Coronavirus positives in Bradenton and Hillsborough Counties (Tallahassee, Sarasota: Walmart, build)

[wondermint2]

Florida's largest school district votes in favor of mask mandate, defies governor

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fl...nor/ar-AANtlvB

Miami-Dade County, Florida's largest school district, voted 7-1 in favor of a mask mandate Wednesday, in defiance of Gov. Ron DeSantis' executive order on masks in schools and the threat of severe state penalties.

The mask mandate does not allow for parents to opt out, except with an excuse from a health care provider.

"For the consequences associated with doing the right thing, whatever that right thing is, I will wear proudly as a badge of honor," Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said at the State Board of Education meeting before the vote.

Carvalho has said the district followed the recommendations of medical experts who called for a mask requirement.

DeSantis spokesperson Christina Pushaw told CNN, "No politician is above the law. The legislature passed the parents' bill of rights and Gov. DeSantis signed it into law. Forced masking of all schoolchildren is not consistent with protecting parents' rights to make health and education decisions for their own children."

Protesters outside the meeting could be heard chanting "we will not comply" following the vote.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools return on Monday. The district has about 334,000 students.

[wondermint2]

Today's Update From Sarasota Memorial Hospital

249 Covid-19 patients hospitalized (down 1 from yesterday)

51 Covid-19 patients in the ICU (up 3 from yesterday)

1 death over the past day

7-day test positive ratio 18.7%

source:
https://www.smh.com/Home/News-Events...ly-news-update

[wondermint2]

According to the Health & Human Services agency there are 17,295 Covid-19 hospitalizations today (that'a an increase of 199 from yesterday and a new record).

There are 3647 Florida Covid-19 patients in the ICU. Only 6.8% of ICU beds are available across the state.

source:
https://protect-public.hhs.gov/pages...al-utilization

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

According to the NY Times as of August 18 the 7-day avg. for deaths in Florida is 138 deaths per day. This is an increase of 102% over the past 14 days.

source:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...vid-cases.html

[wondermint2]

Rates of Covid-19 hospitalizations for children and adults under 50 reach their highest levels yet, CDC data shows

https://news.google.com/articles/CAI...S&ceid=US%3Aen

The pace of Covid-19 hospitalizations is surging across the US, with the rates for children and adults under 50 hitting their highest levels yet, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Every age group under 50 has surpassed its previous record of hospitalizations, which was in the first half of January. The biggest increase was in adults ages 30 to 39 and children under 18, both of which were more than 30% more than their previous peak, according to the CDC data.

[wondermint2]

Sarasota-Manatee group's mobile COVID-19 vaccination vans hit streets this week

https://news.google.com/articles/CBM...S&ceid=US%3Aen

New mobile vaccine units are rolling into Sarasota and Manatee counties this week.

The two vans can store all three available COVID-19 vaccines and park in various locations throughout the region to bring shots directly to the populations that need them.

The initiative is thanks to a number of local partnerships — it will be staffed by medical professionals at CenterPlace Health and is organized by the local “Shots in Arms” coalition. The funding thus far comes from the COVID-19 Response Initiative of the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

While the vans can theoretically go anywhere, Sarasota County Branch NAACP President Trevor Harvey said the goal of the coalition is to reach people who haven't been reached.

“Our mission and vision are still the same — to increase the vaccination rate among Black and brown communities and other underserved populations,” Harvey said. “As long as we have staff available, we will have the van positioned in these very critical areas to help raise the vaccination rate in those underserved communities.”

The mobile unit will be put to the test at its first pop-up from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at Booker Middle School. The vans will also park at all of the home games for the Sarasota Seminoles youth football team, according to Harvey.

[wondermint2]

Big changes announced for COVID test and vaccine site in Manatee. Here's what to know

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...now/ar-AANvCdW

The Florida Department of Health announced some big changes on Wednesday for one of its COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites in Manatee County.

The site, located at the Palmetto Bus Station, 1802 Eighth Ave., Palmetto, will no longer offer COVID-19 tests and first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the general public, according to the health department.

Instead, the site will exclusively offer additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines to people with compromised immune systems. The shots are available by appointment only.

Health officials note that the additional dose is specifically targeted at those with weakened immune systems, and it is not the same thing as a booster shot.

"An additional mRNA dose following an initial vaccine series is given to people who may not have had a strong enough immune response after receiving the initial vaccine series," current vaccine guidance from the CDC says.

"We don't want people to confuse these additional doses with booster shots," DOH-Manatee spokesman Christopher Tittel said. "The booster shots for everyone else will be here later."

The doses offered at the Palmetto site will be Pfizer or Moderna, according to the health department. Patients will be asked to present their vaccination cards at the time of the appointment and will receive the shot in their vehicles.

Appointments are available from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekdays and can be booked by dialing 941-242-6646.

[wondermint2]

"Bursting at the seams": Sarasota doctor urges mask-wearing to relieve strain on hospital

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/...al/8192236002/

With Sarasota Memorial Hospital “bursting at the seams” amid a flood of COVID-19 patients, the hospital’s infectious disease expert is urging the public to take precautions such as wearing masks indoors in crowded places to limit the spread of the virus.

