IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Dear IMLA COVID-19 Working Group:
I wanted to provide a couple of updates for the group:
-
As a reminder, NLC held a vaccine mandate webinar (just before President Biden's announcement last week so it does not cover that issue). If you would like to review the recording, you can access it here: https://www.nlc.org/resource/from-the-event-municipal-employee-vaccine-mandates/?_zs=0Sx1d&_zl=bstk2
-
Arizona has sued the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate. Here is a copy of the complaint: https://www.azag.gov/sites/default/files/docs/press-releases/2021/complaints/Vaccine_Equal_Protection_Complaint_FINAL.pdf. (Note: I have no idea if this is in response to the lawsuit, but USCIS announced last night that it will require immigrants to get vaccinated as a condition for admissibility subject to medical and religious exemptions. It also exempts those who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated (i.e., minors under 12) Here's the USCIS announcement: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/covid-19-vaccination-required-for-immigration-medical-examinations).
-
There have been some questions as to whether EMS employees would be subject to the new vaccine mandates. While we do not have the rule yet, there are some indications that they may be under the requirement having to do with health care settings that accept Medicare / Medicaid needing to require the vaccine or weekly testing for their employees. This is a link to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' press release on the vaccine mandate: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-expand-vaccination-requirements-health-care-settings. The press release states: "The Biden-Harris Administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilitieshttps://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Find-Your-Provider-Type/Facilities/Facilities-page to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious Delta variant. " And when you click on the link for facilities from that press release it lists ambulances under the definition. Also, I found this article helpful on the issue of EMS being possibly covered: https://www.jems.com/commentary/ems-lawline-president-bidens-covid-19-action-plan-and-its-impact-on-ems-agencies/. As the article notes, there was an OSHA rule back in June of this year that defined health care services to include emergency medical personnel. My understanding is that almost all ambulance agencies bill and receive payment from Medicare, so it is safe to assume that ambulance agencies will likely be covered by the mandate. The press release indicates we should have an interim final rule in October, so we will know definitively by that time.
-
As a reminder, I am compiling a spreadsheet with information about local governments' vaccine and mask requirements (if any). You can view it here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gTNwveCCN3bwBc5_zjJ4sKR6tGwNFktTIcTOEJ-PCYI/edit?usp=sharing. I try to keep this up to date, but rely on you to let me know if things have changed in your city/county.
Thanks,
Amanda
Amanda Kellar Karras
Deputy General Counsel /
Director of Legal Advocacy
P: (202) 466-5424 x7116
Email: akarras@imla.org
[facebook icon]https://www.facebook.com/InternationalMunicipalLawyersAssociation/[twitter icon]https://twitter.com/imlalegal[linkedin icon]https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-municipal-lawyers-association-inc./
[logo]https://imla.org/
51 Monroe St. Suite 404
Rockville, MD, 20850
www.imla.orghttp://www.imla.org/
Plan Ahead!
IMLA's 86th Annual Conferencehttps://imla.org/annual-conference/, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, MN!
A bit of scary medical research from Judaism on rapid decline of effectiveness of COVID19 vaccines:
A group of Japanese researchers released research showing that the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant “is poised to acquire complete resistance” to existing COVID-19 jabs
When four common mutations were introduced to the Delta variant, Pfizer’s mRNA injection enhanced its infectivity, causing it to become resistant
A Delta variant with three mutations has already emerged, which suggests it’s only a matter of time before a fourth mutation develops, at which point complete resistance to Pfizer’s jab may be imminent
A number of experts have raised concerns that COVID-19 jabs and the mass vaccination program could worsen the pandemic by triggering the development of new variants, via a concept known as antigenic, or immune, escape
Another study found that a worst-case scenario can develop when a large percentage of a population is vaccinated but viral transmission remains high, driving the development of resistant strains
From: Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:02:16 AM
To: disasterrelief@lists.imla.org disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [Disasterrelief] IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Dear IMLA COVID-19 Working Group:
I wanted to provide a couple of updates for the group:
-
As a reminder, NLC held a vaccine mandate webinar (just before President Biden’s announcement last week so it does not cover that issue). If you would like to review the recording, you can access it here: https://www.nlc.org/resource/from-the-event-municipal-employee-vaccine-mandates/?_zs=0Sx1d&_zl=bstk2
-
Arizona has sued the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate. Here is a copy of the complaint: https://www.azag.gov/sites/default/files/docs/press-releases/2021/complaints/Vaccine_Equal_Protection_Complaint_FINAL.pdf. (Note: I have no idea if this is in response to the lawsuit, but USCIS announced last night that it will require immigrants to get vaccinated as a condition for admissibility subject to medical and religious exemptions. It also exempts those who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated (i.e., minors under 12) Here’s the USCIS announcement: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/covid-19-vaccination-required-for-immigration-medical-examinations).
-
There have been some questions as to whether EMS employees would be subject to the new vaccine mandates. While we do not have the rule yet, there are some indications that they may be under the requirement having to do with health care settings that accept Medicare / Medicaid needing to require the vaccine or weekly testing for their employees. This is a link to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ press release on the vaccine mandate: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-expand-vaccination-requirements-health-care-settings. The press release states: “The Biden-Harris Administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilitieshttps://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Find-Your-Provider-Type/Facilities/Facilities-page to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious Delta variant. “ And when you click on the link for facilities from that press release it lists ambulances under the definition. Also, I found this article helpful on the issue of EMS being possibly covered: https://www.jems.com/commentary/ems-lawline-president-bidens-covid-19-action-plan-and-its-impact-on-ems-agencies/. As the article notes, there was an OSHA rule back in June of this year that defined health care services to include emergency medical personnel. My understanding is that almost all ambulance agencies bill and receive payment from Medicare, so it is safe to assume that ambulance agencies will likely be covered by the mandate. The press release indicates we should have an interim final rule in October, so we will know definitively by that time.
