逾百童疑患神秘肝炎 5死…CDC调查
世界新闻网
5/07/2022
在全球20个国家通报出现神秘肝炎病例后，神秘肝炎近来也在全美儿童中爆发，当局正在调查超过100件疑似案例，范围遍及24州和波多黎各，部分儿童出现严重病症、甚至需要肝脏移植，目前已有五名儿童病殁；联邦疾病防治中心(CDC)坦言，引发神秘肝炎的原因仍不清楚，但患者在确诊前都很健康，也没有显著的病症。
目前已有24个州和波多黎各都向当局通报疑似神秘肝炎的病例，发病时间可追溯至去年10月下旬，患者年龄皆不满10岁；CDC也呼吁全国医生多加注意可疑病例，目前仅阿拉巴马州的九名患者被确诊是罹患神秘肝炎。
CDC对109名染病的儿童进行调查，其中逾90%住院诊治，14%的人做过肝脏移植，逾半数感染过腺病毒，而且所有人都是在过去七个月内染病。
当局指出，这些病童在染病前都很健康，却因不明的肝脏损伤住院，部分儿童曾出现急性肝功能衰竭；此外，所有儿童的腺病毒检测均为中度阳性，但公卫专家还无法确认腺病毒就是病因。
同时，CDC也针对环境、用药、可能感染其他疾病、甚至是与动物接触(包含宠物狗)等因素进行研究，厘清是否为神秘肝炎的病因，CDC传染病副主任巴特勒(Jay Butler)说：「我们正在扩大调查的范围，希望能更了解这个疾病。」
CDC强调，尚不清楚其他州染病的儿童是否可能与新冠感染有关，而神秘肝炎目前处于不断演变的阶段，须加强各个公卫部门的联系以扩大研究范围，例如与英国等全球其他国家的卫生部门合作，因为目前英国患有此类肝炎的病童最多。
另外，CDC也称所有染病儿童都没有接种过新冠疫苗，有些患者甚至不到接种疫苗的年纪；2021年10月至2022年2月期间染病的儿童中，多数人已经或即将完全康复。
为及早发现家中儿童是否染病，CDC提醒家长多注意神秘肝炎的症状，包括发烧、疲劳、腹泻、腹痛、与其他感冒类似的症状，并关注CDC的调查进度、掌握家庭如何防范的措施。
世界卫生组织(WHO)官员在本周表示，已有20个国家通报出现神秘肝炎病例，全球病例已逾300例；以美国来说，感染者大多都是学步期的幼儿，几乎全部的病童都曾住院治疗，八人接受肝脏移植。
张文宏谈不明原因儿童肝炎：有输入性风险
4/29/2022
中国国家传染病医学中心主任、复旦大学附属华山医院感染科主任张文宏谈及英国等地不明原因儿童肝炎时说，不明原因儿童肝炎存在输入性风险，中国应对此早做准备。
据“华山感染”微信公众号4月29日消息，张文宏认为，不明原因肝炎病例每年都有发生，往往指已知肝炎病毒或者已知病因所致的肝损伤，这在儿童中并不罕见。但是此次世卫组织关注的不明原因肝炎具备了聚集性发病的特点，并且发病率超出了往年。这种情况下，考虑有传染病发生的风险是情理之中。
张文宏分析说，目前发现与腺病毒感染存在一定的相关性。但是腺病毒感染是非常普遍的现象，会引起肺炎或者腹泻，为什么今年有这么多病例发生重症肝炎，而且只在儿童中发生呢？目前推测是长时间的冠病隔离，儿童长时间没有接触过这种病毒，突然接触会产生比较严重的免疫损伤有关，这种猜测与新发传染病在疾病暴发的早期往往比较重的现象是一致的。
张文宏认为，如果是长时间的冠病隔离造成，而不是以前未发现的新病毒所致，则这次不明原因肝炎的后续影响效应会逐渐衰退，但是还需要对未知的病原体保持警惕，即便发生这种新发传染病大流行的概率并不高。此外，随着认识在不断加深，目前确诊病例的定义也在不断更新中。
儿童急性肝炎个案增至190宗 涉13国
大公报
4/27/2022
【大公报讯】综合美联社、《金融时报》报道：欧洲疾病预防和控制中心（ECDC）26日表示，全球已发现约190例不明原因儿童急性肝炎病例，其中1人死亡，17人需肝移植。世界卫生组织（WHO）表示，需要对疾病原因进行彻底调查。
截至27日，英国共报告114宗不明原因儿童肝炎病例，美国、日本及加拿大等13国均出现相关病例，患者年龄范围为1个月到16岁。
澳洲珀斯儿童医院临床医生鲍文说：“这绝对是不寻常的，这是一种暴发性肝炎，基本上意味着这些孩子的肝脏已经完全衰竭。”鲍文表示，这种情况在童年时期极为罕见，医疗界对此高度警戒。
全球感染不明肝炎的儿童中，有20人新冠检测呈阳性，其中19人新冠、腺病毒检测双阳，另有超过70名患者只检测出腺病毒。根据英国卫生安全局（UKHSA）公布的数据，超过四分之三的英国患者腺病毒检测结果呈阳性。科学家们目前正在进行基因组测序分析，以确定此次不明儿童肝炎是否与F41型腺病毒有关。
