White House offers new tax credit to help spur vaccinations
President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced new employer tax credits and other steps to encourage people reluctant to be inoculated to get the COVID-19 vaccine as his administration tries to overcome diminishing demand for the shots. The moves came as Biden celebrated reaching his latest goal of administering 200 million coronavirus doses in his first 100 days in office. With more than 50% of adults at least partially vaccinated and roughly 28 million vaccine doses being delivered each week, demand has eclipsed supply as the constraining factor to vaccinations in much of the country. In a White House speech on Wednesday, Biden acknowledged entering a “new phase” in the federal vaccination effort that relies on increased outreach to Americans to get their shots, both to protect them and their communities. “Vaccines can save your own life, but they can also save your grandmother’s life, your co-worker’s life, the grocery store clerk, or the delivery person helping you and your neighbors get through the crisis,” Biden said. “That’s why you should get vaccinated.” Over the past week, the pace of inoculation in the U.S. has slowed slightly. That is partly a reflection of disruptions from the “pause” in the administration of the Johnson & Johnson shot for a safety review, but also of softening interest for vaccines in many places even as eligibility has been opened to all those older than 16. As the vaccination program progresses, the administration believes it will only get more difficult to sustain the current pace of about 3 million shots per day. Roughly 130 million Americans have yet to receive one dose. Surveys have shown that vaccine hesitancy has declined since the rollout of the shots, but administration officials believe they have to make getting vaccinated easier and more appealing, particularly for younger Americans who are less at risk from the virus and do not feel the same urgency to get a shot. That means providing incentives and encouragement to get vaccinated, as well as reducing the friction surrounding the vaccination process. Biden announced a tax credit for small businesses to provide paid leave for those getting vaccinated or potentially needing to take time off to recover from side effects. Paid for through the $1.9 trillion virus relief package passed last month, the tax change would provide a credit of up to $511 per day per employee for businesses with fewer than 500 workers to ensure that those workers or businesses don’t suffer a penalty by getting vaccinated. The White House is urging larger employers, which have more resources, to provide the same benefits to their workers, and educate them about the shots and encourage them to get vaccinated. “We’re calling on every employer, large and small, in every state, give employees the time off they need with pay to get vaccinated,” Biden said. According to the White House, just 43% of working adults have received at least one shot. As Biden celebrated the vaccine milestone, there is a different reality in the states. In Iowa, nearly half of the counties are not accepting new doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from the state’s allotment because demand has fallen off. In Florida, Palm Beach County plans to close mass vaccination clinics at the end of May with thousands of available vaccine slots unclaimed. In rural West Virginia, a vaccine clinic at a casino/race track parking garage is opening shots to out-of-state residents to address lagging demand. The hope is that people from Washington, D.C., make the hour’s drive to get vaccinated. In Arizona, a plan collapsed that would have opened a federally run vaccine site in Tucson; demand is slipping, and county officials preferred more targeted, mobile locations. Asked about the dip in vaccinations, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said “fluctuation is not uncommon” and that “what we want to do is continue to encourage Americans to continue to get vaccinated.” “The pace of vaccination isn’t linear,” Becerra said, adding that “we are on a pretty good pace.” Through its partnership with more than 40,000 retail pharmacies, the White House says more than 90% of Americans now live within 5 miles of a vaccination site. The administration is encouraging state and local efforts to bring vaccines directly to people, whether through initiatives reaching the homebound or clinics at large employment sites. Many states have also begun to open up vaccination sites to walk-in appointments, reducing reliance on often-cumbersome reservation systems. Maximizing the number of Americans vaccinated in the coming months is critical for the White House, which is aiming to restore a semblance of normalcy around the July Fourth holiday and even more so by the beginning of the next school year. Administration officials have been careful to avoid predicting when the country will have vaccinated enough people to reach herd immunity — when enough people become immune to a disease to make its spread unlikely. The U.S. is on track to have enough vaccine supply for every adult by the end of May and for every American by July, but administering the shots will be another matter. With its stockpile secure and demand dropping at home, the president spoke again of sharing excess doses with allies. Biden said he talked with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for about 30 minutes on Wednesday. “We helped a little bit there, we’re going to try to help some more,” Biden said, referring to his decision last month to share about 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine with Canada. “But there’s other countries as well that I’m confident we can help, including in Central America. But it’s in process.” He added. “We don’t have enough to be confident to send it abroad now. But I expect we’re going to be able to do that.” Biden set his goal of 200 million shots last month after meeting his 100 million-in-100 days goal just over a month ago. That original benchmark was announced Dec. 8, days before the U.S. had even one authorized vaccine, let alone the three that