-
As a reminder, I am compiling a spreadsheet with information about local governments’ vaccine and mask requirements (if any). You can view it here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gTNwveCCN3bwBc5_zjJ4sKR6tGwNFktTIcTOEJ-PCYI/edit?usp=sharing. I try to keep this up to date, but rely on you to let me know if things have changed in your city/county.
Thanks,
Amanda
Amanda Kellar Karras
Deputy General Counsel /
Director of Legal Advocacy
P: (202) 466-5424 x7116
Email: akarras@imla.org
[facebook icon]https://www.facebook.com/InternationalMunicipalLawyersAssociation/[twitter icon]https://twitter.com/imlalegal[linkedin icon]https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-municipal-lawyers-association-inc./
[logo]https://imla.org/
51 Monroe St. Suite 404
Rockville, MD, 20850
www.imla.orghttp://www.imla.org/
Plan Ahead!
IMLA’s 86th Annual Conferencehttps://imla.org/annual-conference/, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, MN!
Sorry - Just noticed The autocorrect of Japanese to Judaism.
Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/ghei36
From: Brett Kriger bkriger@lma.org
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:07:33 AM
To: Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org; disasterrelief@lists.imla.org disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
A bit of scary medical research from Judaism on rapid decline of effectiveness of COVID19 vaccines:
A group of Japanese researchers released research showing that the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant “is poised to acquire complete resistance” to existing COVID-19 jabs
When four common mutations were introduced to the Delta variant, Pfizer’s mRNA injection enhanced its infectivity, causing it to become resistant
A Delta variant with three mutations has already emerged, which suggests it’s only a matter of time before a fourth mutation develops, at which point complete resistance to Pfizer’s jab may be imminent
A number of experts have raised concerns that COVID-19 jabs and the mass vaccination program could worsen the pandemic by triggering the development of new variants, via a concept known as antigenic, or immune, escape
Another study found that a worst-case scenario can develop when a large percentage of a population is vaccinated but viral transmission remains high, driving the development of resistant strains
From: Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:02:16 AM
To: disasterrelief@lists.imla.org disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [Disasterrelief] IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Dear IMLA COVID-19 Working Group:
I wanted to provide a couple of updates for the group:
-
As a reminder, NLC held a vaccine mandate webinar (just before President Biden’s announcement last week so it does not cover that issue). If you would like to review the recording, you can access it here: https://www.nlc.org/resource/from-the-event-municipal-employee-vaccine-mandates/?_zs=0Sx1d&_zl=bstk2
-
Arizona has sued the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate. Here is a copy of the complaint: https://www.azag.gov/sites/default/files/docs/press-releases/2021/complaints/Vaccine_Equal_Protection_Complaint_FINAL.pdf. (Note: I have no idea if this is in response to the lawsuit, but USCIS announced last night that it will require immigrants to get vaccinated as a condition for admissibility subject to medical and religious exemptions. It also exempts those who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated (i.e., minors under 12) Here’s the USCIS announcement: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/covid-19-vaccination-required-for-immigration-medical-examinations).
-
There have been some questions as to whether EMS employees would be subject to the new vaccine mandates. While we do not have the rule yet, there are some indications that they may be under the requirement having to do with health care settings that accept Medicare / Medicaid needing to require the vaccine or weekly testing for their employees. This is a link to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ press release on the vaccine mandate: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-expand-vaccination-requirements-health-care-settings. The press release states: “The Biden-Harris Administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilitieshttps://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Find-Your-Provider-Type/Facilities/Facilities-page to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious Delta variant. “ And when you click on the link for facilities from that press release it lists ambulances under the definition. Also, I found this article helpful on the issue of EMS being possibly covered: https://www.jems.com/commentary/ems-lawline-president-bidens-covid-19-action-plan-and-its-impact-on-ems-agencies/. As the article notes, there was an OSHA rule back in June of this year that defined health care services to include emergency medical personnel. My understanding is that almost all ambulance agencies bill and receive payment from Medicare, so it is safe to assume that ambulance agencies will likely be covered by the mandate. The press release indicates we should have an interim final rule in October, so we will know definitively by that time.
-
As a reminder, I am compiling a spreadsheet with information about local governments’ vaccine and mask requirements (if any). You can view it here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gTNwveCCN3bwBc5_zjJ4sKR6tGwNFktTIcTOEJ-PCYI/edit?usp=sharing. I try to keep this up to date, but rely on you to let me know if things have changed in your city/county.
Thanks,
Amanda
Amanda Kellar Karras
Deputy General Counsel /
Director of Legal Advocacy
P: (202) 466-5424 x7116
Email: akarras@imla.org
[facebook icon]https://www.facebook.com/InternationalMunicipalLawyersAssociation/[twitter icon]https://twitter.com/imlalegal[linkedin icon]https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-municipal-lawyers-association-inc./
[logo]https://imla.org/
51 Monroe St. Suite 404
Rockville, MD, 20850
www.imla.orghttp://www.imla.org/
Plan Ahead!
IMLA’s 86th Annual Conferencehttps://imla.org/annual-conference/, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, MN!
Respectfully, what has this got to do with legal matters? If I wanted to read garbage undercutting the COVID vaccines, I'd look at my high school friends' Facebook pages.
