But don’t you realize how many people you killed today? At least 100. The same people who cry about you not masking have tremendous chutzpah. They took no precautions against spreading influenza and pneumonia for years, resulting in millions of dead grandparents.
Anti-vaxxers don’t deserve coddling. Why theaters should require proof of vaccination https://www.latimes.com/entertainme...9/anti-vaxxer-covid-vaccine-passports-theater For a good percentage of those millions of Americans still resistant to getting a COVID-19 vaccine, no amount of information will make a difference. Grumble as we might at this recalcitrant stance, bodily autonomy ought to be a basic human right. So to all the holdouts out there, enjoy your God-given freedom! But in this next phase of reopening, I hope you won’t mind steering clear of crowded concert halls and busy theaters while the rest of us take steps to feel safe gathering again as an audience. To that end, I hope that the powers that be at the Music Center will require proof of vaccination for every person wishing to hear the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall or attend an L.A. Opera production at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion or see a play or a musical at the Mark Taper Forum or the Ahmanson Theatre. If universities, such as Yale, Stanford and UCLA, are planning to require returning students to be fully vaccinated, why can’t performing arts venues do the same? This policy would offer audience members some insurance that the stranger crammed into the seat next to them wasn’t a potential petri dish of COVID variants eagerly seeking a crack in their newly erected wall of immunity. The measure could be lifted once the number of new infections reaches a low enough level in the community. But why don’t we just say through the fall to give us all sufficient time to get acclimated to the new not-yet-normal. Broadway producers are discussing making vaccinations a requirement for cast and crew. But there seems to be some hesitancy to impose this on theatergoers, even though they’ll be sitting cheek by jowl in rows that could make flying coach seem like a fantastic luxury. Forgive me for being skeptical about the scruples of producers, but when ethical considerations are a concern on only one side of the balance sheet, I remain dubious. In any case, fear of offending vaccine refuseniks — or more precisely, turning away their credit cards — shouldn’t be top of mind at this critical juncture. Proud public health rebels who trust their own hunches and political allegiances more than empirical data don’t deserve special coddling. Let them ride a horse into a Costco parking lot and celebrate their liberty in the ranting company of a TV has-been. As for the latest crop of crunchy health purists, who would rather be invaded by a virus that has already claimed the lives of nearly 600,000 Americans than avail themselves of the lifesaving scientific advancements that have been shown to be overwhelmingly safe and effective, I suggest they sip some more organic kale juice in their pristine bubbles and avoid the miasma of everyday life until a celebrity guru gives the all clear. Sorry for not contorting myself to understand the sincere place from which the wide-ranging resistance of anti-vaxxers emanates. But I see no reason why those of us who have driven to a pharmacy in Calabasas in tight pants and out-of-control hair must continue to indulge their selfishness. Do they really think any of us were gung-ho about getting a shot that could leave us bedridden for 36 hours? We were signing up not as pharmaceutical industry dupes but as Americans determined to do our part in turning the tide against this once-in-a-century pandemic. If they’re going to ride our vaccinated coattails, they can at least play by our rules. As walking targets for COVID-19, they have more to lose than we do. But it’s tiring to care about those who are content to roll the dice not just for themselves but for those they inadvertently breathe on. It’s not fair to lump all the unvaccinated into a single category, and for those with a health condition making them ineligible for a shot, a reasonable accommodation should be found. Perhaps a balcony could be cordoned off for this small mask-wearing group or select performances could be streamed not just for them but for anyone who might benefit from a reprieve from the conspiracy rabbit hole. But again, proof of vaccination would only be a transitional measure, designed to reduce some of the anxiety about public gatherings in this first phase of the reboot. I expect I’ll wear a mask when venturing back to the Taper, regardless of the latest twist in CDC guidelines, but I’d be considerably more relaxed if I knew that everyone around me was also vaccinated. Vaccination-only venues, such as Radio City Music Hall and the cabaret nightspot Feinstein’s/54 Below, are cropping up in New York. Let’s hope the trend catches on here. The vaccines are miraculous, but they aren’t foolproof. Breakthrough infections still occur, and though most cases appear to be asymptomatic, hospitalizations and deaths have been reported. No one knows how long protection will last, and there is still the risk of a variant evading our immune response. Just because I’m wearing a biochemical fire suit doesn’t mean I want to run into a burning building. Or bump elbows with someone with a curious cough. After the trauma of the last 14 months, an adjustment period is going to be necessary, no matter how much faded star Ricky Schroder screams at law-abiding store managers for upholding mask mandates or public intellectual Yascha Mounk hollers about “hygiene theater.” In a pandemic it’s reasonable to be paranoid, and I can’t help noting the number of epidemiologists and physicians admitting that they are still exercising precautions that are no longer strictly required by the CDC. What do they know — or know that they don’t know — that inspires this extra caution? Finally, and perhaps most important, if the goal is to increase the vaccination rate, then why not use every incentive structure available — sticks as well as carrots? You want to see an effervescent musical, then get a vaccine. Your reluctance isn’t just about how you manage personal risk. There’s a societal cost, which shouldn’t be so easily offloaded. No one’s forcing the vaccine hesitant to do anything. But they shouldn’t be permitted to impose their choices on us. Access to in-person entertainment is not an unfettered right.
Vaccine passports. Julia: "Data relating to mental health, lifestyle, ethnic origin, biometric data and alleged criminal behaviour; what the hell does that have to do with proving you've had two jabs!?"