Families, doctors urge Alabama to reject trans treatment ban
Transgender youth, parents, and advocates on Tuesday urged the Alabama House of Representatives, as well as the state’s governor, to reject legislation that would ban the use of puberty blockers or hormones to treat transgender minors. Arkansas, earlier this month, became the first state to approve such legislation. Alabama could be the second if House members approve the Senate-passed bill. Parents, medical providers, and a transgender teenager spoke out against the Alabama bill during a virtual press conference hosted by the Human Rights Campaign. “I ask you to take a look at our family. How am I hurting me or anyone else by wanting medical, hormonal treatment? I do not want to be a pawn in a political agenda in which I was never consulted about,” Phineas Smith, a 16-year-old transgender boy, said. The Alabama bill would make it a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, for a doctor to prescribe puberty-blockers or hormones or perform surgery to aid in the gender transition of people 18-years-old or younger. The measure cleared the state Senate in early March and awaits a vote in the House of Representatives, where Republicans outnumber Democrats 76-27. Opponents, including parents and trans youth, say such measures interfere with medical decisions and target trans individuals for the sake of politics. Sponsors counter that they are trying to protect children from decisions that should wait until adulthood. House Speaker Mac McCutcheon last week said House members are trying to educate themselves on the issue, and he could not estimate when the bill might see a floor vote. The session is tentatively scheduled to end on May 17. “Anytime you get a bill that’s that significant, that deals with those kinds of issues, members want to make sure that they are educated on it before they make a vote on it. And I respect that. And because of that, we’re not trying to rush that bill through either,” McCutcheon said. Carmarion D. Anderson, Alabama director for the Human Rights Campaign, said the bill is part of a wave of anti-trans legislation being introduced nationally. She said that depression and suicide rates increase among trans youth denied access to gender-affirming medical care. “Denying them the chance to be who they are isn’t just wrong, it’s actually putting these kids in danger. The disinformation peddled by the proponents of this bill is dangerous,” said Carmarion D. Anderson, Alabama director for the Human Rights Campaign. Lawmakers in Alabama and 16 other states have introduced measures targeting health care for transgender youth amid a campaign encouraged by the Alliance Defending Freedom, the Heritage Foundation, and other groups aligned with the Republican Party. Trace Trice, Phineas Smith’s mother, said legislators “have taken something that is a private matter and used it for their own agendas and made it very clear that they have a true lack of understanding about trans youth and their families.” In a message to the legislators sponsoring the bills, Smith said his parents “taught him that real men admit their mistakes,” and there would be no shame in pulling the bill. “There’s shame in not stopping a mistake you know is hurting people. Trans youths from all over Alabama told you this is hurting us,” he said. The Legislature also recently gave final approval to a bill that would ban transgender public school students from playing sports of the gender with which they identify. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey told reporters Tuesday she will take a “good look” at the bill when it reaches her desk but did not elaborate on whether she will sign it. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Merrick Garland announces sweeping police probe after George Floyd verdict
The Justice Department is opening a sweeping investigation into policing practices in Minneapolis after a former officer was convicted in the killing of George Floyd there, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Wednesday. The decision comes a day after the former officer, Derek Chauvin, was found guilty of murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death last May, a verdict that set off a wave of relief across the country. Floyd’s death had led to months of mass protests against policing and the treatment of Black people in the United States. The Justice Department was already investigating whether Chauvin and the other officers involved in Floyd’s death violated his civil rights. “Yesterday’s verdict in the state criminal trial does not address potentially systemic policing issues in Minneapolis,” Garland said. The new investigation is known as a “pattern or practice” — examining whether there is a pattern or practice of unconstitutional or unlawful policing — and will be a more sweeping review of the entire police department. It may result in major changes to policing in the Minnesota city. It will examine the use of force by police officers, including force used during protests, and whether the department engages in discriminatory practices. It will also look into the department’s handling of misconduct allegations and its treatment of people with behavioral health issues and will assess the department’s current systems of accountability, Garland said. The Minneapolis police said in a statement that the chief, Medaria Arradondo “welcomes this investigation” and will fully cooperate with federal prosecutors. Arradondo “understands that the intent of this inquiry is to reveal any deficiencies or unwanted conduct within the department and provide adequate resources and direction to correct them,” the statement said. A senior Justice Department official said prosecutors chose to announce the investigation a day after the verdict because they did not want to do anything to interfere with Chauvin’s trial. The official would not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Three