thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--New York Becomes The First State To Divest From Oil And Gas

By 2025 , the New York State Common Retirement Fund , which disburses some $ 1 billion in benefits to retirees each year , will sell off its “ riskiest ” oil and gas stocks , following a review set to begin next year , state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said Wednesday morning .
The state aims to completely eliminate carbon polluters from its portfolio by 2040 .
The divestment process will be done in phases , tackling companies in the biggest polluting sectors first .
By March 2021 , the state comptroller ’ s office will complete a review of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of revenue from tar sands oil , a particularly dirty source coming mainly from Canada .
These companies include Imperial Oil , the Canadian branch of Exxon Mobil Corp. Over the next four years , officials will go on to review fracking firms , oil giants such as Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell , oilfield service companies such as Schlumberger and Baker Hughes , and storage and pipeline builders including Enbridge and Energy Transfer Equity .
The ‘ Smarter Strategy ’ Ran Its Course Ireland became the first national government to divest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s sovereign wealth fund followed suit last year .
New York City and the Norwegian capital of Oslo have announced similar plans .
In all , more than 1,200 institutions ― a plurality of which are religious organizations , universities and philanthropic foundations ― have vowed to sell off their oil , gas and coal holdings .
U.S. states have been more reluctant .
While some have shed investments in coal , even California , with its ambitious climate goals , has so far refused to divest oil and gas from its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s announcement offers both symbolic and substantive victories .
The state is home to the world ’ s financial capital , and its $ 1.7 trillion economy ranks among the 15 largest in the world , with an annual gross domestic product nearly equal to Canada ’ s .
Its pension fund historically owned $ 12 billion in fossil fuel stocks , including roughly $ 1 billion in Exxon Mobil .
This was a calamitous year for the oil and gas industry .
The coronavirus pandemic spurred a drop in oil prices , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living memory for companies like Exxon Mobil and Chevron Corporation .
While the sector was the worst-performing on the stock market in 2020 , the long-term prognosis looks even worse .
It takes years , often decades , to profit from new drilling projects .
The companies ’ value is tied to the projected future earnings on their assets .
If fossil fuel use decreases at the rate scientists say is needed to keep global temperatures within a relatively safe range , the majority of those oil fields and wells could become worthless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubled down in August of this year , telling The Associated Press : “ Frankly what will happen is the stock would be bought by someone else who does not have our position on this issue .
I ’ m sure that many companies would be very happy if we just sold the stock and did not bother them anymore on this issue.
” It ’ s Harder To Make Money On Oil And Gas Stocks By next year , DiNapoli may have had no choice .
Democrats swept last month ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New York State Assembly and winning a new veto-proof supermajority in the state Senate .
With the votes to override Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) , a centrist whose economic agenda tends to favor big business and the rich , the Legislature looked likely to pass a year-old bill mandating that the state divest from fossil fuels .
Pressure from advocates also grew heavier than ever before .
In November 2019 , dozens of environmental groups merged separate efforts pushing big banks and investors to stop financing new fossil fuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stop the Money Pipeline .
As the campaign stepped up protests outside corporate offices even amid the pandemic and organized internal shareholder revolts , financial giants BlackRock , Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase announced new restrictions on fossil fuel investments between January and October of this year .
“ I am not here , though , to take political stands .
My job is to help you try to make money , ” he said on his show , “ Mad Money , ” weeks later .
“ And the honest truth is I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you make money in the oil and gas stocks anymore.
” Research supports the decision to divest .
In a 2019 survey of almost 200 foundations that had vowed to divest , 94 % reported positive or neutral financial performance since pledging to sell off oil , gas and coal stocks .
A peer-reviewed study published in March in the journal Climate Policy concluded that “ divesting from fossil fuel production does not result in financial harm to investors , even when fossil fuels continue to play a dominant role in the energy @ @ @ @ @ @

