Delta Air Lines CEO Ditches ‘Divisive’ COVID Vaccine Mandate + More
Delta Air Lines CEO Ditches ‘Divisive’ COVID Vaccine Mandate; Marks 90% Employee Vaccination Rate
Delta Air Lines is the only U.S. carrier to hold off on enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate for employees and CEO Ed Bastian reported that it’s been an effective tactic for vaccination rates and compliance.
The Delta head revealed on “The Claman Countdown” that the company has reached a more than 90% vaccination rate and expects it to rise another 5% within the next month without a mandate in place.
Bastian acknowledged that there will need to be religious and medical accommodations made for those who wish to remain unvaccinated while avoiding having to threaten employment status.
UC Berkeley Mandates Both Flu and COVID Vaccines
University of California, Berkeley has announced a new requirement for immunization.
School officials have issued an executive order requiring everyone in the UC system to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu by November 19th. This includes students, faculty and staff.
Those that apply for a medical or religious exemption must wear masks until the end of the flu season.
Hochul, James File Appeal Over COVID Vaccine Religious Exemption for Healthcare Workers Ruling
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and the New York State Department of Health have filed an appeal over the federal judge ruling that allows a COVID-19 vaccine religious exemption for healthcare workers.
The federal judge ruled that New York must continue to allow healthcare workers to seek exemptions from a statewide vaccine mandate on religious grounds as a lawsuit challenging the requirement proceeds.
Dozens of U.S. Nuclear Lab Workers Sue Over Vaccine Mandate
Workers at one of the nation’s premier nuclear weapons laboratories face a deadline Friday — be vaccinated or prepare to be fired.
A total of 114 workers at Los Alamos National Laboratory — the birthplace of the atomic bomb — are suing over the mandate, saying exemptions have been unduly denied and their constitutional rights are being violated by Triad National Security LLC, the contractor that runs the lab for the U.S. Department of Energy.
It will be up to a state district judge whether to grant an injunction to prevent employees from being fired while the merits of the case are decided. A hearing was underway Thursday.
U.S. Navy Set to Boot Sailors Who Refuse COVID Vaccine
The U.S. Navy announced Thursday that it is preparing to discharge sailors who refuse vaccination for COVID-19 as mandated by the Pentagon, and the service members who get the boot over their noncompliance run the risk of losing some veterans benefits.
The Navy sent out a press release noting that Nov. 14 is the deadline for active-duty sailors to get either their second shot of a two-dose vaccine or the single shot of a one-dose vaccine. Reservists have until Dec. 14.
Deadline for Chicago’s Employee Vaccine Mandate Is Friday. Here’s What to Know.
The deadline for Chicago’s employee vaccine mandate is Friday, raising concerns for some leaders as a standoff between the city and some first responders reaches a pivotal point.
Under the city’s rules, city employees who aren’t vaccinated by Friday have to get tested twice a week on their own time and expense until the end of the year, when they will be required to be vaccinated. Any employee not complying with those requirements could face disciplinary action, including and up to termination.
The U.S. Has Set a Date to Reopen Its Borders to Vaccinated Foreign Visitors
The White House is expected to announce Friday that the U.S. is reopening its land and air borders to vaccinated foreign nationals on November 8th, Reuters reported.
Non-U.S. air travelers will be required to show proof of vaccination before boarding a flight and proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test. For foreign visitors crossing into the U.S. at a land border, only proof of vaccination will be required.
Could New COVID Testing and Vaccine Mandates Make School Staffing Shortages in California Worse?
Some California school district superintendents, especially those in rural areas of the state, fear that teachers and other staff members will quit rather than be vaccinated or take weekly COVID tests — a state requirement that began Friday.
Many California districts are already struggling to staff schools, and even a moderate number of resignations would mean not only fewer teachers but fewer bus drivers, instructional aides and substitute teachers to keep schools running.
Tim Taylor, executive director of the Small School Districts’ Association, said superintendents have told him some of their employees have threatened to quit their jobs because of the mandates.
Protests Greet Debut of Italy’s Workplace COVID Pass Rule
Protests erupted in Italy as one of the most stringent anti-coronavirus measures in Europe went into effect Friday, requiring all workers, from magistrates to maids, to show a health pass to get into their place of employment.
Police were out in force, schools ended classes early and embassies issued warnings of possible violence amid concerns that the anti-vaccination demonstrations could turn violent, as they did in Rome last weekend.
Privacy Fears as Moscow Metro Rolls Out Facial Recognition Pay System
The Moscow metro has rolled out what authorities have lauded as the world’s first mass-scale facial recognition payment system, amid privacy concerns over the new technology.
The cashless, cardless and phoneless system, named Face Pay, launched at more than 240 stations across the Russian capital on Friday.
Texas Lawmakers Debate Bills Banning COVID Vaccine Requirements Two Days After Gov. Abbott’s Request
The rights of Texas employers are being pitted against Texas employees in Austin, and it’s putting lawmakers in “choppy waters,” according to Republican Sen. Bryan Hughes of Mineola.
“We might say we have a clash of rights,” Hughes said in a committee hearing debating Senate Bill 51.
Hughes is sponsoring the bill which would prohibit any government entity from requiring employees to get a COVID vaccine. The bill would also force any Texas business to allow its employees to opt out of getting vaccinated for any “reason of conscience.”
A Roadmap for Regaining Public Trust in the Tech Sector
Faith in the tech industry — the private sector’s unchallenged trust leader since at least 2000 — has declined for two years straight, even as tech adoption has accelerated. The steepest decline was in the United States, where tech went from being the most trusted industry to barely remaining in the top 10. The reasons why are varied and interconnected.
Ultimately, though, it comes down to the fact that technology is embedded in every aspect of our lives. As a result, tech companies are entrenched in very high-stakes personal and social issues, including climate change, human rights, privacy, anti-trust efforts and the spread of misinformation.
The decline in trust isn’t a problem companies can innovate their way out of. For the tech industry to regain the trust advantage, we must be willing to transform, letting go of long-held assumptions and embracing a new set of values and responsibilities.
The post Delta Air Lines CEO Ditches ‘Divisive’ COVID Vaccine Mandate + More appeared first on Children's Health Defense.
© 15 Oct 2021 Children’s Health Defense, Inc. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of Children’s Health Defense, Inc. Want to learn more from Children’s Health Defense? Sign up for free news and updates from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the Children’s Health Defense. Your donation will help to support us in our efforts.