Steve
Stephen M. Hines
Senior Assistant City Attorney
Office of the City Attorney
City of Garland
P.O. Box 469002
Garland, Texas 75046-9002
Telephone: (972) 205-2380
Facsimile: (972) 205-2389
Cellular: (972) 743-9564
[cid:image001.jpg@01D5F94F.262E5180]
[cid:image003.png@01D2D2D3.D514AC80]
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." - Pres. Theodore Roosevelt
From: Brett Kriger bkriger@lma.org
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:08 AM
To: Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org; disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
A bit of scary medical research from Judaism on rapid decline of effectiveness of COVID19 vaccines:
A group of Japanese researchers released research showing that the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant "is poised to acquire complete resistance" to existing COVID-19 jabs
When four common mutations were introduced to the Delta variant, Pfizer's mRNA injection enhanced its infectivity, causing it to become resistant
A Delta variant with three mutations has already emerged, which suggests it's only a matter of time before a fourth mutation develops, at which point complete resistance to Pfizer's jab may be imminent
A number of experts have raised concerns that COVID-19 jabs and the mass vaccination program could worsen the pandemic by triggering the development of new variants, via a concept known as antigenic, or immune, escape
Another study found that a worst-case scenario can develop when a large percentage of a population is vaccinated but viral transmission remains high, driving the development of resistant strains
From: Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:02:16 AM
To: disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org <disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org>
Subject: [Disasterrelief] IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Dear IMLA COVID-19 Working Group:
I wanted to provide a couple of updates for the group:
-
As a reminder, NLC held a vaccine mandate webinar (just before President Biden's announcement last week so it does not cover that issue). If you would like to review the recording, you can access it here: https://www.nlc.org/resource/from-the-event-municipal-employee-vaccine-mandates/?_zs=0Sx1d&_zl=bstk2
-
Arizona has sued the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate. Here is a copy of the complaint: https://www.azag.gov/sites/default/files/docs/press-releases/2021/complaints/Vaccine_Equal_Protection_Complaint_FINAL.pdf. (Note: I have no idea if this is in response to the lawsuit, but USCIS announced last night that it will require immigrants to get vaccinated as a condition for admissibility subject to medical and religious exemptions. It also exempts those who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated (i.e., minors under 12) Here's the USCIS announcement: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/covid-19-vaccination-required-for-immigration-medical-examinations).
-
There have been some questions as to whether EMS employees would be subject to the new vaccine mandates. While we do not have the rule yet, there are some indications that they may be under the requirement having to do with health care settings that accept Medicare / Medicaid needing to require the vaccine or weekly testing for their employees. This is a link to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' press release on the vaccine mandate: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-expand-vaccination-requirements-health-care-settings. The press release states: "The Biden-Harris Administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilitieshttps://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Find-Your-Provider-Type/Facilities/Facilities-page to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious Delta variant. " And when you click on the link for facilities from that press release it lists ambulances under the definition. Also, I found this article helpful on the issue of EMS being possibly covered: https://www.jems.com/commentary/ems-lawline-president-bidens-covid-19-action-plan-and-its-impact-on-ems-agencies/. As the article notes, there was an OSHA rule back in June of this year that defined health care services to include emergency medical personnel. My understanding is that almost all ambulance agencies bill and receive payment from Medicare, so it is safe to assume that ambulance agencies will likely be covered by the mandate. The press release indicates we should have an interim final rule in October, so we will know definitively by that time.
-
As a reminder, I am compiling a spreadsheet with information about local governments' vaccine and mask requirements (if any). You can view it here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gTNwveCCN3bwBc5_zjJ4sKR6tGwNFktTIcTOEJ-PCYI/edit?usp=sharing. I try to keep this up to date, but rely on you to let me know if things have changed in your city/county.
Thanks,
Amanda
Amanda Kellar Karras
Deputy General Counsel /
Director of Legal Advocacy
P: (202) 466-5424 x7116
Email: akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org
[facebook icon]https://www.facebook.com/InternationalMunicipalLawyersAssociation/[twitter icon]https://twitter.com/imlalegal[linkedin icon]https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-municipal-lawyers-association-inc./
[logo]https://imla.org/
51 Monroe St. Suite 404
Rockville, MD, 20850
www.imla.orghttp://www.imla.org/
Plan Ahead!
IMLA's 86th Annual Conferencehttps://imla.org/annual-conference/, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, MN!
Equally "respectfully" - the legal matter is if you require a COVID19 vaccine, which one (s) do you require/accept. What I sent was Japanese medical research on the latest findings on the Pfizer vaccine.
Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/ghei36
From: Hines, Stephen SHines@garlandtx.gov
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:12:48 AM
To: Brett Kriger bkriger@lma.org; Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org; disasterrelief@lists.imla.org disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: RE: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Respectfully, what has this got to do with legal matters? If I wanted to read garbage undercutting the COVID vaccines, I’d look at my high school friends’ Facebook pages.