世卫指出，腺病毒是潜在原因之一，但“它并不能完全解释临床情况的严重性”。世卫指F41型腺病毒以前从未引发严重肝炎，正调查环境因素、其他病毒及生物。ECDC主任阿蒙26日表示，怀疑可能是儿童在新冠期间外出变少，无法接触病原体，导致免疫力下降。
Healthcare Certification and ESL Programs
德最新研究：辉瑞mRNA疫苗可能引发自身免疫性肝炎
文章来源: 澎湃新闻
4/27/2022
来自德国的最新临床研究发现，辉瑞/BioNTech联合开发的新冠mRNA疫苗（BNT162b2）可能引发一种罕见的以T细胞为介导的自身免疫性肝炎。
自身免疫肝炎是由自身免疫反应介导的慢性进行性肝脏炎症性疾病，其临床特征为不同程度的血清转氨酶升高、高γ-球蛋白血症、自身抗体阳性，组织学特征为以淋巴细胞、浆细胞浸润为主的界面性肝炎，严重病例可快速进展为肝硬化和肝衰竭。
以上研究4月21日刊发于肝病领域国际权威期刊《肝病学杂志》（Journal of Hepatology）上，作者单位包括德国弗莱堡大学医学院、德国慕尼黑工业大学医学院病理研究所、德国癌症协会等。《肝病学杂志》2021年影响因子为25.083，是胃肠肝病领域排名第一的学术期刊。
新冠疫苗是遏制新冠大流行的关键，而辉瑞/BioNTech联合开发的新冠mRNA疫苗（BNT162b2）则是目前全球接种人数最多的疫苗之一。值得注意的是，相比于灭活疫苗等传统技术平台开发的疫苗，mRNA疫苗则是在COVID-19大流行中才完成“首秀”，全球科学界仍在持续研究其在真实世界中的表现。
来自德国的这项临床研究披露了一起接种2剂辉瑞mRNA疫苗出现的急性肝炎的双峰发作（两次接种后均发作）。这名男性患者今年52岁，除甲状腺功能减退外无其他病史。
他在接种第一针mRNA疫苗10天后出现黄疸，肝功能检查（LFT）显示为急性混合性肝细胞/胆汁淤积性肝炎。接种25天，患者住院接受治疗。
第一次接种41天后患者接种了第二针BNT162b2疫苗。第二次接种后20天患者出现疲劳、恶心等症状，实验室检测表明其出现急性混合性肝炎复发。在第二次接种后26天，患者被转至三级医疗中心接受治疗。
到底是什么引发了肝炎？研究人员对患者进行了血清学、聚合酶链反应(PCR)测试，排除了甲型、乙型、丙型或戊型肝炎病毒、巨细胞病毒（CMV）和Epstein-Barr病毒感染的可能。
自身免疫血清学检测显示，患者有轻度高球蛋白血症、抗核抗体(ANA)，抗线粒体M2抗体(AMA-M2) 和抗平滑肌抗体呈临界阳性，而LKM抗体检测为阴性。随后，研究者对患者进行肝脏组织活检，发现患者的肝炎有中度淋巴浆细胞浸润和小叶坏死和凋亡灶。
研究者表示，这名52岁患者的症状与自身免疫性肝炎表现存在一致。患者接受了每天9mg布地奈德的治疗。布地奈德是一具有高效局部抗炎作用的糖皮质激素。可查资料显示，这种药能够增强内皮细胞、平滑肌细胞和溶酶体膜的稳定性，抑制免疫反应和降低抗体合成。在治疗后的几周内，患者的肝酶水平有所下降，开始好转。
但是患者在接受治疗39天后又复发了，研究者表示是由于布地奈德激素治疗减量后导致的肝炎复发。于是继续药物治疗，此后持续的肝功能检查显示，持续接受治疗八周后患者恢复了正常，患者体内的新冠病毒S蛋白特异性抗体没有显示出显著波动。
此外，研究人员还在患者的肝脏组织中发现了T细胞和B淋巴细胞、巨噬细胞、粒细胞和浆细胞的浸润。研究者表示，对照未患病者的肝脏组织，他们观察到这名52岁患者肝脏内免疫细胞增加了5.3倍。
值得注意的是，患者肝组织中的T淋巴细胞簇（CD8）是其免疫细胞中最丰富的，这与典型的自身免疫性肝炎有所不同。同时，这名患者的B细胞和浆细胞相对较低，而典型的自身免疫性肝炎则B细胞和浆细胞则更丰富。对不同免疫细胞亚群的肝实质的空间分析，研究者发现患者的门静脉周围区域存在更广泛的免疫细胞浸润。虽然患者的B细胞和浆细胞主要在港脏门静脉周围区域富集，但（CD8）T淋巴细胞呈全小叶分布。值得注意的是，患者的细胞毒性（CD8）T细胞高度积累，而其他表达颗粒酶B的细胞的水平则保持不变。
