations: One brought by a corrections officer in New Mexico and one by Los Angeles Unified School District employees.

    MORE: 3 things scientists have learned about vaccine hesitancy: Analysis
    Reiss says other anti-vaccination groups are waiting in the wings to protest the legality of mandates, but she argued that schools "absolutely" have the right to require vaccines, based on the large number of vaccine mandates schools currently have in place. One survey of 100 four-year institutions found that almost 85% already mandate vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella.

    "Once a vaccine is approved in full, I think you'll see more universities hearing from their legal counsel giving the OK to mandate them," Reiss said.

    PHOTO: Empty vials of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are pictured in a kidney dish at a rest stop near Drayton, N.D., April 21, 2021.
    Dan Koeck/Reuters, FILE
    Dan Koeck/Reuters, FILE
    Empty vials of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are pictured in a kidney dish at a rest stop near Drayton, N.D., April 21, 2021.
    Jim Malatras, chancellor of the State University of New York -- the nation's largest higher education system -- said he's leaving the decision to the students for now, but will reevaluate the situation as the fall semester approaches.

    "Students we've spoken to on campus visits are eager to get the vaccine and to help put an eventual end to this pandemic," SUNY spokesperson Holly Liapis told ABC News. "We firmly believe the vast majority will choose to get vaccinated without any requirement in place."

    But Reiss argues that it's the responsibility of schools to officially mandate vaccines as opposed to simply recommending them.

    "If we have vulnerable students or vulnerable faculty, we can't just trust the kindness of other students to protect them," she said.

  16. #1416
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    https://www.wtnh.com/news/politics/i...-vaccinations/

    . HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — The opposition to a new law in Connecticut repealing the religious exemptions for childhood vaccinations announced Wednesday they plan to challenge the bill they’re calling unconstitutional.

    Attorney Norm Pattis says this lawsuit will be filed Thursday morning in both state and federal court. Adding the passage has nothing to do with public health, but rather it infringes on the religious rights of Connecticut families.



    Wednesday, the two opposing groups known as We the Patriots and Connecticut Freedom Alliance said they plan to file litigation to overturn the decision saying there is no justification for the state to essentially shut the doors of Connecticut schools to families with religious exemptions.

    Attorney Norm Pattis who is representing the groups joined to say that this lawsuit will strike at the heart of a parent’s fundamental right to raise their children and that Governor Ned Lamont and state lawmakers that voted in favor of the bill will see the extent to which families are willing to go to protect their rights.

    Brian Festa, co-founder of Connecticut Freedom Alliance and We the Patriots USA pointed fingers at the state capitol Wednesday saying what happened was unconstitutional.

    “It is our contention that what happened in the capitol building last week, last night, and today when this was passed into law was beyond any doubt illegal and unconstitutional,” Festa said.

    Attorney Pattis says the lawsuit will be filed Thursday morning.
    Apparently there is a lawsuit against the Connecticut vaccine law.

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    https://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...ns/4879749001/

    A bill that would prohibit businesses from requiring customers to prove they have received the COVID-19 vaccine and restrict state and local governments from including a person's vaccination status on an identification card has passed the Iowa House of Representatives.

    The bill, House File 889, passed on a 58-35 vote Wednesday afternoon following more than an hour of debate on what exceptions the bill should have.

    The Republican-controlled House voted down amendments that would have prevented employers from requesting vaccination information from employees and that would have prohibited health care providers from asking hospital and nursing home visitors for vaccination information.

    The House's final version of the bill would exempt both from the ban.

    "This bill does not go far enough for some, and it goes too far for others," Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, the bill's floor manager, said at the close of debate. "I have done my best to strike a balance on these issues. I have done my best to listen to those who fear for their freedom legitimately and those in health care facilities who are just doing their damnedest to figure this out."

    More Wednesday:

    COVID shots could be offered at Iowa Cubs games, farmers markets, Gov. Kim Reynolds says
    Hy-Vee pharmacies begin offering COVID vaccines without appointments

    Seven Democrats joined 51 Republicans in voting for the bill, and five Republicans joined 30 Democrats in voting against it. The measure now heads to the Senate, which advanced an identical bill through a committee earlier this week.

    Gov. Kim Reynolds, who said earlier this month she wants to "take a stand" against so-called vaccine passports, told reporters prior to the bill's passage Wednesday that she has agreed on the language in the bill that the House passed and has been pleased to see it gaining support from both parties.


    "I think that's a really good start," she said. "We'll continue those conversations and see where we end up."

    Vaccine passports are identification systems people could use to show they've received COVID-19 shots. The White House has said the federal government will not roll out its own system requiring Americans to carry proof that they've been vaccinated.

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    As proposed, the bill would prohibit local governments and businesses from requiring customers or visitors on their premises to prove they are vaccinated for COVID-19. The penalty for breaking the law would be denial of future state grants and contracts. The bill would also prevent state or local governments from including a person's COVID-19 vaccination status on an identification card.

    ► Last week:Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds appeals to unvaccinated Iowans: 'What are you waiting for?'

    Businesses could still require other types of screening, as long as they didn't require vaccinations.