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New York state announced plans on Wednesday to eject oil and gas stocks from its $226 billion financial portfolio, becoming the first U.S. state and the biggest pension fund anywhere to divest from fossil fuels.
By 2025, the New York State Common Retirement Fund, which disburses some $1 billion in benefits to retirees each year, will sell off its “riskiest” oil and gas stocks, following a review. The state aims to completely eliminate carbon polluters from its portfolio by 2040.
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“We continue to assess energy sector companies in our portfolio for their future ability to provide investment returns in light of the global consensus on climate change,” state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in a statement Wednesday morning. “Those that fail to meet our minimum standards may be removed from our portfolio. Divestment is a last resort, but it is an investment tool we can apply to companies that consistently put our investment’s long-term value at risk.”
The divestment process will be done in phases, tackling companies in the biggest polluting sectors first. By early 2021, the state comptroller’s office will complete a review of companies that produce tar sands oil, a particularly dirty source coming mainly from Canada. These companies include Imperial Oil, the Canadian branch of Exxon Mobil Corp. Over the next four years, officials will go on to review fracking firms, oil giants such as Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell, oilfield service companies such as Schlumberger and Baker Hughes, and storage and pipeline builders including Enbridge and Energy Transfer Equity.
In the 15 years between completing those reviews and 2040, the state will then consider selling off stock in other climate polluters, including utility companies.
“This is one of the most comprehensive divestment plans I’ve ever seen,” said Lindsay Meiman, a New York City-based campaigner with the climate advocacy group 350.org.
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The ‘Smarter Strategy’ Ran Its Course
New York’s decision marks a watershed moment for environmental activists, who in recent years stepped up efforts to financially smother fossil fuel companies. For decades, the oil and gas industry has funded and promoted misinformation on climate science and deployed nearly limitless political resources to stop governments from regulating planet-heating pollution.
New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli opposed selling off fossil fuel stocks as recently as August. Pacific Press via Getty Images
Ireland became the first national government to divest from fossil fuels in 2018. Norway’s sovereign wealth fund followed suit last year. New York City and the Norwegian capital of Oslo have announced similar plans. In all, more than 1,200 institutions ― a plurality of which are religious organizations, universities and philanthropic foundations ― have vowed to sell off their oil, gas and coal holdings.
U.S. states have been more reluctant. While some have shed investments in coal, even California, with its ambitious climate goals, has so far refused to divest oil and gas from its pension funds.
New York state’s announcement offers both symbolic and substantive victories. The state is home to the world’s financial capital, and its $1.7 trillion economy ranks among the 15 largest in the world, with an annual gross domestic product nearly equal to Canada’s. Its pension fund historically owned $12 billion in fossil fuel stocks, including roughly $1 billion in Exxon Mobil.
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This was a calamitous year for the oil and gas industry. The coronavirus pandemic spurred a drop in oil prices, leading to the worst quarterly earnings in living memory for companies like Exxon Mobil and Chevron Corporation. While the sector was the worst-performing on the stock market in 2020, the long-term prognosis looks even worse. It takes years, often decades, to profit from new drilling projects. The companies’ value is tied to the projected future earnings on their assets. If fossil fuel use decreases at the rate scientists say is needed to keep global temperatures within a relatively safe range, the majority of those oil fields and wells could become worthless money pits.
Yet New York state’s financial chief had long opposed calls for divestment, arguing that selling off the stocks ― some of which, like Exxon Mobil, yield reliable dividends ― would eliminate the state’s leverage to reform fossil fuel companies from within.
“Having a voice at the table, trying to press them to do the right thing, that in the short run I still think is a smarter strategy,” DiNapoli told Axios last year.
The Long Island Democrat doubled down in August of this year, telling The Associated Press: “Frankly what will happen is the stock would be bought by someone else who does not have our position on this issue. I’m sure that many companies would be very happy if we just sold the stock and did not bother them anymore on this issue.”
In 2019, the Independent Petroleum Association of America praised DiNapoli for his decision “to reject costly, ineffective divestment in favor of remaining invested in developing sustainable technology,” which the trade group said “is more ‘nuanced’ and ‘complex’ than activists are willing to admit.”
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It’s Harder To Make Money On Oil And Gas Stocks
So what changed now?
By next year, DiNapoli may have had no choice. Democrats swept last month’s state legislative elections, maintaining control of the New York State Assembly and winning a new veto-proof supermajority in the state Senate. With the votes to override Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), a centrist whose economic agenda tends to favor big business and the rich, the Legislature looked likely to pass a year-old bill mandating that the state divest from fossil fuels.
Pressure from advocates also grew heavier than ever before. In November 2019, dozens of environmental groups merged separate efforts pushing big banks and investors to stop financing new fossil fuel extraction into one grand campaign called the Stop the Money Pipeline. As the campaign stepped up protests outside corporate offices even amid the pandemic and organized internal shareholder revolts, financial giants BlackRock, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase announced new restrictions on fossil fuel investments between January and October of this year.
Protesters calling for fossil fuel divestment rally outside DiNapoli's office in New York City in 2018. Erik McGregor via Getty Images
Even popular Wall Street commentators are now shorting the oil and gas industry. In January, CNBC host Jim Cramer announced that he was “done with fossil fuel” stocks.
“I am not here, though, to take political stands. My job is to help you try to make money,” he said on his show, “Mad Money,” weeks later. “And the honest truth is I don’t think I can help you make money in the oil and gas stocks anymore.”
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Research supports the decision to divest. In a 2019 survey of almost 200 foundations that had vowed to divest, 94% reported positive or neutral financial performance since pledging to sell off oil, gas and coal stocks. A peer-reviewed study published in March in the journal Climate Policy concluded that “divesting from fossil fuel production does not result in financial harm to investors, even when fossil fuels continue to play a dominant role in the energy mix for some time.”
DiNapoli’s divestment plan goes beyond what activists and state lawmakers had envisioned, Meiman said. The four-year timeline is twice as fast as the 2030 deadline that state lawmakers proposed in their bill. The comptroller’s office is making additional hires to oversee the process and scheduling regular reports on the process.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--UK Regulator Issues Allergy Warning On Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine

It comes after two NHS workers who received the jab on Tuesday – the first day of the mass vaccination program – suffered an allergic reaction .
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency ( MHRA ) has given precautionary advice to NHS trusts that anyone who has a history of “ significant ” allergic reactions to medicines , food or vaccines should not receive the vaccine .
It means anyone scheduled to receive the vaccine on Wednesday will be asked .
about their history of allergic reactions , the PA news agency reported .
The warning comes a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will meet to debate the evidence surrounding the safety of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine .
Documents released Tuesday ahead of the meeting confirmed that the vaccine was strongly protective against COVID-19 .
The FDA is expected to give its decision on whether to approve the vaccine for emergency use in the U.S. a few days after the review .
Professor Stephen Powis , national medical director for the NHS in England , said : “ As is common with new vaccines the MHRA have advised on a precautionary basis that people with a significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this vaccination after two people with a history of significant allergic reactions responded adversely yesterday .
Both are recovering well.
” “ We know from the very extensive clinical trials that this wasn ’ t a feature , ” she told the Commons ’ science and technology committee .
“ But if we need to strengthen our advice , now that we ’ ve had this experience in the vulnerable populations – the groups have been selected as a priority – we get that advice to the field immediately.
” The new MHRA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a history of a significant allergic reaction to a vaccine , medicine or food ( such as previous history of anaphylactoid reaction or those who have been advised to carry an adrenaline autoinjector ) should not receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine .
“ Resuscitation facilities should be available at all times for all vaccinations .
Vaccination should only be carried out in facilities where resuscitation measures are available.
” PA reported that it is understood that both the staff members affected on Tuesday had a significant history of allergic reactions – to the extent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with them .
They developed symptoms of “ anaphylactoid reaction ” shortly after receiving the vaccine and both have recovered after the appropriate treatment , the news agency said .