接下来，研究者通过流式细胞仪深入分析了（CD8）T细胞的肝内和外周的种群。患者肝内（CD8）T细胞池显示激活标志物 (CD38) 和组织驻留标志物 (CD103、CD69和CXC基序趋化因子受体6[CXCR6]）富集。外周血中的（CD8）T细胞也表达CD38。研究者表示，有趣的是，患者在疫苗接种后没有发生肝炎的情况下，其CD38表达（75.9%）明显高于健康人的对照组（15.4%）。与外周血相比，患者肝内（CD8）T细胞群中的新冠病毒S特异性（CD8）T淋巴细胞富集达3.4倍。
患者外周血中S特异性（CD8）T淋巴细胞的丰度是Epstein-Barr病毒特异性T细胞对照表位特异性T淋巴细胞的10.2倍。而且患者的CD38水平随着接受布地奈德治疗而降低。然而，当布地奈德治疗期间发生复发时，新冠病毒S蛋白和其他细胞毒性标志物特异性（CD8）T细胞上的CD38表达又升高了，但使用了全身免疫抑制剂治疗后恢复正常。
研究认为，从机制上讲，这名52岁的患者症状不同于典型的自发性免疫性肝炎，后者通常与外周免疫球蛋白升高、浆细胞为主的浸润和突出的界面性肝炎有关。在这一临床案例中，虽然外周免疫球蛋白和肝内B细胞和浆细胞的肝内富集略有升高，但在细胞毒性（CD8）T细胞的水平上观察到更显着的相关性。包括疫苗引发的新冠病毒S特异性反应活化的细胞毒性（CD8）T细胞在患者肝脏中高度富集，以至于它们成为了患者肝内最为富集的免疫细胞群。值得注意的是，这些新冠S特异性（CD8）T细胞的外周激活状态与肝炎严重程度和引入免疫抑制治疗后的临床病程相关。
研究团队认为，接种BNT162b2疫苗可能通过引发的细胞免疫机制引起免疫介导的肝炎。而这些结果暗示：T细胞是这种疫苗相关免疫性肝炎的关键致病性免疫细胞类型，这种肝炎是自身免疫性肝炎的一种新亚型。
美国魔幻一幕! mRNA疫苗最初发明者疑因质疑mRNA疫苗，被推特封号
环球网
12/31/2021
12月29日，有网友和媒体发现，美国传染病研究员、mRNA疫苗“发明者”罗伯特·马龙粉丝量超50万的推特账号“已被冻结”。就在前不久前，马龙相关的一段有关“mRNA疫苗对儿童造成永久性损伤”的视频，在社交平台引发热议。
关于罗伯特·马龙，据法新社12月一篇报道，他在上世纪80年代后期对mRNA疫苗的研发作出了贡献，目前这一技术已被应用在美国辉瑞、莫德纳的新冠疫苗上。报道称，马龙称自己为“mRNA疫苗的最初发明者”。
不过，有报道称，作为mRNA疫苗的重要研发者，马龙却是“对这一成就最直言不讳的批评者之一”。
今年8月份，美国《大西洋(3.690, 0.12, 3.36%)月刊》杂志专门发表文章对马龙进行了介绍。文中提到，马龙曾称美国辉瑞、莫德纳的新冠疫苗可能会使新冠感染情况加剧。
在上文提到的法新社报道里，这家媒体就对马龙的一些观点进行了反驳。报道称，在一段网上观看量达数十万的视频中，马龙声称mRNA疫苗会在儿童身体内产生有毒的刺突蛋白，进而“对儿童的关键器官造成永久性损伤”。据马龙描述，这些关键器官包括大脑和神经系统、心脏、生殖系统等，最重要的是，有毒的刺突蛋白还会对儿童的免疫系统“造成根本性的变化”。
“总而言之，为您的孩子接种疫苗以抵御小风险（即新冠病毒），对您的孩子或家人没有任何好处”。马龙在视频中曾喊话家长。
法新社称，马龙在视频中的说法立即遭到其他医学专家的反驳。其中，美国儿科学会研究员格林豪斯表示，“绝对没有证据表明，mRNA疫苗产生的刺突蛋白是有毒的”。格林豪斯告诉法新社，她认为马龙在视频中的观点“具有误导性，坦率地说是危险和错误的”。
Robert Wallace Malone is an American virologist and immunologist. His work has focused on mRNA technology, pharmaceuticals, and drug repurposing research. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he has been criticized for promoting misinformation about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.