Steve
Stephen M. Hines
Senior Assistant City Attorney
Office of the City Attorney
City of Garland
P.O. Box 469002
Garland, Texas 75046-9002
Telephone: (972) 205-2380
Facsimile: (972) 205-2389
Cellular: (972) 743-9564
[cid:image001.jpg@01D5F94F.262E5180]
[cid:image003.png@01D2D2D3.D514AC80]
“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” – Pres. Theodore Roosevelt
From: Brett Kriger bkriger@lma.org
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:08 AM
To: Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org; disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
A bit of scary medical research from Judaism on rapid decline of effectiveness of COVID19 vaccines:
A group of Japanese researchers released research showing that the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant “is poised to acquire complete resistance” to existing COVID-19 jabs
When four common mutations were introduced to the Delta variant, Pfizer’s mRNA injection enhanced its infectivity, causing it to become resistant
A Delta variant with three mutations has already emerged, which suggests it’s only a matter of time before a fourth mutation develops, at which point complete resistance to Pfizer’s jab may be imminent
A number of experts have raised concerns that COVID-19 jabs and the mass vaccination program could worsen the pandemic by triggering the development of new variants, via a concept known as antigenic, or immune, escape
Another study found that a worst-case scenario can develop when a large percentage of a population is vaccinated but viral transmission remains high, driving the development of resistant strains
From: Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:02:16 AM
To: disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org <disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org>
Subject: [Disasterrelief] IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Dear IMLA COVID-19 Working Group:
I wanted to provide a couple of updates for the group:
-
As a reminder, NLC held a vaccine mandate webinar (just before President Biden’s announcement last week so it does not cover that issue). If you would like to review the recording, you can access it here: https://www.nlc.org/resource/from-the-event-municipal-employee-vaccine-mandates/?_zs=0Sx1d&_zl=bstk2
-
Arizona has sued the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate. Here is a copy of the complaint: https://www.azag.gov/sites/default/files/docs/press-releases/2021/complaints/Vaccine_Equal_Protection_Complaint_FINAL.pdf. (Note: I have no idea if this is in response to the lawsuit, but USCIS announced last night that it will require immigrants to get vaccinated as a condition for admissibility subject to medical and religious exemptions. It also exempts those who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated (i.e., minors under 12) Here’s the USCIS announcement: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/covid-19-vaccination-required-for-immigration-medical-examinations).
-
There have been some questions as to whether EMS employees would be subject to the new vaccine mandates. While we do not have the rule yet, there are some indications that they may be under the requirement having to do with health care settings that accept Medicare / Medicaid needing to require the vaccine or weekly testing for their employees. This is a link to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ press release on the vaccine mandate: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-expand-vaccination-requirements-health-care-settings. The press release states: “The Biden-Harris Administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilitieshttps://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Find-Your-Provider-Type/Facilities/Facilities-page to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious Delta variant. “ And when you click on the link for facilities from that press release it lists ambulances under the definition. Also, I found this article helpful on the issue of EMS being possibly covered: https://www.jems.com/commentary/ems-lawline-president-bidens-covid-19-action-plan-and-its-impact-on-ems-agencies/. As the article notes, there was an OSHA rule back in June of this year that defined health care services to include emergency medical personnel. My understanding is that almost all ambulance agencies bill and receive payment from Medicare, so it is safe to assume that ambulance agencies will likely be covered by the mandate. The press release indicates we should have an interim final rule in October, so we will know definitively by that time.
-
As a reminder, I am compiling a spreadsheet with information about local governments’ vaccine and mask requirements (if any). You can view it here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gTNwveCCN3bwBc5_zjJ4sKR6tGwNFktTIcTOEJ-PCYI/edit?usp=sharing. I try to keep this up to date, but rely on you to let me know if things have changed in your city/county.
Thanks,
Amanda
Amanda Kellar Karras
Deputy General Counsel /
Director of Legal Advocacy
P: (202) 466-5424 x7116
Email: akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org
[facebook icon]https://www.facebook.com/InternationalMunicipalLawyersAssociation/[twitter icon]https://twitter.com/imlalegal[linkedin icon]https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-municipal-lawyers-association-inc./
[logo]https://imla.org/
51 Monroe St. Suite 404
Rockville, MD, 20850
www.imla.orghttp://www.imla.org/
Plan Ahead!
IMLA’s 86th Annual Conferencehttps://imla.org/annual-conference/, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, MN!
Did you include the study? All I received was your email. No links or attachments of referenced research.
From: Brett Kriger bkriger@lma.org
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 8:24 AM
To: Hines, Stephen SHines@garlandtx.gov; Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org; disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [External] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Equally "respectfully" - the legal matter is if you require a COVID19 vaccine, which one (s) do you require/accept. What I sent was Japanese medical research on the latest findings on the Pfizer vaccine.
Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/ghei36
From: Hines, Stephen <SHines@garlandtx.govmailto:SHines@garlandtx.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:12:48 AM
To: Brett Kriger <bkriger@lma.orgmailto:bkriger@lma.org>; Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>; disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org <disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org>
Subject: RE: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Respectfully, what has this got to do with legal matters? If I wanted to read garbage undercutting the COVID vaccines, I'd look at my high school friends' Facebook pages.