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The UK’s medicines regulator has advised people with a “significant history” of allergic reactions not to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.
It comes after two NHS workers who received the jab on Tuesday – the first day of the mass vaccination program – suffered an allergic reaction.
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Both are “recovering well,” NHS England officials said.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has given precautionary advice to NHS trusts that anyone who has a history of “significant” allergic reactions to medicines, food or vaccines should not receive the vaccine.
The NHS in England said all trusts involved with the vaccination program have been informed.
It means anyone scheduled to receive the vaccine on Wednesday will be asked. about their history of allergic reactions, the PA news agency reported.
The warning comes a day before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will meet to debate the evidence surrounding the safety of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Documents released Tuesday ahead of the meeting confirmed that the vaccine was strongly protective against COVID-19.
The FDA is expected to give its decision on whether to approve the vaccine for emergency use in the U.S. a few days after the review.
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Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director for the NHS in England, said: “As is common with new vaccines the MHRA have advised on a precautionary basis that people with a significant history of allergic reactions do not receive this vaccination after two people with a history of significant allergic reactions responded adversely yesterday. Both are recovering well.”
MHRA chief executive June Raine told MPs on Wednesday morning that the regulator was looking into two reports of allergic reactions.
“We know from the very extensive clinical trials that this wasn’t a feature,” she told the Commons’ science and technology committee.
“But if we need to strengthen our advice, now that we’ve had this experience in the vulnerable populations – the groups have been selected as a priority – we get that advice to the field immediately.”
The new MHRA advice states: “Any person with a history of a significant allergic reaction to a vaccine, medicine or food (such as previous history of anaphylactoid reaction or those who have been advised to carry an adrenaline autoinjector) should not receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
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“Resuscitation facilities should be available at all times for all vaccinations. Vaccination should only be carried out in facilities where resuscitation measures are available.”
PA reported that it is understood that both the staff members affected on Tuesday had a significant history of allergic reactions – to the extent they need to carry an adrenaline auto-injector with them.
They developed symptoms of “anaphylactoid reaction” shortly after receiving the vaccine and both have recovered after the appropriate treatment, the news agency said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--U.S. COVID-19 Deaths Hit Record Levels Ahead Of Holidays

Deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. have soared to more than 2,200 a day on average , matching the frightening peak reached last April , and cases per day have eclipsed 200,000 on average for the first time on record , with the crisis all but certain to get worse because of the fallout from Thanksgiving , Christmas and New Year ’ s .
Virtually every state is reporting surges just as a vaccine appears days away from getting the go-ahead in the U.S. “ What we do now literally will be a matter of life and death for many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Jay Inslee said Tuesday as he extended restrictions on businesses and social gatherings , including a ban on indoor dining and drinking at restaurants and bars .
While the impending arrival of the vaccine is reason for hope , he said , “ at the moment , we have to face reality , and the reality is that we are suffering a very dire situation with the pandemic.
” Elsewhere around the country , North Carolina ’ s governor imposed a 10 p.m. curfew , and authorities in Southern California and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ text alert Tuesday telling millions about the rapid spread of the virus and urging them to abide by the state ’ s stay-at-home orders .
Many Americans disregarded warnings not to travel over Thanksgiving and have ignored other safety precautions , whether out of stubbornness , ignorance or complacency .
On Saturday night , police in Southern California arrested nearly 160 people , many of them not wearing masks , at a house party in Palmdale that was held without the homeowner ’ s knowledge .
Before his death Friday from complications of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Larry Dixon asked his wife from his hospital bed to relay a warning .
“ Sweetheart , we messed up .
We just dropped our guard .
... We ’ ve got to tell people this is real , ” his friend Dr. David Thrasher , a pulmonologist , quoted him as saying .
Although Dixon had been conscientious about masks and social distancing , he met up with friends at a restaurant for what they called a “ prayer meeting , ” and three of them fell ill , Thrasher said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus task force coordinator , offered what sounded like a subtle rebuke of the way President Donald Trump and others in the administration have downplayed the disease and undercut scientists .
“ Messages need to be critically consistent , ” Birx said Tuesday at a Wall Street Journal conference of CEOs .
“ I think we need to be much more consistent about addressing the myths that are out there — that COVID doesn ’ t really exist , or that the fatalities somehow are made up , or the hospitalizations are for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks actually hurt you.
” On Thursday , a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel is widely expected to authorize emergency use of Pfizer ’ s COVID-19 vaccine , and shots could begin almost immediately after that .
Britain on Tuesday started dispensing the Pfizer vaccine , becoming the first country in the West to begin mass vaccinations .

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Deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. have soared to more than 2,200 a day on average, matching the frightening peak reached last April, and cases per day have eclipsed 200,000 on average for the first time on record, with the crisis all but certain to get worse because of the fallout from Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.
Virtually every state is reporting surges just as a vaccine appears days away from getting the go-ahead in the U.S.
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“What we do now literally will be a matter of life and death for many of our citizens,” Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday as he extended restrictions on businesses and social gatherings, including a ban on indoor dining and drinking at restaurants and bars.
While the impending arrival of the vaccine is reason for hope, he said, “at the moment, we have to face reality, and the reality is that we are suffering a very dire situation with the pandemic.”
Elsewhere around the country, North Carolina’s governor imposed a 10 p.m. curfew, and authorities in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley sent a mass cellphone text alert Tuesday telling millions about the rapid spread of the virus and urging them to abide by the state’s stay-at-home orders.
The virus is blamed for more than 285,000 deaths and 15 million confirmed infections in the United States.
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Many Americans disregarded warnings not to travel over Thanksgiving and have ignored other safety precautions, whether out of stubbornness, ignorance or complacency. On Saturday night, police in Southern California arrested nearly 160 people, many of them not wearing masks, at a house party in Palmdale that was held without the homeowner’s knowledge.
Before his death Friday from complications of COVID-19, 78-year-old former Alabama state Sen. Larry Dixon asked his wife from his hospital bed to relay a warning. “Sweetheart, we messed up. We just dropped our guard. ... We’ve got to tell people this is real,” his friend Dr. David Thrasher, a pulmonologist, quoted him as saying.
Although Dixon had been conscientious about masks and social distancing, he met up with friends at a restaurant for what they called a “prayer meeting,” and three of them fell ill, Thrasher said.
Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator, offered what sounded like a subtle rebuke of the way President Donald Trump and others in the administration have downplayed the disease and undercut scientists.
“Messages need to be critically consistent,” Birx said Tuesday at a Wall Street Journal conference of CEOs. “I think we need to be much more consistent about addressing the myths that are out there — that COVID doesn’t really exist, or that the fatalities somehow are made up, or the hospitalizations are for other diseases, not COVID, that masks actually hurt you.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--'Late Night' Writer Reveals Why He Actually Envies Donald Trump

