Mayor ​“Exploring” City Staff Vax Mandate

Is city hall even open yet?

Elicker would issue a mandate all over again - if it were up to him. Well, thank god, it's not. There is zero science to support a mandatory mandate whether we're vaxxed or not. We have all been through hell with his draconian lock downs which accomplished nothing - his closure of our parks and beaches which accomplished nothing and the city's endless zoom freaking meetings which also accomplished nothing.

There is zero science support masking of everybody - regardless of vaccination status. Enough already. Those getting sick have chosen to get sick. If you want to run the risk, do it. But don't try to make me responsible for somebody not getting sick. I have nothing to do with it.

If these politicians get their way, we will be wearing masks for the rest of our lives. It's all theater how people take them on and off constantly. If you want a real mandate that makes a difference, require people to wear an N95

To the people who have not been vaccinated yet please go out and get vaccinated. But I don't agree with forcing someone to get the vaccine.

We now know that the vaccine only provides limited protection against the Delta variant. Studies have shown that people who are fully vaccinated will get Covid and spread it to others as readily as people who are not vaccinated. The only caveat being it does seem to lessen hospitalizations and deaths among the vaccinated. This is going to be with us long term and our best hope is an entirely revamped vaccine that will either prevent the vaccinated from getting it the virus or keep them from infecting others. How is China doing with Delta??

FFS, everyone get your vaccinations!

We are in the middle of a national health-care emergency, and it's your patriotic duty. Unless you are immuno-compromised, the equation is that simple.

The delta variant is a brand new ball game. The way to protect yourself and others around you is to get fully vaccinated if you can, wear a mask when indoors with people not from your household, and also when in crowds outside, and wash/sterilize your hands.
A new CDC report was leaked to the press today stating this variant is much more contagious than other known viruses. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/07/29/cdc-mask-guidance/
We have a civic duty to do everything we can to prevent the further spread and mutation of this virus to protect against a future mutation that may be more deadly, more contagious, and may be resistant to the vaccines.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/a-new-strain-of-coronavirus-what-you-should-know?amp=true

The CASTLE program requires landlords to write off all but $3K of rent. Why would a landlord do that, when many are owed so much more? The state at least pays $15K, although that's still far less than what is needed to make landlords many whole. I just don't understand why Elicker and Lamont have joined people like Zamir in their pathological desire to screw over landlords. Landlords provide a needed service and support the tax base, yet the city and state are forcing losses on them.

There piles of science that masks, distancing, and especially vaccinations prevent the disease.

Man up and get the damn vaccination!

As I read the article, Elickler's exploring a policy requiring city employees who have been sitting @home for a year and 1/2, probably not vaccinated,v on the taxpayers dime. I see no problem requiring they get the needle tap x two. After all, city employees engage hundreds of citizens per day. Since the city buildings are old and outdated in their HVAC systems, It would be prudent to require a vacc and 🎭 😷 mask
Requirements. How otherwise would the city make its parking and ticket budgets.
But if this is only an exploritory photo op he and Susan could have just stayed in the office while re-thinking the various components of his/her policy.

This is the issue I have with this. Exploring/thinking… just make a decision. When you release to the public your thoughts on a topic but not sound decision here comes opposing people wanting to gather their friends and do an news article and everything gets dragged on. If your a leader sometimes you have to make a decision without all this extra. Consult with who needs to be consulted medically, look at other states/companies and make a decision! Stop seeing if the response is going to be from the public cause that's what I feel. That he'a testing first how the public going to react.

Bohica, I know that many news headlines implied what you say, but it is not correct (as most of the actual articles made clear).

The vaccines are about 85% effective against Delta, opposed to maybe 95% against the original virus. That is still excellent. And, as you correctly note, even more effective against serious illness and death.

The headlines were trying to covey that the small groups of vaccinated people who do get COVID may each transmit it as easily as members of the much larger group of unvaccinated sick people. Overall, the vaccinated transmit much less because they get sick so much less

A vaccine mandate is a great idea.

Looks like Justin is turning into a real politician-- and that is not a compliment.

Esbey, actually Bohica is right.

From NPR to WCBS 880AM, it is pretty much common knowledge now that those who have the full vaccine will be less likely to get the virus, however they will have the ability to become carriers, and NPR just this past week did a huge story about that during Monday evenings news show on WSHU 91.1FM about the high numbers of fully vaccinated individuals who turn positive for this virus.

Even more concerning is what is happening in NYC which WCBS is reporting:

Four new variants have shown up in the NYC sewer system which researchers have been monitoring, and neither of them are responding to any anti-bodies, which is a very very bad sign - because this implies that the more we try and stop this virus, the more powerful it becomes.

I was looking for links on China, but I do know that the BBC News reported just the other day that China is having it's worst outbreak right now since the Wuhan start.

The people of China are very obedient, and they will wear masks without question, so I am confident that they as a people and government are doing whatever it takes to try and bring this virus under control.

Masks to me are still the very best first line of defense: a proper, washable 3 layer cloth mask [as opposed to the disposable chin dippers everyone throws in the street after 1 use] properly worn indoors and outside when contact with other humans is unavoidable.

Yes, they are expensive - I think mine were close to $20.00 a pop... but one can't put a price on health these days.

In light of recent developments, I would hope those who have been vaccinated wear masks too, but that's just my own opinion.