11月2日，美国疾病控制和预防中心正式批准美国辉瑞公司与德国生物新技术公司联合研发的新冠疫苗用于5至11岁儿童群体。据报道，5至11岁群体接种辉瑞疫苗也是接种两剂，间隔21天，但接种剂量为每剂10微克，是12岁及以上群体适用剂量的三分之一。
对于马龙推特账号被封一事，很多网友进行激烈讨论，矛头直指推特。
有网友称推特这一举动“难以置信”：“你不会相信推特这次封了谁。他们封了罗伯特·马龙博士、mRNA疫苗技术发明者（的账号）。”↓
有网友批评推特这一举动是在“向公众和科研宣战”。↓
有网友讽刺推特是“真理部”：“清洗正在升级：‘真理部’封了罗伯特·马龙博士（的账号），（就是那位）mRNA疫苗技术发明者。”↓
有网友@推特官方，要求恢复马龙的账号：“这是一个礼貌的请求，（请求）推特恢复罗伯特·马龙博士（的账号）。”↓
Covid-19 Vaccine Injuries/Deaths
11/06/2021
Rumble — Roundtable discussion with vaccine injured and medical experts on federal vaccine mandates and the importance of health care freedom.
美国陆军飞行医官特蕾莎中校关于新冠疫苗的证词
By 萧笙客
11/06/2021
11月2日，飞行医官特蕾莎·朗中校在约翰逊参议员主持的关于新冠疫苗的圆桌会议上的作证。
美国德州胡德堡陆军基地负责四千名陆军飞行旅官兵身体健康和飞行安全的军医特蕾莎反对对官兵、特别是飞行员强制性注射疫苗，向法院提出的临时禁令书写的补充材料。
Sen. Johnson hosts panel highlighting people claiming to be harmed by COVID-19 vaccines
By WEAU 13 News
11/06/2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WEAU) – Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson is giving a stage to people who claim they were harmed by COVID-19 vaccinations.
Tuesday, Johnson held a roundtable with several people who say they or a loved one experienced life-altering side-effects from various COVID vaccinations.
One panelist, who says she experienced adverse side effects from the vaccine, called for a federal safety net for others who are also injured.
Another woman at the meeting claimed that those who catch COVID receive medical help, while those who have adverse side effects to vaccines are ignored.
The panel included researches and doctors who generally agreed vaccines have a role in fighting the pandemic, but also cautioned against mandating them.
Johnson said the panel is not about creating fear or increasing vaccine hesitancy, but says federal health officials aren’t being honest when they say the vaccines are safe and effective, and shouldn’t be mandated.
“I had COVID,” Johnson said. “I’ve had my antibodies tested as my doctor told me. I’ve got a whopping level of antibodies.”
Johnson also spoke about his personal vaccination decision.
“Again, natural immunity should be strong, pretty long-lasting, which is the case of very, you know, many, many illnesses, many viruses,” Johnson said. “And so there’s no reason for me to get a vaccine.”
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fact page maintains the vaccines are safe and effective. It also acknowledges the existence of some of the adverse effects discussed at Johnson’s roundtable, and says COVID vaccines are under the most intense safety monitoring in U.S. history.
Survey: Majority of Federal Employees Disagree With Biden’s Vaccine Mandate
Comments submitted as part of the survey show a diversity of thought on the requirement.
By COURTNEY BUBLÉ
he majority of federal employees recently surveyed (53%) strongly or somewhat disagreed with the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal employees, while 44% strongly or somewhat agreed with it.
The Government Business Council, the research arm of Government Executive, sent a survey between October 27 and November 2 to Government Executive and Defense One readers, which drew 3,186 respondents. The survey had a 95% confidence level and margin of error of +/- 3%; the vast majority of respondents currently work for a federal agency but the results did include some retirees and congressional and private sector workers. President Biden announced the mandate on September 9 and the deadline is November 22.
“I am not pro or anti-vaccine, I am pro-choice,” wrote one federal employee in the comments section. “It should be a choice not a mandate, last I knew this was a free country.” Anonymous comments submitted as part of the survey show the diversity of thought on the mandate as well as the nuance of arguments on both sides.
Thirty-percent of respondents said they thought the vaccine mandate will be slightly or moderately effective in protecting the federal workforce from the coronavirus; 42% thought it will be very or extremely effective and 29% thought it will not be effective.
“The vaccine mandate is most likely legal. It’s also probably effective,” said a respondent. “It, however, does not mean the federal [government] should have the power to force adults and the civilian workforce to get a shot that they don’t want.”
The mandate requires all federal employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 22, or claim a religious or medical exemption. Those who decline vaccination and whose agencies deny their exemption requests will face progressive discipline, up to removal from the federal service.