And in a comedy bit Tuesday , the “ Late Night with Seth Meyers ” writer said that it was @ @ @ @ @ “ does what he wants , says what he wants , offends who he wants @ @ @ @ @ like him .
”

And in a comedy bit Tuesday, the “Late Night with Seth Meyers” writer said that it was all because the outgoing president “does what he wants, says what he wants, offends who he wants and 74 million people still like him.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Nevada's Top Court Rejects Trump Campaign's Appeal To Overturn Election Results

( Reuters ) ― The Supreme Court of Nevada rejected an appeal late Tuesday from President Donald Trump ’ s campaign to overturn the election results in the state , affirming President-elect Joe Biden ’ s win in one of the battleground states that gave him overall victory .
It was the latest court failure for Trump and his allies , who have lost dozens of cases in state and federal courts in an unsuccessful attempt to nullify the result of the Nov. 3 election .
Trump says the result was fraudulent , but no court has found evidence to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a district court in Nevada ruled that the Trump campaign had not proven a claim that there had been a malfunction in voting devices and the contest between Trump and Biden had been manipulated .
“ We also are not convinced that the district court erred in applying a burden of proof by clear and convincing evidence , as supported by the cases cited in the district court ’ s order , ” Nevada ’ s Supreme Court said in its judgement .
“ We were not afforded an opportunity to write our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Court , ” Nevada ’ s GOP said https : //nevadagop.org/nevada-gops-statement-on-the-nevada-supreme-courts-ruling in a statement .
“ Full denial of legitimate due process and appellate rights is truly unprecedented , shocking and extraordinary.
” Biden won Nevada by a 33,596-vote margin , giving him the state ’ s six votes in the Electoral College which choses the president .
The electors are scheduled to meet on Dec. 14 to formalize the outcome , with Biden having won 306 votes to 232 for Trump .
Tuesday was marked as the so-called safe harbor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the election .
Under U.S. law , Congress will consider a state ’ s election result to be “ conclusive ” if it is finalized by the safe harbor date .

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(Reuters) ― The Supreme Court of Nevada rejected an appeal late Tuesday from President Donald Trump’s campaign to overturn the election results in the state, affirming President-elect Joe Biden’s win in one of the battleground states that gave him overall victory.
It was the latest court failure for Trump and his allies, who have lost dozens of cases in state and federal courts in an unsuccessful attempt to nullify the result of the Nov. 3 election. Trump says the result was fraudulent, but no court has found evidence to support his assertions.
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Last week, a district court in Nevada ruled that the Trump campaign had not proven a claim that there had been a malfunction in voting devices and the contest between Trump and Biden had been manipulated.
“We also are not convinced that the district court erred in applying a burden of proof by clear and convincing evidence, as supported by the cases cited in the district court’s order,” Nevada’s Supreme Court said in its judgement.
Nevada’s Republican Party said it was “extremely disappointed” by the decision.
“We were not afforded an opportunity to write our brief or argue the case in front of the Court,” Nevada’s GOP said https://nevadagop.org/nevada-gops-statement-on-the-nevada-supreme-courts-ruling in a statement. “Full denial of legitimate due process and appellate rights is truly unprecedented, shocking and extraordinary.”
Biden won Nevada by a 33,596-vote margin, giving him the state’s six votes in the Electoral College which choses the president. The electors are scheduled to meet on Dec. 14 to formalize the outcome, with Biden having won 306 votes to 232 for Trump.
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Tuesday was marked as the so-called safe harbor deadline for states to resolve disputes arising from the election. Under U.S. law, Congress will consider a state’s election result to be “conclusive” if it is finalized by the safe harbor date.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Taylor Swift Calls Out People Ignoring Coronavirus Safety Rules

Taylor Swift has criticized people who “ don ’ t seem to have their eyes open ” to the coronavirus pandemic .
The behavior of those ignoring COVID-19 safety guidelines because they don ’ t understand the threat of the virus or don ’ t care about its potentially fatal consequences is “ upsetting , ” the singer said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly out this week .
Swift , one of the magazine ’ s “ Entertainers of the Year ” and the star of its December cover , was asked what she thought of people flouting government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her home city of Nashville , Tennessee , during the public health crisis .
“ I mean , you just immediately think of the health workers who are putting their lives on the line — and oftentimes losing their lives , ” Swift said .
“ If they make it out of this , if they see the other side of it , there ’ s going to be a lot of trauma that comes with that ; there ’ s going to be things that they witnessed that they will never be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of research on my grandfather ( Dean , who fought in World War II ) in the beginning of quarantine , and it hit me very quickly that we ’ ve got a version of that trauma happening right now in our hospitals , ” Swift added .
“ God , you hope people would respect it and would understand that going out for a night isn ’ t worth the ripple effect that it causes .
But obviously we ’ re seeing that a lot of people don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that — or if they do , a lot of people don ’ t care , which is upsetting.
” Swift recorded her eighth studio album , “ folklore , ” during the pandemic and released it in July .
One of the new songs , “ Epiphany , ” appears to reference the pandemic in the second verse :

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Taylor Swift has criticized people who “don’t seem to have their eyes open” to the coronavirus pandemic.
The behavior of those ignoring COVID-19 safety guidelines because they don’t understand the threat of the virus or don’t care about its potentially fatal consequences is “upsetting,” the singer said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly out this week.
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Swift, one of the magazine’s “Entertainers of the Year” and the star of its December cover, was asked what she thought of people flouting government advice by crowding maskless into bars in her home city of Nashville, Tennessee, during the public health crisis.
“I mean, you just immediately think of the health workers who are putting their lives on the line — and oftentimes losing their lives,” Swift said. “If they make it out of this, if they see the other side of it, there’s going to be a lot of trauma that comes with that; there’s going to be things that they witnessed that they will never be able to un-see.”
“I did a lot of research on my grandfather (Dean, who fought in World War II) in the beginning of quarantine, and it hit me very quickly that we’ve got a version of that trauma happening right now in our hospitals,” Swift added. “God, you hope people would respect it and would understand that going out for a night isn’t worth the ripple effect that it causes. But obviously we’re seeing that a lot of people don’t seem to have their eyes open to that — or if they do, a lot of people don’t care, which is upsetting.”
Swift recorded her eighth studio album, “folklore,” during the pandemic and released it in July. One of the new songs, “Epiphany,” appears to reference the pandemic in the second verse:
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Something med school did not cover, Someone’s daughter, someone’s mother, Holds your hand through plastic now, Doc, I think she’s crashing out, And some things you just can’t speak about.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Idaho Health Board Meeting Halted After 'Intense Protests'