“Go back to the basics, masks indoors, get a good mask,” Sarasota Memorial Dr. Manuel Gordillo said in an interview released Thursday.

Gordillo also continued to push vaccination and urged those who qualify for a third dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to “go and get it now.”

About 3% of the U.S. population, those who or moderately or severely immune compromised, are approved for the third dose. A vaccine booster for the wider population is expected to be approved in September, Gordillo said.

Gordillo emphasized how effective the vaccines are at preventing serious illness and death.

Sarasota Memorial had 249 COVID-19 patients Thursday, down slightly from 250 Wednesday. Among those patients 86% are unvaccinated.

“Right now hospitals in Florida are under tremendous stress and we need to do everything that we can to restore the ability of our health care system to operate more normally,” Gordillo said.

Having a high-quality mask is important, Gordillo added. Some masks may not be as effective against the more infectious delta variant.

"Maybe in the past we did not emphasize that," Gordillo said. "Get the best quality mask. Perhaps those other masks that we were complacent with are not as good for delta."

[Trying941]

This forum is a great place to see a regurgitation of the latest scary figures from the usual sources. If you like that, don't read this.

I have sought to determine if I personally should wear a mask or not. This is my analysis for myself, not for you. You should do what your doctor or medial advisor tells you to do. If you advisor is the CDC, follow them by all means.

I determined to begin my analysis with statistics from 2017-2018, as it is considered to have been a moderately severe influenza season. I sought to compare it to today.

The current cumulative COVID-19 observed case fatality rate for the United States is 1.7%. 37.2 million cases and 624,257 deaths. https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality The current fatality rate in Florida is 1.39%. https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavir...19/map/florida

The cumulative Influenza observed case fatality rate for the United States for the 2017-2018 flu season was 00.14%. 45 million symptomatic illnesses and 61,000 deaths. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/past-seasons.html

Conclusion 1: Based upon the above, your current risk of death from COVID-19 if you get sick in Florida is ten (10) times greater than the flu.

The flu vaccine for the 2017-2018 season was 40% effective in reducing the need for medical care at a doctor’s office. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season...-2017-2018.htm

The current mRNA vaccines are 94% effective. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2...ctiveness.html


Conclusion 2: The risk of fatality vaccinated from COVID-19 in Florida is 6% of 1.39% or 0.083%. The risk of fatality vaccinated from the flu in a bad year is 60% of 0.14% or 0.084%. In other words, the risk is a statistical tie.

Personal conclusion. Since I do not need to walk around with a mask during flu season when vaccinated, I don’t need to walk around with one now. I do need to make sure my vaccination is effective.

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by Trying941

The current mRNA vaccines are 94% effective. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2...ctiveness.html

That press release from the CDC is outdated - it's dated May 14 before the Delta variant took over.

The very most recent data from the most local source (Sarasota Memorial Hospital) is showing that as of today 86% of unvaccintated Covid-19 patients are hospitalized:

https://www.smh.com/Home/News-Events...ly-news-update

Also Israel and other recent studies are showing that the Pfizer vaccine is only about 50% (or even less) effective in reducing transmission. That's why it's currently important for vaccinated people to wear a high quality mask indoors in crowded spaces. I recommend an N95 mask or a KN95 mask. It's not only about you - it's also about lessening the chance of transmission to others. Vaccinated people can indeed transmit.

---------------------------------------------------------------

A summary table of the studies that have assessed mRNA vaccine effectiveness (VE) for Delta infections, updated with reports from yesterday, overall in line with estimate ~50-60%; *does not pertain* to high VE for hospitalizations or deaths:

https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status...46743846887425

[Trying941]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

That press release from the CDC is outdated - it's dated May 14 before the Delta variant took over.

The very most recent data from the most local source (Sarasota Memorial Hospital) is showing that as of today 86% of unvaccintated Covid-19 patients are hospitalized:

https://www.smh.com/Home/News-Events...ly-news-update

Also Israel and other recent studies are showing that the Pfizer vaccine is only about 50% (or even less) effective in reducing transmission. That's why it's currently important for vaccinated people to wear a high quality mask indoors in crowded spaces. I recommend an N95 mask or a KN95 mask. It's not only about you - it's also about lessening the chance of transmission to others. Vaccinated people can indeed transmit.

I knew you would say something, as you are on a mission to take the figures you have and use them to create an argument that supports your world view that we all should be masked. So, let us summarily dismiss your arguments that I need a mask after having a vaccination:

1. Your first point is that "86% unvaccinated are in hospitals." That only proves they should have been vaccinated. I agree. But your point does not suggest that the vaccinated need to wear masks to protect themselves. As to the point I wrote, your comment is irrelevant.

2. Your second point is that "Pfizer is only 50% or less effective in reducing transmission." Your point does not suggest that the vaccinated need to wear masks to protect themselves. As to the point I wrote (my needing a mask for me), your comment is again irrelevant.

What you are arguing is that I need to wear a mask because someone else refuses to be vaccinated.

To your argument my response is that if they are asserting their right to take a risk, that does not make mean I should give up my right to breathe air without wearing a mask. They can protect themselves with a shot or a mask. I do not have to give up my rights because they are taking unnecessary chances.