Stay safe everybody, unfortunately this not going away anytime soon :( :( :(

Bohica, your statement that "people who are fully vaccinated will get COVID... as readily as people who are not vaccinated" is unsupported by the data. Vaccinated people constitute half of the population, but less than 10% of recent cases. If your statement was true, they would account for half of these cases. In CT, fully vaccinated people account for 0 015% of recent cases. (People who have had only shot are at substantially greater risk of becomibg infected.) Fully vaccinated people can become infected and spread the disease. But the probability of the former is very low .https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/covid-19-vaccine-breakthrough-cases-data-from-the-states/

BGW

Amen

Scientists performed a miracle giving us a vaccine in record time but American conservatives mostly Midwestern and southern, gave arrogance and obstinance in return. This has essentially been a cold civil war based upon conservatives hate and contempt. This will not be forgotten.

Big George W,, Bohica said two things, one of which is wrong and one of which may be right. As you note, and contrary to his assertion, fully vaccinated people are far less likely to become infected with the Delta and other variants. But if they become infected, the Provincetown data suggests that they are just as likely to spread the disease as other people. I say "suggests" because no one who has been to P'town in the summer would argue it is a representative sample of the U.S. population. It differs on a number of variables, including race, age, and income.

Unfortunately, you are right that the pandemic is not going away anytime soon.

P'town also varies from the US mean in the friendliness of those there, many of whom were in packed bars over the Fourth of July weekend, looking for someone or ones to get very friendly with.

Big George: If you get the virus, you are a carrier, but unlikely to spread the disease unless symptomatic, sneezing, coughing, etc.

Here in Ct about 70% of us are vaccinated, many more have naturally acquired immunity, and most of the most vulnerable, the elderly, are vaccinated. Those being hospitalized are younger than the first wave because the old folks are vaccinated. Moreover, the large percentage of vaccinated folks slow the transmission. There just isn't a large pool of susceptibles in CT.

In all seriousness, it is way too soon to say what will and what won't work with getting this virus under control, because it seems that every time one turns around, the virus is seeking new paths to wreck havoc upon the human race.

*It's almost as if it's engineered to always be one step ahead...... !!

My company just sent out an emergency announcement [I work for a major defense contractor] that all employees whether vaccinated or not need to wear masks 100% of the time while on Company property, this after just relaxing the mask requirement very recently and truth be told I never stopped wearing me masks because to me that's a huge not to mention very easy preventative measure to help keep me safe.

What is happening today worldwide worries me quite a bit all the way around.

If those getting the vaccine can turn into carriers who exhibit no symptoms, that's a real game changer to me.

Politics needs to be completely put aside, and for the good of the people and our nation - something better needs to be done, but what... I have no answer but I will say this and that's these elected and appointed officials better put their differences aside and start working together, or else there will be no people left to vote them back in.

I do know this: I will be wearing my masks indoors all the time when not at home, and outdoors anytime social distancing is not possible, which is again actually something I never really stopped.

I'll be doing a whole lot of praying too.

We may all think differently, but at the end of the day, we are all human beings and we are all in this together.

God help us all,

robn: (1) There's also been a lot of resistance to vaccination in the African-American community, both here and throughout the country. The principles of medical privacy and bodily autonomy are most deeply rooted in the left, starting with Griswold v. Conn. , although there are now embedded in many pseudo-libertarians minds as fundamental rights. The local Republicans I know, including Trump voters, are all vaccinated. Madison, far more Republican than New Haven, has a much higher vaccination rate.

Let's be clear when writing articles. "Private local employers like Quinnipiac University, Yale University, and Yale New Haven Health have also adopted vaccination mandates for staff." This statement is partially true. Yale University requires students, faculty, staff and postdoctoral/postgraduate trainees to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine or a university approved exemption. And it is quite easy to get approved for any of the following exemptions at Yale:
-Medical Exemption
-Religious Exemption
-Strongly Held Personal Belief Exemption

But the headline saying "vaccination mandates" makes for a good article.

Dear 1644, thank you for reiterating that many people of all political stripes have been vaccinated and many have not. And thanks for remarking on the vituperative , divisive, and vaguely threatening nature of robn's more recent posts. That is beyond disagreement and adds nothing to the conversation. We are all guilty of it sometimes but most of us try to stop.

For the record, I am absolutely and indisputably 100% contemptuous of people who ignore the science and put other people at risk.

robn: So, are you contemptuous of the people in P'town who ignored the science on social distancing? Or Obama, who is about to do the same with his 60th birthday party? Or the in NHI who thinks the vaccine is white people killing black people? Most of us can control our own risk regardless of what others do. Get vaccinated, and avoid obvious super-spreader events like Obama's birthday party. This is an epidemic of the unvaccinated, people who have chosen to risk CoViD-19.

Anti-vax and wanting to understand why people think you're a complete knucklehead? Read this...

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/08/vaccine-refusers-dont-want-blue-americas-respect/619627/

TheDivision2021, I don't know about the other two categories, but I would not characterize the Yale medical exemption as "easy". There are people with bona fide medical reasons for not being inoculated, but they are very narrow. And while there is a general category for providers to attest that inoculation is contraindicated, I suspect that malpractice liability will deter providers from using this option inappropriately. Among the conditions that explicitly do not qualify for an exemption are a history of vaccine side effects or severe allergic reactions to things other than the components of the vaccines. https://yalehealth.yale.edu/covid-19-vaccine-exemption-requests

And while QU also provides a religious exemption, the claimant has to sign a statement acknowledging that the university can bar them from campus unless it can make an accommodation at de minimis cost. I suspect very few students will claim this exception lightly. https://studenthealthservices.quinnipiac.edu/form/Religious_Exemption_to_Immunization_Form_2021.pdf

I think it is fair to characterize the policies as generally applicable mandates.

Esbey , Recent study in Singapore which is having an outbreak of Covid19 showed that 70% of the infected people were vaccinated it's being spread by people who have been vaccinated hence the recommendation that everyone regardless of status mask up indoors.