Another respondent said, “the mandate will not be effective if the many false religious exemptions are approved,” because “most are not sincerely held beliefs, but just people that don’t want to get their vaccine.”
A different person said, “A coworker’s choice not to be vaccinated increases my potential exposure to COVID, potentially increases my workload if I have to cover for them if they are out ill and increases the cost of [Federal Employees Health Benefits]/Medicare.”
The survey looked at the difference of views among those on full telework compared to those going into the office at least one day a week. The chart below shows approval and disapproval levels based on that status, with those going into the office at least once a week more likely to strongly disapprove of the mandate.
“If you can do your job, i.e. telework, without contacting others there is no reason to be vaccinated,” said one federal employee in the comments section. “It is the individual’s body and they should have the right to decide what is done to it without fearing economic ruin.”
Another said, “I worked and put the protocols in to keep everyone safe. I worked on the front lines for the last two years and now you want to fire me?”
One respondent who said they work for the Agriculture Department’s Farm Service Agency said they love their job and customers they serve, “but lately I do not feel the agency has my back or appreciates the work our agency does. After being on the front lines, figuring out telework, changing the way our agency goals are achieved I feel the employees deserve a little more than a ‘do it or get out policy.’ ”
As for the ability to enforce a vaccine mandate, 50% of respondents strongly or somewhat disagreed that the federal government has the authority to enforce the requirement, while 46% somewhat or strongly agreed. There were no major differences in responses from managers and non-managers to this question; however, there were some differences among those in different work environments, as shown below.
The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel issued a legal opinion in July that says federal law doesn’t prohibit public and private entities from mandating coronavirus vaccines, even if those vaccines do not yet have full authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. Also, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued a similar decision in May, which it updated in October.
As for regions, the area with the highest approval rating (54%) of the mandate was the D.C. metro area, which is where federal agency headquarters are concentrated. Respondents living in the Southwest had the highest disapproval rating.
“The D.C. power brokers are using us as pawns,” said a respondent.
While not a question in the survey, many raised concerns in the comments section about loss of employees due to the mandate.
“Is the federal government prepared to lose 20-30% of its workforce to retirements, resignations or terminations?” said one respondent.
“I will retire from federal service if I am threatened with discipline/firing,” said another. “ I am proud of my military service (Vietnam veteran) and federal service (FBI and [Internal Revenue Service]) and continually received ‘outstanding’ performance evals as GS-14. The federal mandate is morally wrong.”
Someone else said, “this is a train wreck, but may provide promotion opportunities for the younger workforce.”
However, there were also several comments encouraging vaccinations. “I sincerely appreciate efforts to get our team vaccinated,” said one person. “I am grateful for the mandate and wish it had come sooner.”
For comparison, a recent survey from Qualtrics, an experience management company, found that the majority of respondents (58%) supported vaccine mandates from either employers or the federal government.
“Employees in the [technology and information technology] industry are the most supportive of federal vaccine mandates compared to those who work in health care, retail and government,” said Qualtrics. “Roughly a quarter of government, health care, and private employees oppose mandates that would apply to them.”
Overall, 42% of respondents want their company leaders to enforce the mandate, while 39% do not, the Qualtrics survey found. That survey was done between October 12 and 15. There were 1,309 respondents who were chosen from a randomized panel and deemed eligible if they live in the United States, are an adult and are at least part-time employees.
Government Executive previously reported about reactions to the mandate from NASA, Federal Bureau of Prisons and other federal employees. While some agencies have shared their vaccination levels with reporters, lawmakers or the public, the levels are not known for all. Top House Republicans are seeking those numbers by November 10.
In one example, as of late October, several intelligence agencies had at least 20% of their workforce unvaccinated, with some as high as 40%, said Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, who is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Associated Press reported on Friday. He cited information that the Biden administration gave to the committee, but hasn’t released publicly, and didn’t name the specific agencies since the full results were classified.
Biden admin considering vaccine mandate for businesses with fewer than 100 employees
OSHA rule for big businesses forces employees to be vaccinated or wear masks and get weekly COVID-19 tests
By Tyler Olson | FOX Business
11/05/2021
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says it is “seeking comment” about whether businesses with fewer than 100 employees should be subject to the COVID-19 vaccine and testing mandate it is implementing on big businesses.
OSHA’s requirement will force businesses with more than 100 employees to mandate vaccines or else their employees will need to wear masks and be tested for COVID-19 weekly. It will go into effect Jan. 4.
But according to a summary released by OSHA, it appears to be considering implementing the rule for small businesses as well.
“OSHA is confident that employers with 100 or more employees have the administrative capacity to implement the standard’s requirements promptly, but is less confident that smaller employers can do so without undue disruption,” the summary says. “OSHA needs additional time to assess the capacity of smaller employers, and is seeking comment to help the agency make that determination.”