Steve
Stephen M. Hines
Senior Assistant City Attorney
Office of the City Attorney
City of Garland
P.O. Box 469002
Garland, Texas 75046-9002
Telephone: (972) 205-2380
Facsimile: (972) 205-2389
Cellular: (972) 743-9564
[cid:image001.jpg@01D5F94F.262E5180]
[cid:image003.png@01D2D2D3.D514AC80]
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." - Pres. Theodore Roosevelt
From: Brett Kriger <bkriger@lma.orgmailto:bkriger@lma.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:08 AM
To: Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>; disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
A bit of scary medical research from Judaism on rapid decline of effectiveness of COVID19 vaccines:
A group of Japanese researchers released research showing that the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant "is poised to acquire complete resistance" to existing COVID-19 jabs
When four common mutations were introduced to the Delta variant, Pfizer's mRNA injection enhanced its infectivity, causing it to become resistant
A Delta variant with three mutations has already emerged, which suggests it's only a matter of time before a fourth mutation develops, at which point complete resistance to Pfizer's jab may be imminent
A number of experts have raised concerns that COVID-19 jabs and the mass vaccination program could worsen the pandemic by triggering the development of new variants, via a concept known as antigenic, or immune, escape
Another study found that a worst-case scenario can develop when a large percentage of a population is vaccinated but viral transmission remains high, driving the development of resistant strains
From: Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:02:16 AM
To: disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org <disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org>
Subject: [Disasterrelief] IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Dear IMLA COVID-19 Working Group:
I wanted to provide a couple of updates for the group:
-
As a reminder, NLC held a vaccine mandate webinar (just before President Biden's announcement last week so it does not cover that issue). If you would like to review the recording, you can access it here: https://www.nlc.org/resource/from-the-event-municipal-employee-vaccine-mandates/?_zs=0Sx1d&_zl=bstk2
-
Arizona has sued the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate. Here is a copy of the complaint: https://www.azag.gov/sites/default/files/docs/press-releases/2021/complaints/Vaccine_Equal_Protection_Complaint_FINAL.pdf. (Note: I have no idea if this is in response to the lawsuit, but USCIS announced last night that it will require immigrants to get vaccinated as a condition for admissibility subject to medical and religious exemptions. It also exempts those who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated (i.e., minors under 12) Here's the USCIS announcement: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/covid-19-vaccination-required-for-immigration-medical-examinations).
-
There have been some questions as to whether EMS employees would be subject to the new vaccine mandates. While we do not have the rule yet, there are some indications that they may be under the requirement having to do with health care settings that accept Medicare / Medicaid needing to require the vaccine or weekly testing for their employees. This is a link to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' press release on the vaccine mandate: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-expand-vaccination-requirements-health-care-settings. The press release states: "The Biden-Harris Administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilitieshttps://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Find-Your-Provider-Type/Facilities/Facilities-page to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious Delta variant. " And when you click on the link for facilities from that press release it lists ambulances under the definition. Also, I found this article helpful on the issue of EMS being possibly covered: https://www.jems.com/commentary/ems-lawline-president-bidens-covid-19-action-plan-and-its-impact-on-ems-agencies/. As the article notes, there was an OSHA rule back in June of this year that defined health care services to include emergency medical personnel. My understanding is that almost all ambulance agencies bill and receive payment from Medicare, so it is safe to assume that ambulance agencies will likely be covered by the mandate. The press release indicates we should have an interim final rule in October, so we will know definitively by that time.
-
As a reminder, I am compiling a spreadsheet with information about local governments' vaccine and mask requirements (if any). You can view it here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gTNwveCCN3bwBc5_zjJ4sKR6tGwNFktTIcTOEJ-PCYI/edit?usp=sharing. I try to keep this up to date, but rely on you to let me know if things have changed in your city/county.
Thanks,
Amanda
Amanda Kellar Karras
Deputy General Counsel /
Director of Legal Advocacy
P: (202) 466-5424 x7116
Email: akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org
[facebook icon]https://www.facebook.com/InternationalMunicipalLawyersAssociation/[twitter icon]https://twitter.com/imlalegal[linkedin icon]https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-municipal-lawyers-association-inc./
[logo]https://imla.org/
51 Monroe St. Suite 404
Rockville, MD, 20850
www.imla.orghttp://www.imla.org/
Plan Ahead!
IMLA's 86th Annual Conferencehttps://imla.org/annual-conference/, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, MN!
Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/ghei36
From: Brian Loewen Brian.Loewen@lethbridge.ca
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:24:56 AM
To: Brett Kriger bkriger@lma.org; Hines, Stephen SHines@garlandtx.gov; Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org; disasterrelief@lists.imla.org disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: RE: [External] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Did you include the study? All I received was your email. No links or attachments of referenced research.
From: Brett Kriger bkriger@lma.org
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 8:24 AM
To: Hines, Stephen SHines@garlandtx.gov; Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org; disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [External] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Equally "respectfully" - the legal matter is if you require a COVID19 vaccine, which one (s) do you require/accept. What I sent was Japanese medical research on the latest findings on the Pfizer vaccine.
Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/ghei36
From: Hines, Stephen <SHines@garlandtx.govmailto:SHines@garlandtx.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:12:48 AM
To: Brett Kriger <bkriger@lma.orgmailto:bkriger@lma.org>; Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>; disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org <disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org>
Subject: RE: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Respectfully, what has this got to do with legal matters? If I wanted to read garbage undercutting the COVID vaccines, I’d look at my high school friends’ Facebook pages.
