Tag Archives: vaccination

Health and Lifestyle, LGBTQIA, Local, National

EXCLUSIVE BROADCAST: Dr. Anthony Fauci predicts the end of AIDS epidemic by 2030

Video

From Malcontentment Happy Hour, March 24, 2021

Dr. Anthony Fauci talks with Malcontent News in Wide-Ranging Interview about COVID, AIDS, and the Opioid Epidemic

In cooperation with Unite Seattle Magazine, Dr. Anthony Fauci sat down with Renee Raketty of Malcontent News in a wide-ranging interview. Dr. Fauci spoke with Renee about battling COVID, and what it was like working within multiple Presidential administrations, the continuing fight against AIDS, and shared his views on the criminality of drug abuse.

Unite Seattle Magazine April edition with the full interview with Dr. Fauci will be available at the beginning of April.

Dr. Anthony Fauci is featured in Unite Seattle Magazine

Local

Governor Inslee orders all schools to offer the option for in-student classes by April

[OLYMPIA] – (MTN) Governor Jay Inslee announced that he would be making an emergency proclamation requiring all schools to provide the option of in-person classes by April. The proclamation will require the option for students in K-6 grades to return by April 5, and students in 7-12 grade to return by April 19.

The opening plan does not have to be full-time instruction. Schools will be required to offer a hybrid model of in-person learning for at least two days. The time does not need to be linear, so in-person instruction could be done as partial days.

School systems moved to remote instruction last year but could not overcome numerous obstacles. Zoom fatigue, inequality in access to the Internet and technology, security issues, and student disengagement has many researchers concerned.

“There is unfortunately and undeniably a mental health care crisis in this state regarding our youth,” Governor Inslee said this morning. “Now is the time for our schools to return…for in-person learning.”

The Lake Washington School District restarted optional in-person classes for K-1 grade students on February 18. The district had previously announced that optional in-person classes for 2-5 grade students would begin on March 30. The District’s website stated this afternoon, ” Later today, secondary families (grades 6-12) will receive an email with instructions to complete a survey in Skyward Family Access. The survey will ask families to indicate their preference for an in-person hybrid or a fully remote learning experience for their student(s) starting in April. Secondary staff will also receive an email later today with instructions to complete a survey in Skyward.”

The number of COVID infections across the United States has stabilized, however still at an elevated level. In Washington state, new cases are in decline with less than 4% of tests coming back positive. The American Medical Association wrote a report last month indicating that infection rates have declined due to more people wearing masks. Additionally, with 25% of the United States population estimated to have been infected with COVID, the number of new hosts for the virus has decreased.

The Biden Administration announced today that it met the goal of 100 million Americans vaccinated, 49 days ahead of schedule. Thirty-five-million Americans are now fully vaccinated and the administration set a goal of anyone adult wanting to get a vaccination being able to get a virtual place in line by May 1.

Breaking News, Health and Lifestyle, Local

All Washington counties moving to Phase 3 reopening on March 22

[OLYMPIA] – (MTN) Governor Jay Inslee announced that all Washington counties will be moving to Phase 3 reopening effective March 22, 2021. Also, it was announced that all people in the Tier 2 group for immunization will be eligible ahead of schedule, on March 17, 2021.

An industry-by-industry list of changes has not been provided by the governor’s office, however, the list represents a major move toward normalcy for residents and businesses alike.

  • Restaurants will be able to seat at up to 50% capacity or 400 people indoors, whichever is lower
  • Indoor venues with permanent seating for 800 people or less, such as movie theaters, will be able to reopen at 50% capacity
  • Indoor venues with permanent eating for 800 or more people, such as indoor arenas, will be able to reopen at 25% capacity
  • Outdoor venues such as stadiums will be able to have in-person spectators again, at 25% of maximum capacity, this includes high school sports, professional sports, rodeos, motorsports, and other spectator events
  • All indoor spaces, including offices, factories, gyms, fitness centers, and others will be able to open up to 50% capacity or a maximum of 400 people, whichever is lower

Masks and social distancing rules will still be required. This is a breaking news story with more information to come.

Health and Lifestyle, Local

COVID infections plateau in Washington as new mutations loom

New COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have reached early fall levels across Washington as signs point to an improving situation. Although the number of tests given statewide has declined significantly, the positivity rate is at 3.9% indicates adequate testing. With the business world, the medical community, and citizens welcoming the improved situation, the data suggests the state has hit a plateau as more contagious variants are detected.

