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The country’s largest hospital association on Wednesday called on all healthcare workers to get vaccinated as cases rise across the country.
“To protect all patients, communities, and staff from the known and substantial risks of COVID-19, the American Hospital Association strongly recommends immunization of all healthcare workers,” the organization said in a statement. “The AHA also supports hospitals and healthcare systems that adopt mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies for healthcare workers, with local factors and circumstances determining whether and how these policies are implemented. “
The AHA – which represents nearly 5,000 hospitals – is the largest healthcare group to approve mandatory vaccine requirements for healthcare workers.
The latest national peak in coronavirus cases – new infections have nearly tripled in the United States in the past two weeks – is frustrating healthcare workers still reeling from the brutal winter wave.
Health officials have said the best protection remains vaccination, noting that injections reduce the risk of serious illness, hospitalization and death.
“If you’re a fully vaccinated person and you meet someone who has COVID, you really don’t have much to fear from the virus. Vaccines are very robust, ”Dr. Amesh Adalja, principal investigator at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told USA TODAY. “What we are seeing now in the United States, as the CDC director said, is an unvaccinated pandemic. This is where the risk lies.
Also in the news:
►President Joe Biden said outside an Ohio town hall on Wednesday evening that he expected the Food and Drug Administration to give final approval “quickly” for COVID-19 vaccines.
►Gov. Greg Abbott says he will not impose another statewide mask warrant, although cases of COVID-19 are on the rise again in Texas.
►The United States would continue to restrict non-essential travelers from Mexico and Canada by land and ferry at least until August 21. Canada announced Monday that it will reopen its borders to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents on August 9, with plans to allow fully vaccinated travelers from any country on September 7.
The numbers of the day: The United States has recorded more than 34.2 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 609,800 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Global totals: Over 191.9 million cases and 4.1 million deaths. Nearly 161.9 million Americans – 48.8% of the population – have been fully immunized, according to the CDC.
What we read: A Houston hospital has its first case of the lambda variant of the coronavirus, but public health experts say it’s still too early to say if the variant will reach the same level of concern as the Delta. What there is to know.
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American beach volleyball player tested positive for COVID-19, likely excluding him from Olympics
U.S. beach volleyball player Taylor Crabb tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Japan and is unlikely to be able to compete in the Tokyo Olympics, according to information released on Wednesday.
The Orange County Register and an NBC affiliate in Los Angeles each reported that Crabb, 29, tested positive over the weekend, which would likely prevent him from making his scheduled first match with his partner. Jake Gibb Sunday.
Crabb is said to be the first American athlete to be banned from competing at the Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19 in Japan.
USA Volleyball confirmed in a statement that one of its members tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival, but declined to provide any further details, including the identity of the person.
“The health and safety of our athletes, coaches and staff is our top priority,” the organization said in a statement. “We can confirm that a member of the United States team tested positive upon arrival in Japan. In accordance with local rules and protocols, the athlete was transferred to a hotel. Out of respect for the privacy of the individual, we cannot provide more information at this time point. “
– Tom Schad, USA TODAY
Missouri Announces Vaccine Lottery; State religious leaders call for vaccination
Immunized Missourians will now have the chance to win $ 10,000 in prizes in a new lottery program announced by Governor Mike Parson on Wednesday. The announcement comes on the same day Missouri reported 3,031 new cases of the virus, the highest daily number since January. To date, 9,526 Missourians have died from COVID-19, and the state has reported a total of 549,191 cases. The early and rapid spread of the more infectious delta variant of the virus has placed Missouri under a national microscope in recent months, with federal officials warning the state could be a harbinger of things to come in the United States.
Vaccine tracker USA TODAY Network showed that only 40% of Missouri’s 6.1 million people are fully vaccinated to date, with 47% of residents having taken at least one dose. These levels are well below “herd immunity”, generally considered by scientists to exist when at least 70% of the population is immune.
The 125-year-old Baptist Word & Way publication in Missouri organized and issued a statement supported by more than 200 Christian leaders. They urged everyone to get immunized as “an easy way to carry out Jesus’ command to” love your neighbor as yourself. “
– Galen Bacharier and Gregory J. Holman, Springfield News-Leader
Contribution: Associated Press.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Largest hospital association urges workers to receive COVID vaccine
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