Steve
Stephen M. Hines
Senior Assistant City Attorney
Office of the City Attorney
City of Garland
P.O. Box 469002
Garland, Texas 75046-9002
Telephone: (972) 205-2380
Facsimile: (972) 205-2389
Cellular: (972) 743-9564
[cid:image001.jpg@01D5F94F.262E5180]
[cid:image003.png@01D2D2D3.D514AC80]
“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” – Pres. Theodore Roosevelt
From: Brett Kriger <bkriger@lma.orgmailto:bkriger@lma.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:08 AM
To: Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>; disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
A bit of scary medical research from Judaism on rapid decline of effectiveness of COVID19 vaccines:
A group of Japanese researchers released research showing that the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant “is poised to acquire complete resistance” to existing COVID-19 jabs
When four common mutations were introduced to the Delta variant, Pfizer’s mRNA injection enhanced its infectivity, causing it to become resistant
A Delta variant with three mutations has already emerged, which suggests it’s only a matter of time before a fourth mutation develops, at which point complete resistance to Pfizer’s jab may be imminent
A number of experts have raised concerns that COVID-19 jabs and the mass vaccination program could worsen the pandemic by triggering the development of new variants, via a concept known as antigenic, or immune, escape
Another study found that a worst-case scenario can develop when a large percentage of a population is vaccinated but viral transmission remains high, driving the development of resistant strains
From: Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:02:16 AM
To: disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org <disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org>
Subject: [Disasterrelief] IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Dear IMLA COVID-19 Working Group:
I wanted to provide a couple of updates for the group:
-
As a reminder, NLC held a vaccine mandate webinar (just before President Biden’s announcement last week so it does not cover that issue). If you would like to review the recording, you can access it here: https://www.nlc.org/resource/from-the-event-municipal-employee-vaccine-mandates/?_zs=0Sx1d&_zl=bstk2
-
Arizona has sued the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate. Here is a copy of the complaint: https://www.azag.gov/sites/default/files/docs/press-releases/2021/complaints/Vaccine_Equal_Protection_Complaint_FINAL.pdf. (Note: I have no idea if this is in response to the lawsuit, but USCIS announced last night that it will require immigrants to get vaccinated as a condition for admissibility subject to medical and religious exemptions. It also exempts those who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated (i.e., minors under 12) Here’s the USCIS announcement: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/covid-19-vaccination-required-for-immigration-medical-examinations).
-
There have been some questions as to whether EMS employees would be subject to the new vaccine mandates. While we do not have the rule yet, there are some indications that they may be under the requirement having to do with health care settings that accept Medicare / Medicaid needing to require the vaccine or weekly testing for their employees. This is a link to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ press release on the vaccine mandate: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-expand-vaccination-requirements-health-care-settings. The press release states: “The Biden-Harris Administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilitieshttps://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Find-Your-Provider-Type/Facilities/Facilities-page to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious Delta variant. “ And when you click on the link for facilities from that press release it lists ambulances under the definition. Also, I found this article helpful on the issue of EMS being possibly covered: https://www.jems.com/commentary/ems-lawline-president-bidens-covid-19-action-plan-and-its-impact-on-ems-agencies/. As the article notes, there was an OSHA rule back in June of this year that defined health care services to include emergency medical personnel. My understanding is that almost all ambulance agencies bill and receive payment from Medicare, so it is safe to assume that ambulance agencies will likely be covered by the mandate. The press release indicates we should have an interim final rule in October, so we will know definitively by that time.
-
As a reminder, I am compiling a spreadsheet with information about local governments’ vaccine and mask requirements (if any). You can view it here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gTNwveCCN3bwBc5_zjJ4sKR6tGwNFktTIcTOEJ-PCYI/edit?usp=sharing. I try to keep this up to date, but rely on you to let me know if things have changed in your city/county.
Thanks,
Amanda
Amanda Kellar Karras
Deputy General Counsel /
Director of Legal Advocacy
P: (202) 466-5424 x7116
Email: akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org
[facebook icon]https://www.facebook.com/InternationalMunicipalLawyersAssociation/[twitter icon]https://twitter.com/imlalegal[linkedin icon]https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-municipal-lawyers-association-inc./
[logo]https://imla.org/
51 Monroe St. Suite 404
Rockville, MD, 20850
www.imla.orghttp://www.imla.org/
Plan Ahead!
IMLA’s 86th Annual Conferencehttps://imla.org/annual-conference/, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, MN!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Free_Press
A quick review of the website and a basic search on the internet demonstrates that there is a question about the reliability of this information. It is more of an editorial.
Respect people's right to express their views but this isn't research or reliable.
From: Brett Kriger bkriger@lma.org
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 8:27 AM
To: Brian Loewen Brian.Loewen@lethbridge.ca; Hines, Stephen SHines@garlandtx.gov; Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org; disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: Re: [External] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/ghei36
From: Brian Loewen <Brian.Loewen@lethbridge.camailto:Brian.Loewen@lethbridge.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:24:56 AM
To: Brett Kriger <bkriger@lma.orgmailto:bkriger@lma.org>; Hines, Stephen <SHines@garlandtx.govmailto:SHines@garlandtx.gov>; Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>; disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org <disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org>
Subject: RE: [External] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Did you include the study? All I received was your email. No links or attachments of referenced research.
From: Brett Kriger <bkriger@lma.orgmailto:bkriger@lma.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 8:24 AM
To: Hines, Stephen <SHines@garlandtx.govmailto:SHines@garlandtx.gov>; Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>; disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [External] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Equally "respectfully" - the legal matter is if you require a COVID19 vaccine, which one (s) do you require/accept. What I sent was Japanese medical research on the latest findings on the Pfizer vaccine.
Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/ghei36
From: Hines, Stephen <SHines@garlandtx.govmailto:SHines@garlandtx.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:12:48 AM
To: Brett Kriger <bkriger@lma.orgmailto:bkriger@lma.org>; Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>; disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org <disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org>
Subject: RE: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Respectfully, what has this got to do with legal matters? If I wanted to read garbage undercutting the COVID vaccines, I'd look at my high school friends' Facebook pages.