Flying American Airlines -- better upload your vaccination proof first... American Airlines debuts vaccine passport feature within mobile app https://thepointsguy.com/news/american-airlines-vaccine-passport/ Flying with American Airlines? Get your vaccine card ready. On Thursday, the Fort Worth-based carrier announced that it’s adding a vaccine passport capability to its health passport mobile app, Verifly. Flyers can now securely upload their CDC vaccination card before a trip, which will then be verified and processed before departure. Verifly is an independent mobile app that American has deployed since November 2020 to streamline the check-in and document verification process before departure, including international entry requirements, COVID-19 tests and now vaccines. It can be downloaded for free on both the Apple App Store and Google Play store. (More at above url)
Anti-vaxxers' latest disinformation about health privacy laws smacked down by fact-checker https://www.rawstory.com/hipaa-and-vaccine/ As of mid-May, nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated, and over half of adults have received at least one dose. This has sparked debate over whether public health restrictions should be relaxed specifically for vaccinated individuals — a prospect that outrages anti-vaccine activists. In fact, many of them have been promoting a new claim: that asking people for their vaccine status in the first place would be illegal under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and a violation of their civil rights. This has even been promoted by lawmakers like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who tweeted, "Vax records, along with ALL medical records are private due to HIPPA [sic] rights." Unfortunately for them, wrote Allyson Chiu for The Washington Post on Saturday, this is simply false. "The law ... only applies to specific health-related entities, such as insurance providers, health-care clearinghouses, health-care providers and their business associates," wrote Chiu. "That means that even if your friend, favorite restaurant or grocery store were to publicly share private details about your health, they would not be in violation of HIPAA because they aren't one of the 'covered entities' ... And, experts emphasized, there is nothing in HIPAA that bars asking people about their health — including vaccination status — or requiring proof that the information is accurate." HIPAA does prohibit doctors from sharing your vaccine records to third parties without your consent. And at the state level, there are some privacy laws, including some passed by Republican lawmakers and governors specifically in response to COVID, that prohibit government entities or certain businesses from requiring "vaccine passports." However, Chiu noted, "Under federal laws, there are very few, if any, situations in which businesses, airlines, employers, schools and even those covered by HIPAA are prohibited from asking you to share your vaccination status or show your vaccine record card, experts said" — although it is unclear how effective the enforcement will be. You can legally decline to answer, but businesses are also free, in most circumstances, to deny service or employers to deny work in that situation. You can read more here.
Arizona fails to pass ban on 'vaccine passports' https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/554883-arizona-fails-to-pass-ban-on-vaccine-passports
Royal Caribbean drops age for mandatory COVID-19 vaccines to 12 https://thepointsguy.com/news/royal-caribbean-drops-age-for-mandatory-vaccines-for-some-cruises/ The world’s largest cruise line on Friday said all U.S. passengers ages 12 and older will need to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine to cruise with the line in Alaska starting on Aug. 1. Even before Aug. 1, only fully vaccinated passengers over the age of 16 will be allowed to sail on Royal Caribbean voyages in Alaska. Both of the age cut-offs are lower than the line had previously announced for sailings starting up soon in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. On those voyages, the line had announced that all passengers ages 18 and older would need to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine to cruise. It’s not clear whether the new age cut-offs just apply to upcoming Alaska sailings or the Caribbean and Mediterranean sailings, too. A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to questions about the topic from TPG. As of late Friday, Royal Caribbean’s website still listed 18 as the cut-off age for a vaccine requirement on Royal Caribbean sailings. The new age cut-offs for Royal Caribbean sailings in Alaska were disclosed as part of an announcement Friday that the line and sister brand Celebrity Cruises planned to restart cruises to Alaska in July. The announcement was made by Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company of both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. The same age cut-offs announced for Royal Caribbean cruises in Alaska also will apply to Celebrity sailings in Alaska, the announcement said. Celebrity already had dropped its age cut-off for mandatory vaccines for summer cruises last week from 18 to 16. A growing number of cruise lines have announced they will require all or most passengers to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine to cruise on at least some of their ships in the coming months. In some cases, cruise lines are requiring all passengers to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. In other cases, cruise lines only are requiring adults to be fully vaccinated. Cruise lines that have announced a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all or at least some upcoming cruises include Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Silversea, Virgin Voyages and Windstar Cruises.
LOL. Cruises are for fat retards. Will be awesome when an outbreak happens on your fully vaxxed water buffet.
Fact check: HIPAA doesn't stop businesses from asking vaccine questions https://www.wral.com/fact-check-no-...sking-about-your-vaccination-status/19693876/ Misinformation is spreading on social media claiming that businesses aren’t allowed to ask customers if they’ve received a COVID-19 vaccine because it would violate health privacy laws. But that’s wrong, and some posts making these claims have been flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.) Note this Instagram post is listed as FALSE INFORMATION Consumer privacy protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 — better known as HIPAA — are implemented with what’s called the Privacy Rule. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rule established a set of national standards to address how health care providers, insurers and other entities use and share people’s health information. The law is designed to prevent them from disclosing a patient’s private health information without that person’s permission. The law doesn’t prohibit businesses from asking customers about their vaccination status. Kayte Spector-Bagdady, a lawyer and associate director at the University of Michigan’s Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, told WKYC, an NBC News affiliate in Cleveland, that people often think HIPAA protects them from having to answer questions about their medical information, or prohibits others from asking. "Neither is true," Spector-Bagdady said. "HIPAA prohibits health professionals, such as your doctor, from sharing your identified health information without your permission in most circumstances. People can always ask about your health information, and you can almost always decline to answer. But not answering health questions might come at a cost — such as not being able to enter your workplace or board a plane." We rate this post as False.