COVID STRIKES Hochul’s mask requirements
of mutations and variants made it imperative
for there to be a greater improvement
in the rates of vaccination.”
The leaders also begged the Biden
Administration in Washington to deliver
the next batch of Pfizer vaccines ahead of
the planned deadline as they “conveyed
the gravity of the situation.” British officials
were, like their US counterparts,
asked to assist the region in acquiring
field hospitals and accompanying equipment
to ease the strain on the regional
health system and to review re-entry
rules for tourists who visit the Caribbean
at this time as problems have arisen in
this regard.
The US last month shipped nearly
600,000 Pfizer doses to the bloc as part of
a planned donation of 5.5 million doses in
the coming months. Leaders now hope a
second batch can arrive quickly.
Additionally, the heads say they will
share, as they have already done recently,
any excess vaccines in the system among
nations as well as personal protective
equipment and test kits, while planning to
approach the international COVAX sharing
facility to allow for vaccine reallocation
among those in need.
Latest statistics indicate that there
have been about 1,400 deaths in the
15-nation bloc so far between July and
mid-September in addition to 100,000
new confirmed cases. “Since the outbreak
Caribbean Life, S 12 EPTEMBER 17-23, 2021
in March 2020, the region has seen
more than 300,000 confirmed cases with
more than 6,700 deaths. The percentage
of deaths was exceedingly high among
unvaccinated people with less than one
percent of deaths recorded by persons
who were vaccinated,” the heads pointed
out.
In many countries, schools remain
closed as authorities fear that face to face
learning might add to spikes in numbers
while nighttime and weekend curfews
abound among member states. In The
Bahamas, which holds general elections
this week, there are real fears that people
congestion during the campaign will hike
positive numbers and further overwhelm
an already overburdened health system,
officials said.
Continued from Page 1
Office of Mental Health, the Office of
Addiction Services and Supports, the
Office for People With Developmental
Disabilities, Office of Children and
Family Services and the Office of Temporary
and Disability Assistance.
This includes but is not limited to
certified residential and day programs,
inpatient and outpatient mental health
facilities, substance abuse programs,
juvenile detention programs, juvenile
residential facilities, congregate foster
care programs, runaway and homeless
youth, domestic violence and other
shelter programs. These requirements
apply to anyone medically able to tolerate
wearing a mask, regardless of
vaccination status.
“With the Delta variant on the rise,
requiring masks at state-regulated
child care, mental health and substance
abuse facilities is a key part of
our broader strategy for slowing the
spread of the virus, reopening our
economy safely, and protecting vulnerable
members of our population,”
Gov. Hochul said.
“For children under 12 who are not
yet eligible to be vaccinated, masks
are the best line of defense against
COVID-19 infection,” she added. “This
new mask requirement ensures that
children in our child care facilities
receive the same protection as children
in our schools.”
The Office of the Governor of the
State of New York said the new mask
requirement in child care facilities
brings the state into compliance
with federal Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention guidance issued
in July that recommends universal
indoor masking for anyone age two
and older who has not been vaccinated
against COVID-19, and is medically
able to wear a mask.
The mandate also brings child care
facilities in alignment with school
masking requirements announced on
Hochul’s first day in office.
For children under 12 who are not
yet eligible to be vaccinated, masks are
the best line of defense against COVID-
19 infection, the governor said, adding
that “this new mask requirement
ensures that children in our child care
facilities receive the same protection
as children in our schools.”
Because the Delta variant is “so
highly transmissible,” Hochul said
there have been large increases in
cases across all age groups.
“Because children under 12 years
of age are not yet eligible to receive
the vaccine, there have been large
increases in cases among children,
which translates to higher numbers
of severe cases,” she said. “Additional
protective measures will help to keep
New York’s children safe at this important
time.”
Continued from Page 1
CARICOM Chairman and Antigua
and Barbuda Prime Minister, Gaston
Browne. Gov’t of Antigua and Barbuda
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