other ex-Minneapolis police officers charged in Floyd’s death will be tried together beginning Aug. 23. The official said their trial is far enough off that officials believed it was still appropriate to make the announcement Wednesday, even though the defendants are awaiting trial on state charges. It’s unclear whether the years under investigation will begin when Floyd died or before. Garland said a public report would be issued if the department finds a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing. The government also could bring a lawsuit against the police department, which in the past have typically ended in settlement agreements or consent decrees to force changes. The Minneapolis Police Department is also being investigated by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which is looking into the police department’s policies and practices over the past decade to see if it engaged in systemic discriminatory practices. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said city officials “welcome the investigation as an opportunity to continue working toward deep change and accountability in the Minneapolis Police Department.” The city council also issued a statement supporting the investigation, saying its work had been constrained by local laws and that it welcomes “new tools to pursue transformational, structural changes to how the City provides for public safety.” The Justice Department official said attorneys from the department’s civil rights division are in Minneapolis, working with the U.S. attorney’s office and speaking with community groups and others. Floyd, 46, was arrested on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill for a pack of cigarettes at a corner market. He panicked, pleaded that he was claustrophobic, and struggled with police when they tried to put him in a squad car. They put him on the ground instead. The centerpiece of the case was bystander video of Floyd, handcuffed behind his back, gasping repeatedly, “I can’t breathe,” and onlookers yelling at Chauvin to stop as the officer pressed his knee on or close to Floyd’s neck for what authorities say was about 9 1/2 minutes, including several minutes after Floyd’s breathing had stopped and he had no pulse. Floyd’s death May 25 became a flashpoint in the national conversation about the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement and sparked worldwide protests. At trial, Chauvin’s defense attorney persistently suggested Chauvin’s knee wasn’t on Floyd’s neck for as long as prosecutors argued, suggesting instead it was across Floyd’s back, shoulder blades, and arm. The Justice Department had previously considered opening a pattern or practice investigation into the police department soon after Floyd’s death, but then-Attorney General Bill Barr was hesitant to do so at the time, fearing that it could cause further divisions in law enforcement amid widespread protests and civil unrest, three people familiar with the matter told the AP. Garland said the challenges being faced “are deeply woven into our history.” “They did not arise today or last year,” Garland said. “Building trust between community and law enforcement will take time and effort by all of us, but we undertake this task with determination and urgency knowing that change cannot wait.” Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Some vaccine sites operating far below capacity in Alabama
With Alabama struggling to improve its last-in-the-nation vaccination rate for COVID-19, officials say workers at some immunization sites in the state are providing only a fraction of the shots they could give out. A vaccination clinic in its third week of operation in Lauderdale County has provided about 500 doses, but project manager Mike Melton told WAAY-TV the site could easily provide 500 shots a day “if the demand was there.” “I’m not sure if people are worried about long lines we’ve seen historically. You can see here that’s not an issue. Even if we have a bit of a line, it moves so quickly,” said Casey Willis, administrator at North Alabama Medical Center. In metro Birmingham, where a mass vaccination site was set to open Wednesday at an outlet mall, some questioned whether the facility was even needed since so few people have shown up at an immunization site at the Birmingham Crossplex, an indoor sports facility. “I don’t know that the demand is there to warrant another location,” Pauline Long, co-owner of Meds Plus, told WBMA-TV. The station reported that it visited three vaccination locations Tuesday, and none had lines or were requiring appointments. Jefferson County’s top health official, Dr. Mark Wilson, said the county couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bring more vaccine doses to the state’s most populated area. “We’re just trying to make sure vaccine is widely available. This is a new site in a new area, and we’re also trying to serve the larger region,” he said. Multiple Alabama hospitals also have seen a decline in demand for vaccines, said Dr. Don Williamson, president of the Alabama Hospital Association. It’s unclear whether the addition of new immunization sites or low demand are behind the trend, he said, but some hospitals are looking at scaling back vaccination programs. In heavily populated Mobile, USA Health is offering vaccines for the new coronavirus without a wait at the Civic Center. But only about 100 of the city’s 500 police officers have been vaccinated, even though first responders have been a priority for shots, WPMI-TV reported. “You know, I am a little disappointed in the numbers,” said Public Safety Director Lawrence Battiste. Hospitalizations linked to COVID-19 have jumped about 20% in less than two weeks in Alabama, where more than 523,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, and almost 10,800 have died. While about 1.4 million in the state have received at least one dose of vaccine, Alabama is last nationally in its rate of immunizing people. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