The request from Boise Mayor Lauren McLean and the Boise Police Department came just a few minutes after one health board member , Ada County Commissioner Diana Lachiondo , tearfully interrupted the online meeting to say she had to rush home from work to be with her son .
The board had been expected to vote on a four-county mask mandate in Idaho ’ s most populated region .
Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Central District Health parking lot before and during the meeting .
The protest at the health building was organized , at least in part , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Rights .
The group was created by Ammon Bundy , an outspoken opponent of mask mandates during the coronavirus pandemic who gained national attention and stoked the so-called “ patriot movement ” after leading armed standoffs at his father ’ s Nevada ranch in 2014 and at a wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon in 2016 .
Members of an anti-vaccination group called Health Freedom Idaho also attended the protest .
It wasn ’ t immediately known if Bundy attended the Boise protests Tuesday evening .
“ I got a call from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police , and she is requesting that we stop the meeting at this time because of the intense level of protesters in the parking lot and concern for police safety and staff safety as well as the protesters that are at some of our board members ’ homes right now , ” Duke said .
Police arrested one woman at the Central District Health building after officers said she refused to follow CDH rules .
The police department also released a statement saying officers were seeking arrest warrants on suspicion of disturbing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who went to board members ’ homes .
“ Our local health board is being asked to make decisions at the local level in lieu of statewide action , ” McLean wrote .
“ And when taking this job seriously — doing everything they can to help address the spread of COVID , they ’ re threatened and intimidated .
No child should be frightened by a mob of protesters , no local official should fear violence for their public service.
” “ The actions of protestors at the private residences of public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than a bullying tactic that seeks to silence .
Our right to free speech should not be used to intimidate and scare others , ” Little wrote on his Twitter page .
“ There is no place for this behavior in Idaho .
I urge calm among Idahoans so we can get through the pandemic together , stronger.
” The governor declined to answer Tuesday evening when The Associated Press asked if he still felt it was appropriate to leave contentious decisions on mask mandates in the hands of the local boards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-medical professionals .
Last week , regional hospital officials warned that they were so overwhelmed by high numbers of coronavirus patients — and by health care staffers unable to work because they are sick — that the state could be forced to implement “ crisis standards of care ” within the next month .
Crisis standards of care are designed to ensure that the patients most likely to survive COVID-19 are given access to potentially life-saving treatment when there isn ’ t enough to go around .
The draft mask order is designed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so that the health care system isn ’ t overwhelmed .
If approved , the order would allow youth and adult sports to continue , and would allow visits to long-term care facilities in some situations .
Failing to comply with the mask mandate would result in a misdemeanor , but it includes exceptions for those who have trouble breathing , young children and others .

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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho public health officials abruptly ended a meeting Tuesday after the Boise mayor and chief of police said intense protests outside the health department building — as well as outside some health officials’ homes — were threatening public safety.
The request from Boise Mayor Lauren McLean and the Boise Police Department came just a few minutes after one health board member, Ada County Commissioner Diana Lachiondo, tearfully interrupted the online meeting to say she had to rush home from work to be with her son. The board had been expected to vote on a four-county mask mandate in Idaho’s most populated region.
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“My 12-year-old son is home alone right now and there are protestors banging outside the door,” Lachiondo said.
Another board member, family physician Dr. Ted Epperly, said protests were “not under control at my house,” as well. Protesters went to at least three board members’ homes, the Boise Police Department said.
Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Central District Health parking lot before and during the meeting. The protest at the health building was organized, at least in part, by a loose multi-state group called People’s Rights. The group was created by Ammon Bundy, an outspoken opponent of mask mandates during the coronavirus pandemic who gained national attention and stoked the so-called “patriot movement” after leading armed standoffs at his father’s Nevada ranch in 2014 and at a wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon in 2016. Members of an anti-vaccination group called Health Freedom Idaho also attended the protest. It wasn’t immediately known if Bundy attended the Boise protests Tuesday evening.
Other groups are supportive of the proposed mask rule. An organization called the “Pandemic Committee” gathered supportive messages from 600 area residents, putting them on yard signs delivered to the health district building several hours before the meeting was scheduled to begin.
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Central District Health Director Russ Duke interrupted the Tuesday meeting to inform board members of the mayor’s request.
“I got a call from the mayor, and it sounds like the police, and she is requesting that we stop the meeting at this time because of the intense level of protesters in the parking lot and concern for police safety and staff safety as well as the protesters that are at some of our board members’ homes right now,” Duke said.
The Boise Police Department later issued a statement on Twitter that said they requested the meeting adjourn “in the interest of public safety.”
“Our first priority is to maintain safety and public order. Officers are currently monitoring the crowd and responding to reports of additional incidents in the city,” the department wrote.
Police arrested one woman at the Central District Health building after officers said she refused to follow CDH rules. The police department also released a statement saying officers were seeking arrest warrants on suspicion of disturbing the peace for some of the protesters who went to board members’ homes.
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Video uploaded to Facebook by one of the protesters outside of Lachiondo’s home showed a small group of armed protesters banging on buckets, using air horns, playing loud siren and other noises and screaming on the sidewalk.
Lachiondo later posted a statement on her Twitter account, saying her family was fine and thanking the police for their help.
After the health board meeting, McLean issued a statement condemning what she said was a group of disruptive outsiders seeking to divide the Boise community.
“Our local health board is being asked to make decisions at the local level in lieu of statewide action,” McLean wrote. “And when taking this job seriously — doing everything they can to help address the spread of COVID, they’re threatened and intimidated. No child should be frightened by a mob of protesters, no local official should fear violence for their public service.”
Idaho Gov. Brad Little has repeatedly urged Idahoans to wear masks but has declined to issue a statewide mask mandate, instead leaving that decision in the hands of the regional health boards. He condemned the protestors’ actions at the board members’ homes.
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“The actions of protestors at the private residences of public officials is reprehensible. It is nothing more than a bullying tactic that seeks to silence. Our right to free speech should not be used to intimidate and scare others,” Little wrote on his Twitter page. “There is no place for this behavior in Idaho. I urge calm among Idahoans so we can get through the pandemic together, stronger.”
The governor declined to answer Tuesday evening when The Associated Press asked if he still felt it was appropriate to leave contentious decisions on mask mandates in the hands of the local boards, which are made up largely of non-medical professionals.
Instead, Little’s spokeswoman Emily Callihan said Little “will continue to support those local leaders who, in consultation with medical experts, make tough decisions to protect our citizens against COVID-19.”
She also pointed out the governor’s statewide orders that require physical distancing at gatherings, limit public and private gatherings to 10 people (except for religious or political events), require patrons to be seated at bars and restaurants and require masks at long term-care facilities.
Last week, regional hospital officials warned that they were so overwhelmed by high numbers of coronavirus patients — and by health care staffers unable to work because they are sick — that the state could be forced to implement “crisis standards of care” within the next month. Crisis standards of care are designed to ensure that the patients most likely to survive COVID-19 are given access to potentially life-saving treatment when there isn’t enough to go around.
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The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reports that at least 113,905 Idaho residents have been infected with the virus so far, including 2,012 new cases reported on Tuesday. So far at least 1,074 residents have died from COVID-19.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Jimmy Kimmel Shows Donald Trump Exactly How He Feels In Spoof ‘Love Actually’ Scene