Several factors are receiving credit for improving the numbers over the last eight weeks. Washingtonians have high mask compliance, and the winter months move more people indoors. Improvements within long-term care facilities in nursing homes helped dramatically lower the number of infections and deaths over the last three months. Some models estimate that 25% of the population has had COVID since last year, reducing the number of people that can still be infected.

One thing not receiving credit for lowering the number of infections is the ongoing vaccination effort. The two-dose vaccine wouldn’t have taken hold until February, and not enough people have received vaccinations to make a statistical difference. That is a factor that should change over the next 60 to 90 days as Washington is now vaccinated 45,000 people daily.

Researchers and epidemiologists are concerned we could there could be a fourth spike this spring. COVID fatigue is battering mental health even for the resilient. Daylight Savings Time brings more people outside and into contact with each other in Washington, while shifting weather will move people into social activities.

Several new variants that are more contagious, including the United Kingdom B.1.1.7 and the South African B 1.351 mutations, have been detected in Washington. A new variant in Oregon that has combined modifications of both the U.K. and South African variant has raised researchers’ interest. Of these three, researchers predict the B.1.1.7 strain will be the dominant virus in the United States by summer. All three variants are more contagious. The South African variant has shown resistance to the Pfizer vaccine and specific treatments.

Despite most craving a return to normalcy, most experts agree we will still need to wear masks into 2022, even after vaccination. Until 70% of the country has been immunized or sickened, COVID will be a part of life. Also, mask-wearing reduces the number of infections, which also lowers the number of naturally occurring mutations.

Health and Lifestyle, Local

Brother and sister team up to help people find COVID vaccinations

Video 2 Comments

From Malcontentment Happy Hour, February 8, 2021

FindACOVIDShot.org helps vulnerable populations navigate the maze to get a COVID vaccination appointment

Sharla (she asked for her last name to be withheld) is in a vulnerable group for contracting COVID and suffering serious symptoms, and she was excited to learn vaccinations would be available. She quickly learned that the path to finding an appointment was full of challenges and barriers. Instead of getting frustrated, Sharla and her brother Steve got motivated. They created a Facebook Group, Find a COVID Shot WA, and assembled a group of volunteers to help others find appointments

A week later, the group had over 10,000 members and is serving the people of Washington state in 10 different languages. The group doesn’t exist to provide insider information or help those not eligible for a shot to find one, but to help those who can’t navigate the system, find an appointment.

The effort to vaccinate Washington state residents is very complicated. There is no central website or location to make an appointment. Each hospital system, pharmacy chain, and medical clinics have their own appointment systems that use different software. Available slots aren’t posted at a set time and can be filled faster than a person can input all the required information. For people who don’t speak English, lack technology, or don’t understand technology like the elderly, the barriers make finding a shot impossible.

Steve and Sharla now have over 15,000 members and have been featured on NPR and local news affiliates. Their success is getting noticed, and they are considering expanding their efforts to other states.

BIPOC, Editorial, Health and Lifestyle, LGBTQIA, Local, National, Weather

Malcontentment Happy Hour: February 8, 2021

Video

Our live webcast from the Seattle Anarchist Jurisdiction

The show from February 8, 2021, featured David Obelcz and our co-host Jennifer Smith.

  • Winter weather is coming and King County has told local communities not to open warming centers
  • Find a COVID Shot WA at www.findacovidshot.org is helping Washington seniors and BIPOC communities get on vaccination lists
  • Malcontented Minutes – our new speed round of news
    • Michigan man killed by baby shower cannon explosion
    • Amanda Gorman becomes the first poet to open a Super Bowl game
    • Black-owned eTailers are creating a one-stop-stop for BIPOC founded beauty products
    • Seattle based Magistrate Judge releases Ethan Nordean – US District Judge says not so fast
    • Queer artists of color are dominating 2021 LGBTQIA art exhibitions
    • Fiona the Cincinnati Zoo hippo turns 4-years old
    • Ten-years old BIPOC Bellevue girl builds a website to share positive COVID news
    • Virginia and Nebraska push to advance bills striking unenforceable gay marriage bans from state constitutions
    • The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Subversion & the Art of Slavery Abolition
    • Florida man in Florida stadium runs onto the field during the Super Bowl
  • Black History Month
  • Bothell protest car attack goes unpunished

Health and Lifestyle, Local

Elise Barrett discusses COVID myths and where is the flu

Video

From Malcontentment Happy Hour, January 25, 2021

Social distancing doesn’t mean you never leave home and where is the flu

[SEATTLE] – (Malcontent News) Elise Barrett RN BSN CCRN is an oncology nursing supervisor at an elite cancer treatment center. She and her staff work with vulnerable patients who are at high-risk for catching COVID, and who could face catastrophic results if they caught the disease. As part of her job, Ms. Barrett has had access to some of the leading experts on epidemiology and COVID protocols, somethings she lives with every day in the care of her patients.