    The bill's definition of "business" includes retailers who obtain state sales tax permits, nonprofits and establishments that are open to the public at large or that require payment or membership to enter. The ban does not include health care facilities. It also does not apply to employees of businesses, only customers.

    Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Fairfield, had proposed two separate amendments to the bill that would have eliminated exemptions for employers and for medical facilities.

    "You're a free human being and you don't check your freedom at the door when you walk into a health care facility," he said.

    Holt said banning employers from asking employees crosses into a conflict with business rights. He also said he believes health care facilities face a complex situation with protecting vulnerable Iowans and that the bill is meant to give them the ability to respond to situations as needed.

    "Those folks in those nursing homes also have a right to life," he said. "And if their life can be jeopardized because we can't ask somebody if they have a vaccine or not when they come into a health care facility — (I) can't go there."

    More on Rep. Shipley:

    Iowa lawmaker stands by 'pharma fascist'description of supporter of vaccine requirements
    From February 2019: Meet the Iowa GOP lawmaker who wants to decriminalize psychedelic drugs for medicinal use

    In a third proposed amendment, Shipley proposed eliminating a section of the bill that placed restrictions on businesses and local governments entirely, meaning that the bill would only prohibit government-issued identification cards from carrying vaccine information. He said the state should take more time to consider the implications of the section.

    That amendment came the closest to passage, losing by a margin of 50-43.

    "This is complex legislation," Shipley said. "I think (it would) probably behoove the state of Iowa and the body to spend longer than one week deliberating on how this bill actually impacts the lives of Iowans."

    Rep. Mary Wolfe, D-Clinton, who eventually voted for the bill as a whole, said she supported that particular amendment because there is some ambiguity in how that section of the bill is written that could open the door to questions and litigation.

    "I do think that (this section) needs some work and since we do not have time, at this point, to clean it up to the point where everybody could be sure of exactly what it meant, I do support this amendment," she said.

  18. #1418
    Senior Member curiouscat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Angiebla View Post
    What brand did you get?
    Pfizer
    Quote Originally Posted by Boston Babe 73 View Post
    I don't have a thousand dollars hanging around to buy a fart in a jar lol.

  19. #1419
    Cousin Greg Angiebla's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by curiouscat View Post
    Pfizer
    Me too. Got it last night.

    "The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man" -Charles Darwin

    Quote Originally Posted by bowieluva View Post
    Chelsea, if you are a ghost and reading mds, I command you to walk into the light.

  20. #1420
    Scoopski Potatoes Nic B's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Angiebla View Post
    Me too. Got it last night.
    How are you feeling?


    Quote Originally Posted by marakisses View Post
    yes i said i will leave it under you storage he said cuddle with me i said shut up it over??? what am i doing wrong??
    Quote Originally Posted by curiouscat View Post
    Happy Birthday! I hid a dead body in your backyard to celebrate. Good luck finding it under the cement. You can only use a stick to look for it.

  21. #1421
    Cousin Greg Angiebla's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nic B View Post
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    https://montanafreepress.org/2021/04...montana-house/

    Here is a vaccine debate reported out of Montana.

    . HELENA — Montana’s ongoing debate over prohibiting vaccination requirements took several twists Wednesday after Gov. Greg Gianforte sent House Bill 702 back to the Legislature with proposed changes of his own. Hours later, the House voted 65-35 to accept those changes. The Senate approved the amended bill Thursday on a party-line vote.

    The amendment submitted by Gianforte appears to address a number of concerns expressed this week about the bill’s potential impacts on health care facilities. Specifically, Gianforte’s changes would allow such facilities to ask employees to volunteer information about their vaccination status, to consider employees who don’t volunteer that information to be unvaccinated, and to implement policies specific to unvaccinated staff, patients and visitors that are designed to protect against the spread of communicable diseases. The amendment would also exempt nursing homes and assisted-living and long-term care facilities that would risk violating federal guidelines or regulations by complying with the provisions of HB 702.

    “Ultimately, the decision to receive a vaccine is voluntary, and Montanans should not face the threat of discrimination rooted in whether they decide to receive a vaccine,” Gianforte wrote in a letter accompanying his amendment. “Furthermore, employers must not discriminate or take punitive action against employees who opt out of immunizations, but instead should work to provide well established, reasonable accommodations that protect the health and safety of all involved.”

    Members of the House debated the amendment Wednesday evening, with lawmakers still deeply divided. Rep. Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, said he would continue to support HB 702, albeit reluctantly, indicating that he still has several concerns related to the health and safety of vulnerable patients in Montana’s health care facilities. Buttrey added that the amendment’s provision about protocols for unvaccinated hospital employees reads like “a trial lawyer’s dream” and suggested that the bill will likely result in litigation.

    “While I feel I have valid concerns, we’re being assured by those crafting the governor’s amendment that this change will serve to protect our hospitals, workers, patients and public,” Buttrey said.

    HB 702’s sponsor, Rep. Jennifer Carlson, R-Manhattan, told colleagues that Gianforte’s changes successfully addressed concerns while adhering to the spirit of the bill.