There ’ s no love lost for President Donald Trump in this spoof movie bit .
On Tuesday , late @ @ @ @ @ a mocking twist on the cards scene from the hit 2003 holiday movie “ Love @ @ @ @ @ , Kimmel shows up at the White House with a message for the outgoing president @ @ @ @ @ punches in showing exactly how he feels .
Because at Christmas , you tell the @ @

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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--'Art Of The Deal': Trevor Noah Roasts Trump's Decision Not To Buy Extra Vaccines

Trevor Noah says this may seem like a dumb decision at first , but if you take a moment to really think about it , you ’ ll realize it was a “ really fucking dumb decision.
” The Trump administration reserved 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer , which is enough for 50 million people .
Now the administration is under fire for declining to purchase millions more when it had the chance .
Former FDA commissioner and current Pfizer board member Scott Gottlieb said Tuesday that the White House turned down multiple offers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half of 2021 .
“ Pfizer has gone ahead and entered into agreement with other countries to sell them some of that vaccine in the second quarter of 2021 , ” Gottlieb told CNBC .
The decision means that there could be a delay in acquiring more doses until Pfizer has completed its international contracts .
″That ’ s the art of the deal right there , baby , ” Noah said Tuesday on “ The Daily Show.
” “ Pfizer thought that they could pull a fast one on Trump by offering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my man Trump was like ‘ no deal , ’ so now Europe is stuck with all those vaccines and that means more corona for everyone here in America .
”

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Trevor Noah says this may seem like a dumb decision at first, but if you take a moment to really think about it, you’ll realize it was a “really fucking dumb decision.”
The Trump administration reserved 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer, which is enough for 50 million people. Now the administration is under fire for declining to purchase millions more when it had the chance.
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Former FDA commissioner and current Pfizer board member Scott Gottlieb said Tuesday that the White House turned down multiple offers to purchase additional vaccine doses for the first half of 2021.
“Pfizer has gone ahead and entered into agreement with other countries to sell them some of that vaccine in the second quarter of 2021,” Gottlieb told CNBC.
The decision means that there could be a delay in acquiring more doses until Pfizer has completed its international contracts.
″That’s the art of the deal right there, baby,” Noah said Tuesday on “The Daily Show.” “Pfizer thought that they could pull a fast one on Trump by offering to sell him lifesaving vaccines. But my man Trump was like ‘no deal,’ so now Europe is stuck with all those vaccines and that means more corona for everyone here in America.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Top LA Health Official Fights Back Tears While Discussing ‘Incalculable’ COVID-19 Toll

The heartbreaking toll of the COVID-19 pandemic was laid bare in an unusually emotional moment during a Wednesday news conference in California , where the coronavirus continues to surge at a record-breaking rate .
Barbara Ferrer , Los Angeles County ’ s top health official , fought back tears while discussing the impact the coronavirus has had on her community .
“ Over 8,000 people who were beloved members of their families are not coming back , ” said the county ’ s public health director , her voice breaking .
“ And their deaths are an incalculable loss to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as our community.
” At least 75 people in Los Angeles County , the most populous county in the U.S. , died of complications from the coronavirus on Wednesday .
This brings the county ’ s total death toll to 8,075 , KABC-TV reported , noting that its average daily tally of coronavirus fatalities has increased by more than 250 % in just over a month .
Los Angeles County Health Director Barbara Ferrer broke down as she revealed the latest tallies of coronavirus cases and deaths .
There were 9,243 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LA County on Wednesday , according to the health department .
https : //t.co/A28M0IC9wl pic.twitter.com/vrQf2y5Jgx — ABC News ( @ ABC ) December 9 , 2020 California reported a record-breaking number of both new coronavirus cases and deaths on Tuesday , recording 35,400 cases and 219 deaths in one day .
Ferrer urged Californians to be “ extremely careful and diligent ” in the coming weeks to protect themselves and their loved ones from the coronavirus .
“ There is a great deal of community transmission , and you are at risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of your home and you ’ re around other people , ” she warned .