The same language is included in the Federal Register page for the vaccine rule.
A Department of Labor spokesperson told FOX Business Friday that it is indeed considering whether to extend the vaccine or mask and testing mandate to businesses with fewer than 100 workers.
“OSHA chose a 100-employees threshold at this time because the agency is confident that employers with 100 or more employees have the administrative capacity to implement the standard’s requirements promptly,” the spokesperson said. “Because the emergency situation required OSHA to act quickly, the information immediately available to the agency did not allow it to confidently assess the impact on smaller firms.”
The spokesperson added: “OSHA will consider whether to extend the rule to smaller firms in the public rulemaking that begins with the publication of this emergency rule.”
Raytheon CEO warns company could lose ‘several thousand’ employees over vaccine mandate
By Mike Brest
10/27/2021
Raytheon Technologies’s top boss warned that the U.S. aerospace and defense company will lose thousands of employees who have thus far refused to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
“So, we’re going to be faced on Dec. 8 with a choice. We’re going to potentially lose several thousand people who refuse to be vaccinated,” Raytheon CEO Greg Hayes said in a CNBC interview on Tuesday. “Now, this is a tough thing, but we are preparing for it.”
Hayes also said that 83% of the company, which has a total workforce of roughly 125,000 U.S. employees, according to Reuters, is already vaccinated while another 6% are “in the process of being vaccinated.”
Additionally, there is another 3% of employees who are seeking either a religious or medical exemption, while another 3% have said they don’t intend to receive the vaccine, the CEO added, though he did not address the status of the employees who do not fall into those categories.
The company has already begun hiring people to fill the upcoming vacancies, Hayes said.
Raytheon had issued a companywide mandate requiring vaccination by Jan. 1, but that order was usurped when President Joe Biden declared that all federal contractors must receive the vaccine by Dec. 8.
Hayes’s comments came the same day Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville sent a letter to the White House claiming that Biden’s “federal contractor vaccine mandate will have negative effects on our national security” and called on the president “to remove — or, at a minimum, delay and clarify — vaccination requirements on private companies and academic research institutions that are actively supporting the Department of Defense.”
Similarly, nearly a dozen Republican lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee petitioned the White House and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to reverse the Pentagon’s vaccine mandate for contractors over fears that it could lead to supply chain issues.
Roughly 100 employees at United Launch Alliance, a Lockheed Martin and Boeing joint venture that contracts to both the Pentagon and NASA, walked off the job Monday over the federal government’s vaccine mandates and pledged to continue protesting in the days leading up to the deadline to be vaccinated.
Former WSU football coach Nick Rolovich to sue university over firing after refusing vaccine
According to a press release sent by his attorney, Rolovich is accusing WSU Athletic Director Pat Chun of “discriminatory and vindictive behavior.”
By KREM Staff
10/20/2021
PULLMAN, Wash. — Former Washington State University football coach Nick Rolovich was fired Tuesday, Oct. 19 after refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and now he plans to sue the university.
According to his lawyer, Rolovich will be taking legal action against WSU and all parties responsible for his termination. The decision to terminate Rolovich came after his request for a religious exemption from the vaccine was denied by the WSU. According to his lawyer, WSU “indicated that even if the exemption had been granted, no accommodation would have been made.”
Rolovich is accusing WSU Athletic Director Pat Chun of “discriminatory and vindictive behavior,” according to the statement from his lawyer, Brian Fahling.
“Since at least early April, it became clear that Chun had already determined that Coach Rolovich would be fired,” Fahling says. “Chun’s animus towards Coach Rolovich’s sincerely held religious beliefs, and Chun’s dishonesty at the expense of Coach Rolovich during the past year is damning and will be thoroughly detailed in litigation.”
In the statement, Fahling says, “Chun’s discriminatory and vindictive behavior has caused immeasurable harm to Rolovich and his family. It is a tragic and damning commentary on our culture, and more specifically, on Chun, that Rolovich has been derided, demonized, and ultimately fired from his job, merely for being devout in his Catholic faith.”
Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, has encouraged people to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Here is the statement from Rolovich’s lawyer in full:
“The termination of Washington State football coach Nick Rolovich on Monday was unjust and unlawful.
It came after Coach Rolovich’s request for a religious exemption from the vaccine was denied by the University. The institution also indicated that even if the exemption had been granted, no accommodation would have been made. As a result, Coach Rolovich will be taking legal action against Washington State University, and all parties responsible for his illegal termination.
Immediately after terminating Coach Rolovich, WSU Athletic Director, Pat Chun, directed campus police to escort the coach to his car, he wasn’t allowed into his office, and he was not even allowed to speak to his team. Since at least early April, it became clear that Chun had already determined that Coach Rolovich would be fired. Chun’s animus towards Coach Rolovich’s sincerely held religious beliefs, and Chun’s dishonesty at the expense of Coach Rolovich during the past year is damning and will be thoroughly detailed in litigation.