Steve
Stephen M. Hines
Senior Assistant City Attorney
Office of the City Attorney
City of Garland
P.O. Box 469002
Garland, Texas 75046-9002
Telephone: (972) 205-2380
Facsimile: (972) 205-2389
Cellular: (972) 743-9564
[cid:image001.jpg@01D5F94F.262E5180]
[cid:image003.png@01D2D2D3.D514AC80]
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." - Pres. Theodore Roosevelt
From: Brett Kriger <bkriger@lma.orgmailto:bkriger@lma.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:08 AM
To: Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>; disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
A bit of scary medical research from Judaism on rapid decline of effectiveness of COVID19 vaccines:
A group of Japanese researchers released research showing that the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant "is poised to acquire complete resistance" to existing COVID-19 jabs
When four common mutations were introduced to the Delta variant, Pfizer's mRNA injection enhanced its infectivity, causing it to become resistant
A Delta variant with three mutations has already emerged, which suggests it's only a matter of time before a fourth mutation develops, at which point complete resistance to Pfizer's jab may be imminent
A number of experts have raised concerns that COVID-19 jabs and the mass vaccination program could worsen the pandemic by triggering the development of new variants, via a concept known as antigenic, or immune, escape
Another study found that a worst-case scenario can develop when a large percentage of a population is vaccinated but viral transmission remains high, driving the development of resistant strains
From: Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:02:16 AM
To: disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org <disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org>
Subject: [Disasterrelief] IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Dear IMLA COVID-19 Working Group:
I wanted to provide a couple of updates for the group:
-
As a reminder, NLC held a vaccine mandate webinar (just before President Biden's announcement last week so it does not cover that issue). If you would like to review the recording, you can access it here: https://www.nlc.org/resource/from-the-event-municipal-employee-vaccine-mandates/?_zs=0Sx1d&_zl=bstk2
-
Arizona has sued the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate. Here is a copy of the complaint: https://www.azag.gov/sites/default/files/docs/press-releases/2021/complaints/Vaccine_Equal_Protection_Complaint_FINAL.pdf. (Note: I have no idea if this is in response to the lawsuit, but USCIS announced last night that it will require immigrants to get vaccinated as a condition for admissibility subject to medical and religious exemptions. It also exempts those who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated (i.e., minors under 12) Here's the USCIS announcement: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/covid-19-vaccination-required-for-immigration-medical-examinations).
-
There have been some questions as to whether EMS employees would be subject to the new vaccine mandates. While we do not have the rule yet, there are some indications that they may be under the requirement having to do with health care settings that accept Medicare / Medicaid needing to require the vaccine or weekly testing for their employees. This is a link to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' press release on the vaccine mandate: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-expand-vaccination-requirements-health-care-settings. The press release states: "The Biden-Harris Administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilitieshttps://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Find-Your-Provider-Type/Facilities/Facilities-page to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious Delta variant. " And when you click on the link for facilities from that press release it lists ambulances under the definition. Also, I found this article helpful on the issue of EMS being possibly covered: https://www.jems.com/commentary/ems-lawline-president-bidens-covid-19-action-plan-and-its-impact-on-ems-agencies/. As the article notes, there was an OSHA rule back in June of this year that defined health care services to include emergency medical personnel. My understanding is that almost all ambulance agencies bill and receive payment from Medicare, so it is safe to assume that ambulance agencies will likely be covered by the mandate. The press release indicates we should have an interim final rule in October, so we will know definitively by that time.
-
As a reminder, I am compiling a spreadsheet with information about local governments' vaccine and mask requirements (if any). You can view it here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gTNwveCCN3bwBc5_zjJ4sKR6tGwNFktTIcTOEJ-PCYI/edit?usp=sharing. I try to keep this up to date, but rely on you to let me know if things have changed in your city/county.
Thanks,
Amanda
Amanda Kellar Karras
Deputy General Counsel /
Director of Legal Advocacy
P: (202) 466-5424 x7116
Email: akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org
[facebook icon]https://www.facebook.com/InternationalMunicipalLawyersAssociation/[twitter icon]https://twitter.com/imlalegal[linkedin icon]https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-municipal-lawyers-association-inc./
[logo]https://imla.org/
51 Monroe St. Suite 404
Rockville, MD, 20850
www.imla.orghttp://www.imla.org/
Plan Ahead!
IMLA's 86th Annual Conferencehttps://imla.org/annual-conference/, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, MN!
For folks' further consideration of this information, the study was done on mice and has not yet been peer reviewed: https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/delta-variant-mutations-seem-to-elude-vaccine-antibodies.
Kindly,
F
FALLON NIEDRIST | Deputy City Attorney (She/Her)
PORTLAND OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY
1221 SW Fourth Avenue, Room 430
Portland, OR 97204
Mobile: 503-823-6418 | Fax: 503-823-3089
fallon.niedrist@portlandoregon.govmailto:fallon.niedrist@portlandoregon.gov
Equal Access Notice: The City of Portland operates without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age or disability according to all applicable non-discrimination laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and Title II of the ADAhttps://www.portlandoregon.gov/oehr/article/513751. To help ensure equal access to City services, the City will provide translation and interpretation and will reasonably modify policies or procedures and provide auxiliary aids or services to persons with disabilities. For such requests please click herehttps://www.portlandoregon.gov/oehr/article/454403 or call (503) 823-4047, TTY 503-823-6868 or Oregon Relay Service: 711.
Portland City Attorney Confidentiality Notice: This message may contain confidential or legally privileged information belonging to the sender. If you have received this message by mistake, please immediately notify the sender, delete the original message, and destroy all copies.