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The heartbreaking toll of the COVID-19 pandemic was laid bare in an unusually emotional moment during a Wednesday news conference in California, where the coronavirus continues to surge at a record-breaking rate.
Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County’s top health official, fought back tears while discussing the impact the coronavirus has had on her community.
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“Over 8,000 people who were beloved members of their families are not coming back,” said the county’s public health director, her voice breaking. “And their deaths are an incalculable loss to their friends and their family, as well as our community.”
At least 75 people in Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the U.S., died of complications from the coronavirus on Wednesday. This brings the county’s total death toll to 8,075, KABC-TV reported, noting that its average daily tally of coronavirus fatalities has increased by more than 250% in just over a month.
Los Angeles County Health Director Barbara Ferrer broke down as she revealed the latest tallies of coronavirus cases and deaths.
There were 9,243 new cases and 75 new deaths recorded in LA County on Wednesday, according to the health department. https://t.co/A28M0IC9wl pic.twitter.com/vrQf2y5Jgx — ABC News (@ABC) December 9, 2020
California reported a record-breaking number of both new coronavirus cases and deaths on Tuesday, recording 35,400 cases and 219 deaths in one day.
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Ferrer urged Californians to be “extremely careful and diligent” in the coming weeks to protect themselves and their loved ones from the coronavirus.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Rudy Giuliani Leaves Hospital Following COVID-19 Treatment

Rudy Giuliani , personal attorney to President Donald Trump , left the hospital on Wednesday after spending three nights there to receive treatment for COVID-19 .
Reporters saw Giuliani , 76 , leave Georgetown University Hospital at around 5 p.m. and flash a thumbs-up to the cameras .
Earlier on Wednesday , he told TalkRadio 77 WABC he was feeling well and planned to leave the Washington , D.C. , hospital later in the day .
“ I ’ ve got to quarantine for a few more days , ” the former New York mayor said .
“ Because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got [ infected ] seven , eight days ago .
So I ’ ve got about three or four more days to make sure it ’ s out of my system.
” “ Thank you to all my friends and followers for all the prayers and kind wishes , ” Giuliani tweeted .
“ I ’ m getting great care and feeling good .
Recovering quickly and keeping up with everything.
” Giuliani has been traveling around the country for weeks on behalf of Trump , pushing unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s victory over the president .
In one incident at a Michigan voter fraud hearing just days before he announced his diagnosis , Giuliani asked a witness if she would take her mask off so that he could hear her better .
His diagnosis comes as the U.S. faces a surge in new COVID-19 cases , setting record high hospitalization rates and inching parts of the country dangerously close to maxed-out intensive care units .
Giuliani is one of dozens of Trump administration officials who ’ ve fallen ill with the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself .
Like Trump , Giuliani has downplayed the seriousness of the virus , which has claimed nearly 300,000 American lives .
“ Things happen in life and you have to go with them .
You can ’ t overreact to them , otherwise you let the fear of illness drive your entire life , ” he said in a Tuesday radio interview from the hospital , adding , “ You can overdo the mask .
”

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Rudy Giuliani, personal attorney to President Donald Trump, left the hospital on Wednesday after spending three nights there to receive treatment for COVID-19.
Reporters saw Giuliani, 76, leave Georgetown University Hospital at around 5 p.m. and flash a thumbs-up to the cameras. Earlier on Wednesday, he told TalkRadio 77 WABC he was feeling well and planned to leave the Washington, D.C., hospital later in the day.
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“I’ve got to quarantine for a few more days,” the former New York mayor said. “Because the way they calculate it, I probably got [infected] seven, eight days ago. So I’ve got about three or four more days to make sure it’s out of my system.”
Trump announced Giuliani’s coronavirus diagnosis Sunday on Twitter, and the former mayor later confirmed it.
“Thank you to all my friends and followers for all the prayers and kind wishes,” Giuliani tweeted. “I’m getting great care and feeling good. Recovering quickly and keeping up with everything.”
Giuliani has been traveling around the country for weeks on behalf of Trump, pushing unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in an attempt to overturn President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over the president.
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In one incident at a Michigan voter fraud hearing just days before he announced his diagnosis, Giuliani asked a witness if she would take her mask off so that he could hear her better.
His diagnosis comes as the U.S. faces a surge in new COVID-19 cases, setting record high hospitalization rates and inching parts of the country dangerously close to maxed-out intensive care units.
Giuliani is one of dozens of Trump administration officials who’ve fallen ill with the disease in recent months, including the president himself. Like Trump, Giuliani has downplayed the seriousness of the virus, which has claimed nearly 300,000 American lives.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Idaho Official Leaves Meeting In Tears As Anti-Mask Protesters Harass Her Son

The Central District Health Board of Health was scheduled to discuss steps to take to help combat the spread of COVID-19 in the community .
A draft of the proposed order suggested limiting gatherings to fewer than 10 people and requiring the use of face masks in certain situations .
But the discussion was cut off 15 minutes after it started at the request of Boise Police , who grew concerned “ that officers would not be able to maintain public order.
” Officers received reports of some protesters intending to force their way inside the CDH building to cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a release .
They said agitated demonstrators had gathered outside of three different board members ’ homes .
One of those homes was that of Diana Lachiondo .
She wasn ’ t there at the time ― but her 12-year-old son was .
Lachiondo left the meeting in tears to rush home because she feared for her son ’ s safety .
“ My 12-year-old son is home by himself right now and there are protesters banging outside the door , ” Lachiondo said through tears , according to a video of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go home and make sure he ’ s OK. ” “ No child should be frightened by a mob of protestors , no local official should fear violence for their public service , ” Boise Mayor Lauren McLean tweeted later , explaining why she had called for the meeting to be adjourned .
Another board member , Dr. Ted Epperly , told the Idaho Statesman that 15 people had gathered outside his house “ beating garbage cans and flashing strobe lights through my windows .
Two came up and knocked on my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community is being severely impacted by this virus and our team members and board are working tirelessly to protect our community ’ s health , ” CDH district director Russ Duke said in a statement .
“ We simply ask that those who may disagree with these difficult discussion points and decisions do so in a way that is respectful and does not endanger our staff , board of health members , and our law enforcement , all who are critical in this response.
” “ The actions of protesters at the private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he wrote .
“ It is nothing more than a bullying tactic that seeks to silence .
Our right to free speech should not be used to intimidate and scare others .
”

