Tag: coronavirus

New Yorkers would have to flash COVID-19 passport to enter venues under new program

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday the rollout of a new pilot program in which New Yorkers would have to flash a sort of COVID-19 passport in order to enter sports arenas, theaters and other businesses as the state continues reopening efforts.

The plan is to test the “Excelsior Pass,” which will use secure technology to confirm if a person has gotten vaccinated or has had a recent negative COVID-19 exam result, during events at Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center, Cuomo said in a statement.

The pass was tested at Tuesday night’s New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden.

Similar to an airline boarding pass, people will be able to print out their pass or save it on their phones using the Excelsior Pass’s “Wallet App.” Each pass will have a secure QR code, which venues will scan using a companion app to confirm a person’s health status.

Keep reading

Quarantine hotel in Toronto accused of running out of FOOD & WATER as guests let loose on staff

Quarantined travelers formed an angry mob in the lobby of a Toronto hotel after it allegedly ran out of food and bottled water, leaving guests waiting hours to be fed during their mandatory stay.

Canada’s system of mandatory quarantine hotels for those entering the country from abroad are now in question, after a series of endless, chaotic setbacks including food shortages and even alleged sexual assaults.

Some of those experiencing the quarantines, which are mandatory for all incoming travelers for a minimum of three days and at a cost of up to Can$2,000, have documented the problems on social media.

Keep reading

Number of Injuries Reported to CDC After COVID Vaccines Climbs by Nearly 4,000 in One Week

The latest data made public by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) on deaths and injuries reported after COVID vaccines are in line with trends that have been emerging since the first data were released in December.

Between Dec. 14, 2020 and Feb. 18, 2021, 19,907 reports of adverse events have been reported to VAERS, including 1,095 deaths and 3,767 serious injuries.

About a third of the deaths reported occurred within 48 hours of vaccination, and 48% of the people who died became ill within 48 hours of being vaccinated.

Keep reading

Canadian Region Backtracks Mandating Solitary Isolation for COVID-Exposed Children

Public health authorities in Peel Region, Ontario, Canada, released guidelines for children whose classmate has received a positive COVID-19 test result. Children without symptoms were to be put in solitary isolation at home, separated from their family members if possible, reportedly under the threat of a steep fine. The policy has since been described by an expert as “cruel punishment”. Amid significant public backlash, the infographic, described by Peel’s chief health official as not reflective of their real intentions, was recalled.

Last week, the infographic originally published on the Peel Health website called for schoolchildren to self-isolate away from their family members if one of their classmates received a positive COVID-19 test result, even if the child does not have any symptoms. It called for the child to stay and eat in a separate room, use a separate bathroom, and observe ‘social distancing’ guidelines when leaving the room becomes necessary.

Keep reading