    There has been some angst about this bill and we wish to alleviate that,” Carlson said. “I appreciate the governor’s ongoing support for this legislation and his efforts to ensure that this amendment does not fundamentally alter or change the intent of the bill but rather addresses concerns of the stakeholders.”

    Lawmakers did amend HB 702 earlier this month to maintain existing vaccination requirements and exemptions for K-12 public schools and childcare settings.

    Gianforte’s amendment arose partly from a discussion earlier this week between his office, several lawmakers, and Cherie Taylor, CEO of Northern Rockies Medical Center in Cut Bank. That conversation, which was mentioned Monday by Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, during the House’s deliberations on the bill, resulted in the governor’s office assuring lawmakers the measure would have no adverse impacts on hospitals and other health care facilities. That assurance proved critical in securing yes votes from several House lawmakers, including Jones.

    Montana Free Press spoke with Taylor by phone Wednesday morning about her conversation with Carlson, Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras and others. Taylor characterized the officials as “very receptive” to her concerns about lifting staff vaccination requirements, and said they “assured me that the bill would not impact our hospital’s current practices surrounding vaccination requirements and verification.”

    “What was relayed to me was that this bill was not hampering a facility’s ability to verify immunizations and what [staff] have [been immunized],” Taylor said. “What the bill was going after is that individuals could not be fired for such status and that we would still have the ability to, if they needed to be masked based on their vaccination status, that would be completely reasonable.”

    Taylor added that she remained concerned even after HB 702’s passage by the Legislature Monday that the bill would conflict with federal regulations set down by various entities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Rich Rasmussen, president and CEO of the Montana Hospital Association, told MTFP that CMS had proposed a new rule on Tuesday to require all hospitals nationwide to report staff vaccination rates. Absent Gianforte’s amendment, HB 702 could have hamstrung Montana hospitals’ ability to comply with such rules.

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    Part 2 of Montana Vaccine debate.

    . Taylor added that she remained concerned even after HB 702’s passage by the Legislature Monday that the bill would conflict with federal regulations set down by various entities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Rich Rasmussen, president and CEO of the Montana Hospital Association, told MTFP that CMS had proposed a new rule on Tuesday to require all hospitals nationwide to report staff vaccination rates. Absent Gianforte’s amendment, HB 702 could have hamstrung Montana hospitals’ ability to comply with such rules.

    Taylor voiced additional concerns about the liability implications for health care facilities under HB 702. The pandemic has resulted in at least two lawsuits against nursing homes alleging wrongful deaths of elderly residents. With HB 702 prohibiting vaccination requirements not just against COVID-19 but a host of communicable diseases, including measles, chicken pox and influenza, Taylor questioned whether such facilities would be legally vulnerable in situations where a patient contracts a disease. Rasmussen echoed that concern.

    “We know that in Montana we struggle with whooping cough,” Rasmussen said. “That is one of the vaccines that we require our employees to have. That is a highly contagious disease. It is one which, for certain populations, can be very debilitating. But we don’t have our employees in our facilities spreading that. And now you have a bill that would essentially tie our hands on requiring those vaccinations.”

    /capitol

    The issue hasn’t been raised only by hospital leaders. Rasmussen received a letter this week from Joseph Schimenti, president of Yellowstone Insurance Exchange, which provides liability coverage and risk management services to critical access hospitals in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. In it, Schimenti voiced the group’s opposition to the pre-Gianforte-amended version of HB 702, stating that it “places our member hospital employees, patients and visitors at risk” and will “create a difficult litigation environment for all parties involved.”

    “HB 702 goes way beyond COVID-19 and needs to be fixed by the Legislature or hospitals will be forced to operate in a pandemic-response posture instead,” Schimenti said. “It is our recommendation that HB 702 be limited to COVID-19 only and not create a compliance nightmare with respect to vaccine verifications and federal guidance for health care facilities.”

    Also on Rasmussen’s list of concerns is how HB 702 will impact recruitment in Montana’s health care industry. The state has already been grappling with workforce shortages for years. Rasmussen said uncertainty over the vaccination status of colleagues could be enough to make potential hires think twice about accepting positions in Montana. He added that the workforce considerations don’t end there.

    “The other challenge to this, which would be unfortunate, is that if hospitals had to rely on vaccination verification, they may find themselves utilizing recruiting agencies outside the state of Montana that can verify vaccination status,” Rasmussen said. “So you have a situation where instead of hiring the young nurse graduating out of MSU, we would be hiring the young nurse that’s graduating out of the University of Colorado. Why? Because we can verify their vaccination status.”

    In light of Gianforte’s amendment, Rasmussen said, MHA’s legal counsel is continuing to analyze how HB 702 will impact Montana hospitals and how hospitals can balance the bill’s provisions with federal regulations.

    “That’s what we’ll be sharing back to our lawmakers and to the executive in the state,” he said, “that here are the legal minds’ feelings about how we can appropriately, effectively and legally work within the guidelines of 702.”

    This story was updated April 29, 2021, to reflect HB 702’s passage by the state Senate.
    https://montanafreepress.org/2021/04...montana-house/

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