Chun’s discriminatory and vindictive behavior has caused immeasurable harm to Coach Rolovich and his family. Furthermore, the University’s deceitfulness about being unable to accommodate Coach Rolovich even if his religious exemption request had been granted, is exemplified by Chun’s actions arranging a “secret” donor trip that he had Coach Rolovich attend at the height of the pandemic in July 2020.
During that excursion, Chun and other attendees contracted the disease, but Coach Rolovich did not. It is a tragic and damning commentary on our culture, and more specifically, on Chun, that Coach Rolovich has been derided, demonized, and ultimately fired from his job, merely for being devout in his Catholic faith.”
KREM has reached out to WSU for a statement but has not yet received a response.
320万年薪傲视全州公务员 华盛顿州立大学教练拒打疫苗遭开除
10/20/2021
华盛顿州立大学(Washington State University，WSU)足球队总教练罗洛维奇(Nick Rolovich)年薪320万元，在领取州政府薪水的公务员收入排行榜称霸。但因罗洛维奇拒绝遵守华州要求公务员必须接种新冠疫苗的规定，本周稍早已被开除。华盛顿邮报报导，罗洛维奇堪称到目前为止，最为引人注目的公职人员拒打疫苗而丢饭碗案例。
华盛顿州立大学18日宣布已经解聘罗洛维奇。华盛顿州立大学美洲狮队(Washington State Cougars)体育主任秦派特(Pat Chun，音译)指出，罗洛维奇拒绝配合疫苗接种规定，已经失去获得校方聘用的资格。
秦派特在声明中说，这起事件让学校足球队感到沮丧。
42岁的罗洛维奇出身于夏威夷大学(University of Hawaii)足球队，2019年曾获西部山区联盟(Mountain West Conference)最佳教练。罗洛维奇年薪320万元，是领取华州州政府薪水的公务员当中排行最高者。
罗洛维奇今年暑假已经表明坚决不打疫苗，太平洋十二校联盟(Pacific-12 Conference)在洛杉矶举办媒体宣传，由于规定全体出席者必须打疫苗，罗洛维奇便因此缺席。
秦派特指出，校方与罗洛维奇协商长达数月，但罗洛维奇态度坚定，「他有权做出选择，他的决定就是不配合规定」。
华盛顿州立大学校长薛尔兹(Kirk Schulz)则在声明中说，虽然少数人士拒打疫苗而引发轩然大波，但学校接近90%雇员及97%学生则都打了疫苗。
薛尔兹说：「人们可以做选择，而且有好几个月的时间可以决定。这并不是突然发生的。」
除了罗洛维奇之外，华盛顿州立大学美洲狮队另外四名助理教练罗戈(Ricky Logo)、理查森(John Richardson)、史特兹曼(Craig Stutzmann)、韦伯(Mark Weber)，同样因为拒打疫苗，一并遭到开除。
美国ESPN知名体育记者拒打疫苗被开除
本文源自: 金融界网
10/20/2021
迪士尼旗下娱乐与体育节目电视网（ESPN）的知名记者艾莉森-威廉姆斯（Allison Williams）周一表示，她因为拒绝接种新冠病毒疫苗而被解雇，下周将是她在这里工作的的最后日子。
这位明星记者最出名的是她对美国大学橄榄球和篮球比赛的报道，她在社交媒体上的一段视频中说，她要求豁免不接种疫苗的请求被拒绝了。
威廉姆斯从2011年3月开始为ESPN工作。上个月，她在推特上发表声明称，在咨询了医生后，她拒绝接种疫苗，因为她和她的丈夫正试图生第二个孩子，接种疫苗“不符合我的最佳利益”。
ESPN的母公司迪士尼是众多要求员工接种疫苗的企业之一。该公司在一份声明中说，不会对威廉姆斯的个案置评。迪士尼表示，公司正在按照其法律义务，处理员工提出的豁免要求。
ESPN’s Allison Williams explains why she’s giving up her job over a vaccine mandate
By ANDREA HSU
10/20/2021
Lance King/Getty Images
ESPN college basketball and football reporter Allison Williams has joined a small minority of workers who have quit or been fired from their jobs over a vaccine mandate.
“I have been denied my request for accommodation by ESPN and the Walt Disney Company, and effective next week, I will be separated from the company,” she said in a video posted to Instagram on Friday.
ESPN’s parent company, Disney, had announced a vaccine mandate over the summer with a deadline of this Friday, Oct. 22.
In early September, Williams shared on Twitter that she’d decided not to get a COVID-19 vaccine while she and her husband were trying to have a second child.
“Taking the vaccine at this time is not in my interest,” she wrote.
The CDC has urged people who are pregnant or might become pregnant to get vaccinated, saying there is currently no evidence showing COVID-19 vaccines cause fertility problems and no data pointing to an increased risk of miscarriage among people who received an mRNA vaccine during pregnancy.