From: Brett Kriger bkriger@lma.org
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 7:27 AM
To: Brian Loewen Brian.Loewen@lethbridge.ca; Hines, Stephen SHines@garlandtx.gov; Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org; disasterrelief@lists.imla.org disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [Disasterrelief] Re: [External] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/ghei36
From: Brian Loewen Brian.Loewen@lethbridge.ca
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:24:56 AM
To: Brett Kriger bkriger@lma.org; Hines, Stephen SHines@garlandtx.gov; Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org; disasterrelief@lists.imla.org disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: RE: [External] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Did you include the study? All I received was your email. No links or attachments of referenced research.
From: Brett Kriger bkriger@lma.org
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 8:24 AM
To: Hines, Stephen SHines@garlandtx.gov; Amanda Karras akarras@imla.org; disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [External] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Equally "respectfully" - the legal matter is if you require a COVID19 vaccine, which one (s) do you require/accept. What I sent was Japanese medical research on the latest findings on the Pfizer vaccine.
Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/ghei36
From: Hines, Stephen <SHines@garlandtx.govmailto:SHines@garlandtx.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:12:48 AM
To: Brett Kriger <bkriger@lma.orgmailto:bkriger@lma.org>; Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>; disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org <disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org>
Subject: RE: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Respectfully, what has this got to do with legal matters? If I wanted to read garbage undercutting the COVID vaccines, I’d look at my high school friends’ Facebook pages.
Steve
Stephen M. Hines
Senior Assistant City Attorney
Office of the City Attorney
City of Garland
P.O. Box 469002
Garland, Texas 75046-9002
Telephone: (972) 205-2380
Facsimile: (972) 205-2389
Cellular: (972) 743-9564
[cid:image001.jpg@01D5F94F.262E5180]
[cid:image003.png@01D2D2D3.D514AC80]
“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” – Pres. Theodore Roosevelt
From: Brett Kriger <bkriger@lma.orgmailto:bkriger@lma.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:08 AM
To: Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>; disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [Disasterrelief] Re: IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
A bit of scary medical research from Judaism on rapid decline of effectiveness of COVID19 vaccines:
A group of Japanese researchers released research showing that the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant “is poised to acquire complete resistance” to existing COVID-19 jabs
When four common mutations were introduced to the Delta variant, Pfizer’s mRNA injection enhanced its infectivity, causing it to become resistant
A Delta variant with three mutations has already emerged, which suggests it’s only a matter of time before a fourth mutation develops, at which point complete resistance to Pfizer’s jab may be imminent
A number of experts have raised concerns that COVID-19 jabs and the mass vaccination program could worsen the pandemic by triggering the development of new variants, via a concept known as antigenic, or immune, escape
Another study found that a worst-case scenario can develop when a large percentage of a population is vaccinated but viral transmission remains high, driving the development of resistant strains
From: Amanda Karras <akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 9:02:16 AM
To: disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org <disasterrelief@lists.imla.orgmailto:disasterrelief@lists.imla.org>
Subject: [Disasterrelief] IMLA COVID-19 Working Group
Dear IMLA COVID-19 Working Group:
I wanted to provide a couple of updates for the group:
-
As a reminder, NLC held a vaccine mandate webinar (just before President Biden’s announcement last week so it does not cover that issue). If you would like to review the recording, you can access it here: https://www.nlc.org/resource/from-the-event-municipal-employee-vaccine-mandates/?_zs=0Sx1d&_zl=bstk2
-
Arizona has sued the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate. Here is a copy of the complaint: https://www.azag.gov/sites/default/files/docs/press-releases/2021/complaints/Vaccine_Equal_Protection_Complaint_FINAL.pdf. (Note: I have no idea if this is in response to the lawsuit, but USCIS announced last night that it will require immigrants to get vaccinated as a condition for admissibility subject to medical and religious exemptions. It also exempts those who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated (i.e., minors under 12) Here’s the USCIS announcement: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/covid-19-vaccination-required-for-immigration-medical-examinations).
-
There have been some questions as to whether EMS employees would be subject to the new vaccine mandates. While we do not have the rule yet, there are some indications that they may be under the requirement having to do with health care settings that accept Medicare / Medicaid needing to require the vaccine or weekly testing for their employees. This is a link to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ press release on the vaccine mandate: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-expand-vaccination-requirements-health-care-settings. The press release states: “The Biden-Harris Administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilitieshttps://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Find-Your-Provider-Type/Facilities/Facilities-page to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious Delta variant. “ And when you click on the link for facilities from that press release it lists ambulances under the definition. Also, I found this article helpful on the issue of EMS being possibly covered: https://www.jems.com/commentary/ems-lawline-president-bidens-covid-19-action-plan-and-its-impact-on-ems-agencies/. As the article notes, there was an OSHA rule back in June of this year that defined health care services to include emergency medical personnel. My understanding is that almost all ambulance agencies bill and receive payment from Medicare, so it is safe to assume that ambulance agencies will likely be covered by the mandate. The press release indicates we should have an interim final rule in October, so we will know definitively by that time.
-
As a reminder, I am compiling a spreadsheet with information about local governments’ vaccine and mask requirements (if any). You can view it here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gTNwveCCN3bwBc5_zjJ4sKR6tGwNFktTIcTOEJ-PCYI/edit?usp=sharing. I try to keep this up to date, but rely on you to let me know if things have changed in your city/county.
Thanks,
Amanda
Amanda Kellar Karras
Deputy General Counsel /
Director of Legal Advocacy
P: (202) 466-5424 x7116
Email: akarras@imla.orgmailto:akarras@imla.org
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Plan Ahead!
IMLA’s 86th Annual Conferencehttps://imla.org/annual-conference/, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2021 in Minneapolis, MN!
