Monday, August 31, 2020

In the News: some protest against State flu shot requirement; case clusters arising from smaller gatherings

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Hundreds rallied outside the Massachusetts State House on Sunday to protest the state’s mandate for all of the Commonwealth’s students to receive a flu shot by the end of the year.

A sizable crowd had gathered on Beacon Street by 10 a.m.

People who were scheduled to speak at the protest told NewsCenter 5′s Josh Brogadir that they do not want to be known as “anti-vaccine,” but they do want to be able to make that decision for their children on their own.

On Aug. 19, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced that flu shots will now be required for all students in the state’s schools, from child care through colleges. Students older than six months will have to be vaccinated by Dec. 31, unless either a medical or religious exemption is provided."
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"Images of packed beaches, lakes and bars have made the rounds on traditional and social media for much of the summer, drawing scorn from those concerned about the coronavirus spreading among those crowds.

Less prominent but also troubling are the growing instances of case clusters arising from smaller gatherings.

Contact tracing yields information about the sources of infections as the USA, by far the world leader in total COVID-19 cases and deaths, grapples with how to keep its population safe while propping up a flagging economy. More than 182,000 Americans have been killed by the disease.

The hasty reopening of businesses across much of the nation after the spring shutdown was largely blamed for a summer surge in infections, but social functions of various sizes among relatives, friends and co-workers may have been a contributing factor as well."
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