Politics & Life Sciences (PLS) Radio

Politics & Life Sciences (PLS) with Dean L. Fanelli, Ph.D.

Welcome to Politics & Life Sciences (PLS) Radio

News Story 1 - Over half of U.S. adults ‘unlikely’ to get COVID vaccine under emergency use authorization

https://www.studyfinds.org/half-adults-unlikely-to-get-covid-vaccine/

The coronavirus vaccine is finally a real thing and millions of people have already received it. While the rollout has the world cheering, researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University finds many Americans aren’t exactly chomping at the bit to be the first in line for the vaccine under an emergency use authorization. Their survey reveals 53.1 percent are definitely, likely, or somewhat unwilling to get the shot under emergency use conditions.

The poll does find that 46.9 percent of the 788 U.S. adults surveyed are definitely, likely, or somewhat willing to receive the vaccine under such conditions. So what is keeping the majority of the United States from getting their first shot?

If researchers remove the emergency use authorization stipulation, 59.9 percent of respondents are definitely or probably planning on being vaccinated in the future. Meanwhile, 18.8 percent are neutral on the entire matter and 21.3 percent are probably or definitely not getting the vaccine.

News Story 2 - ER nurse tests positive for COVID-19 eight days after receiving vaccine

Health experts are weighing in after a local nurse tested positive for COVID-19 more than a week after receiving the Pfizer vaccine.

In a Facebook message posted on December 18, Matthew W., an ER nurse at at two different local hospitals, talked about receiving the Pfizer vaccine that day. He told ABC 10News his arm was sore for a day but he suffered no other side effects.

Six days later on Christmas Eve -- after working a shift in the COVID-19 unit -- Matthew, 45, became sick. He got the chills and later came down with muscle aches and fatigue.

The day after Christmas, he went to a drive-up hospital testing site and tested positive for COVID-19.

News Story 3 - WHO Chief Scientist Warns "No Evidence COVID Vaccine Prevents Viral Transmission"

The World Health Organization is urging even people who have received a coronavirus vaccine to quarantine when they travel because there is not yet evidence that vaccines prevent people from transmitting the virus.

WHO's chief scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, noted on Monday that the agency had not established whether the COVID-19 vaccines being administered across the US and in Europe prevented people from getting the virus and passing it to others.

"At the moment I don't believe we have the evidence of any of the vaccines to be confident that it's going to prevent people from actually getting the infection and therefore being able to pass it on," Swaminathan told a virtual briefing, in comments reported by Axios.

Swaminathan was responding to a question about whether vaccinated people should still be required to quarantine when traveling to countries with lower transmission rates.

News Story 4 - You May Need A COVID Vaccine Passport To Travel In 2021

In order for people to travel in 2021, they may eventually need a COVID vaccine passport.

Several companies and technology groups have begun developing smartphone apps or systems for individuals to upload details of their COVID-19 tests and vaccinations, creating digital credentials that could be shown in order to enter concert venues, stadiums, movie theaters, offices, or even countries.

The Common Trust Network, an initiative by Geneva-based nonprofit The Commons Project and the World Economic Forum, has partnered with several airlines including Cathay Pacific, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Swiss Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, as well as hundreds of health systems across the United States and the government of Aruba.

The CommonPass app created by the group allows users to upload medical data such as a COVID-19 test result or, eventually, a proof of vaccination by a hospital or medical professional, generating a health certificate or pass in the form of a QR code that can be shown to authorities without revealing sensitive information. For travel, the app lists health pass requirements at the points of departure and arrival based on your itinerary.

My guest today is Ben Fuchs, a nutritional pharmacist specializing in using nutritional supplements where other healthcare practitioners use toxic pharmaceutical drugs. Ben is also the host of The Bright Side Radio Show, a nationally syndicated radio program on the Genesis Communications Radio Network.