In the Instagram video, Williams spoke of her medical apprehensions about receiving the vaccine and added, “I am also so morally and ethically not aligned with this.”
“Ultimately, I cannot put a paycheck over principle, and I will not sacrifice something that I believe and hold so strongly to maintain a career,” she said in the video. “I’m going to pray things get better and that I can see you on the television set in some capacity in some stadium, covering some game soon.”
Williams, who had reported for ESPN since 2011, acknowledged she’s not the only one walking away from a career or a profession they love.
Hundreds of hospital workers have quit rather than get vaccinated, but they represent only a tiny fraction of employees overall. For example, Duke Health in North Carolina reported it had fired just 20 people out of a workforce of 23,000.
Meanwhile, United Airlines said it is terminating a couple of hundred of its 67,000 employees who did not comply with the airline’s vaccine mandate. Other employers that have imposed vaccine mandates are also reporting compliance rates topping 90%.
Veteran police officer resigns over vaccine mandate in chronically understaffed department
The department has chronically been understaffed and more officers could resign over the mandate
By Emma Colton | Fox News
9/21/2021
A nearly 30-year police veteran in California resigned over San Jose’s vaccine mandate as the police force continues struggling with chronic understaffing.
“First of all, it’s my religious belief. I also believe I’ve been given a choice about what to do with my body,” Sgt. David Gutierrez said after he resigned from the San Jose Police Department this weekend, KPIX reported.
Gutierrez spent 23 years with the San Jose Police Department working as a homicide detective, internal affairs investigator and patrol supervisor, before retiring in 2019. He then returned to the force as a reserve officer.
Gutierrez worked his last shift at the department on Saturday, and said he sent a letter to the city manager on Monday denouncing the city’s vaccine mandate, which requires city employees to show proof of vaccination or get a medical exemption. Those who don’t comply face disciplinary action, such as termination.
“Disciplinary action is when you have done something wrong,” Gutierrez said, according to NBC Bay Area. “I have done nothing wrong – by making a choice not to be vaccinated why would you be disciplined?”
Gutierrez added that he is not anti-vaccine and would be open to the city testing him on a weekly basis instead of enforcing the vaccine or getting a medical exemption.
“I’m not anti-vaccine. I don’t tell people, ‘You shouldn’t get it.’ But when it comes to my body, it’s my choice about what I want to put in my body,” Gutierrez said.
He sent his resignation letter ahead of the city’s Sept. 30 deadline for employees to get the vaccine, and said more officers could also walk off the job amid the department already facing understaffing issues.
“We are already understaffed and can’t afford to lose more,” Gutierrez said.
“If they let go police officers who’ve been here five years, 10 years, 15 years, you can hire somebody else, but you’re not going to hire that experience though,” he added.
A recent audit examining the last 10 years of the police department found the force has heavily relied on overtime as it struggles with understaffing.
About 200 officers in the department have so far asked for exemptions, many of which are for religious purposes. But the Democratic mayor, Sam Liccardo, says the vaccine mandate is overall working and doesn’t anticipate an exodus from the force.
“This is certainly for the protection of the individual members of our city team. But it’s also, critically, for the safety of our entire community because we know, obviously, first responders are out there interacting [with the public] every day,” Liccardo said, according to KPIX.
Northern NY hospital to stop delivering babies after resignations over Covid-19 vaccine
BY Christine Vendel
9/12/2021
A hospital in New York plans to stop delivering babies later this month because too many maternity workers resigned rather than get the Covid-19 vaccine.
Lewis County Health System Chief Executive Officer Gerald R. Cayer announced at a news conference Friday afternoon that the maternity department would be closed on Sept. 25 until they can find enough vaccinated nurses to safely reopen it.
Cayer told reporters in Lowville, is the North Country of New York state, that seven of the 30 people who have resigned from the hospital worked in the maternity department, according to the news site NNY360.
Seven additional maternity workers have not said whether or not they will get their first vaccine shot by Sept. 27, which is the deadline set by the state for healthcare workers to get at least one shot, according to the news site.
The health system has a higher than average percentage of its staff vaccinated, Cayer told reporters, with 464 employees vaccinated out of 650, or 73 percent.
But there are still 165 employees who have not yet shared their decision with hospital management, WWNY television news reported.
Medical services in five other departments may have to be cut back as well if more staff members resign because they refuse to be vaccinated
“It just is a crazy time,” Mr. Cayer said, according to NNY360, “It’s not just LCHS-centric. Rural hospitals everywhere are really trying to figure out how we’re going to make it work.”
“If you don’t have staff, how do you deliver the service? That’s what I’m going to be talking about,” Cayer said.
The Health System is one of only two county-owned hospitals left in the state and is the largest employer in the county.