“What’s going on it’s definitely not a hoax,” Barrett stated. “I have many family members who live in areas where it is sort of considered a political opinion whether this exists or not, and unfortunately this weekend I discovered that my mother and her husband have COVID and are looking at potentially a pretty rocky course in the disease.”

Barrett spoke about some of the myths surround COVID-19 and one of her answers might surprise you. “The first myth is that you have to lock yourself in your house and never go outside and never interact with another human and be living in fear. That sort of creates a degree of tension and dread and almost fatalism that’s impossible to sustain.”

“Fortunately, we’ve had a lot of work done by experts in the field to tell us how we can interact with each other safely and how we can be out of our houses, and how to avoid catching the disease.” Barrett went on to recommend following social distancing guidelines and wearing a mask, but that avoiding all human interaction as a healthy adult can have negative impacts on your mental well being.

What about the effectiveness of masks? “Wearing what we call personal protective equipment (PPE) or masks in the nursing field [is] old news. We’ve been doing that forever. We know how effective it is but, that’s still a new concept for a lot of people. There’s a lot of fear around it for a lot of people because it is tied to this concept of being medical being rigid, being under a doctor’s care, [and] having to follow orders.”

Seasonal flu numbers around the world have been historically low. Some conspiracy theories have popped up that flu numbers are being rolled into COVID numbers. “The flu is less contagious than COVID so anything that stops the spread of COVID even a little is going to impact the spread of flu much more. We’ve actually seen a significant amount of flu in the community mostly among people who are still getting out and around and moving in the community. We’ve seen much lower prevalence in the older community that typically make up most of the casualties of the flu season.” Barrett went on to explain that the older community is more likely to socially isolate and vaccinate for flu, reducing their exposure further this season.

“If you’re wearing a mask during flu season you’re actually pretty well protected against flu. it’s not as easy to catch [and] it requires a much higher viral load.”

David Obelcz contributed to this story.

Editorial, Five Facts, Health and Lifestyle, Local, National

COVID Five Facts for January 21, 2021

Video

From Malcontentment Happy Hour, January 21, 2021

Five Facts about COVID-19 for January 21, 2021

The news shifts as the Biden Administration moves to tackle COVID-19 as a top priority

  • Congressman Steve Silvers (R-OH) proposes that a third-round stimulus check should be tied to vaccination compliance
  • President Joe Biden mandates masks worn at all federal properties and on commercial aircraft flights
  • The U.S. Chamber of Commerce gives its full support to the Biden Administration plan for fighting COVID-19
  • USA Today reports that Alzheimer’s deaths increased 16% in 2020, attributed to the social isolation created by COVID restrictions
  • One year ago today, the first COVID-19 case in the United States was confirmed at Providence-Everett Hospital in Washington state
BIPOC, Editorial, Health and Lifestyle, Local, National

Malcontentment Happy Hour: January 4, 2021

Video

Our live webcast from the Seattle Anarchist Jurisdiction

The show from January 4, 2021, featured David Obelcz and our co-host Jennifer Smith.

  • Proud Boy Leader Enrique “Henry” Tarrio arrested in Washington, D.C. on property destruction with hate crime and weapons charges
  • The Trump Tapes and revolt against democracy in the U.S. Senate
  • COVID-19 is out of control
    • 350,000 Americans have died
    • 77,500 Americans died in December 2020
    • 150,000 Americans projected to die in January 2021
    • U.K. and Scotland go on Level IV lockdown as the variant spreads unabated and the South African variant arrives in the nation
    • Sir John Bell expresses concern that current vaccinations will not work against the South African COVID-19 mutation
    • A pharmacist in Wisconsin allegedly destroyed doses fo vaccine because he is a conspiracy theory follower and believes the vaccine will alter human DNA
  • King County is buying up to a dozen hotels to address homelessness
  • ILEETA police training manual is full of falsehoods and propaganda
  • Seattle police arrest 6 over chalk art, Bledsoe vs Ferry County raises questions on the Constitutionality of the arrest

BIPOC, Editorial, National

Indigenous peoples race time and COVID to save their languages

Video

From Malcontentment Happy Hour, December 28, 2020

Tribal nations fight fear and distrust to immunize native language speakers and elders from COVID

Hundreds of indigenous dialects are at risk of disappearing forever as the number of native speakers dwindles. COVID has placed a special urgency to protect native speakers and tribal elders to keep traditions, and language, alive.