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A board of health meeting in Boise, Idaho, was abruptly adjourned Tuesday night after protesters gathered outside of members’ homes and offices, presenting a safety threat.
The Central District Health Board of Health was scheduled to discuss steps to take to help combat the spread of COVID-19 in the community. A draft of the proposed order suggested limiting gatherings to fewer than 10 people and requiring the use of face masks in certain situations.
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But the discussion was cut off 15 minutes after it started at the request of Boise Police, who grew concerned “that officers would not be able to maintain public order.”
Officers received reports of some protesters intending to force their way inside the CDH building to cause a disturbance, Boise Police said in a release. They said agitated demonstrators had gathered outside of three different board members’ homes.
One of those homes was that of Diana Lachiondo. She wasn’t there at the time ― but her 12-year-old son was. Lachiondo left the meeting in tears to rush home because she feared for her son’s safety.
“My 12-year-old son is home by himself right now and there are protesters banging outside the door,” Lachiondo said through tears, according to a video of the meeting. “I’m going to go home and make sure he’s OK.”
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Lachiondo later tweeted that she and her family were fine.
A sign encouraging customers to wear a mask at the entrance of a business in downtown Boise, Idaho, in November. Darwin Fan via Getty Images
“No child should be frightened by a mob of protestors, no local official should fear violence for their public service,” Boise Mayor Lauren McLean tweeted later, explaining why she had called for the meeting to be adjourned.
Another board member, Dr. Ted Epperly, told the Idaho Statesman that 15 people had gathered outside his house “beating garbage cans and flashing strobe lights through my windows. Two came up and knocked on my door during the meeting.”
Police arrested and charged one protester with trespassing. They say Yvonne St Cyr, 53, refused to voluntarily comply after entering the CDH building.
“Our community is being severely impacted by this virus and our team members and board are working tirelessly to protect our community’s health,” CDH district director Russ Duke said in a statement. “We simply ask that those who may disagree with these difficult discussion points and decisions do so in a way that is respectful and does not endanger our staff, board of health members, and our law enforcement, all who are critical in this response.”
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Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) condemned the protesters’ conduct in a series of tweets and pleaded for civility.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Florida Megachurch Pastor Tells Evangelical Congregants Not To Take COVID-19 Vaccine

Guillermo Maldonado , founding pastor of the Miami-based King Jesus International Ministry and a loyal supporter of President Donald Trump , shared already debunked claims from the pulpit on Sunday about the vaccine altering DNA and being used to track people down .
The Pentecostal preacher imbued those conspiracy theories with religious significance by connecting them to his beliefs about the end of the world .
Pointing to verses from the Bible ’ s Book of Revelation , Maldonado suggested that the coronavirus vaccine would help lay the groundwork for the coming of the Antichrist .
“ Do not [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blood of Jesus .
Believe in divine immunity , ” Maldonado said in a bilingual sermon that was translated live and streamed on Facebook .
He also claimed God had warned him about a “ satanic global agenda ” that is trying to establish one worldwide religion and bring the Christian church under governmental control ― an idea that echoes decades-old conspiracy theories about a global elite secretly working to create a “ new world order.
” The Miami megachurch is where the Trump campaign launched its “ Evangelicals for Trump ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received between $ 2 million and $ 5 million in forgivable loans under federal rescue legislation designed to help small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic .
Maldonado has become something of a celebrity preacher in certain Latinx evangelical circles , in large part because of his televangelism and his books .
King Jesus International Ministry is believed to be one of the largest Hispanic churches in the country , attracting thousands to its services in pre-pandemic times .
Its network is boosted by several affiliated congregations around the country ― and by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook .
“ When a preacher with his stature mixes conspiracy theory with end time speculation and claims to have heard directly from God on social-political matters , it becomes exceedingly difficult for the faithful in the pews to discern between what is scripture , social commentary , political fantasy , and outright conspiracy , ” Barba told HuffPost .
“ In fact , the parsing out of those elements is discouraged.
” The preacher ’ s more recent anti-vaccine statements reflect beliefs that aren ’ t necessarily fringe in Latinx evangelical communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the New Apostolic Reformation , a global movement of Pentecostal leaders who see themselves as a “ remnant ” destined to guide the world in the end times by advancing the establishment of the kingdom of God .
The leaders seek to wield social and political influence to accomplish that .
Bible verses about the “ mark of the beast , ” which Maldonado pointed to in his Sunday sermon , warn Christians about a future where the Antichrist takes over the world economy and prevents people who don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some Pentecostals have long speculated that the mark of the beast would appear on earth as a vaccine or microchip designed for human implantation .
Maldonado ’ s latest sermon fell shy of saying that the vaccine will be the way that the mark of the beast is administered , Barba said , but the preacher was alluding to such a possibility .
“ Christians are supposed to do all they can to resist the mark of the beast ( whenever that happens ) and by extension should also resist any harbingers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what this vaccine symbolizes for Maldonado , ” Barba said .
Maldonado ’ s approach to COVID-19 is also shaped by the prosperity gospel , a teaching that is “ massively popular ” among Latinx Pentecostals , Barba said .
The prosperity gospel suggests that wealth and good health are signs of God ’ s favor .
There ’ s an emphasis on divine healing and God ’ s constant protection ― even during a pandemic that has disproportionately impacted Latinx communities .
“ The fact that they have not been able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in this country challenges the teachings of divine healing and control over the ‘ evil ’ elements in this world such as the virus , ” he said .

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A prominent Florida megachurch pastor has advised his congregants not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, urging them to “believe in divine immunity” instead.
Guillermo Maldonado, founding pastor of the Miami-based King Jesus International Ministry and a loyal supporter of President Donald Trump, shared already debunked claims from the pulpit on Sunday about the vaccine altering DNA and being used to track people down.
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The Pentecostal preacher imbued those conspiracy theories with religious significance by connecting them to his beliefs about the end of the world. Pointing to verses from the Bible’s Book of Revelation, Maldonado suggested that the coronavirus vaccine would help lay the groundwork for the coming of the Antichrist.
“Do not [take] the vaccine. Believe in the blood of Jesus. Believe in divine immunity,” Maldonado said in a bilingual sermon that was translated live and streamed on Facebook.
He also claimed God had warned him about a “satanic global agenda” that is trying to establish one worldwide religion and bring the Christian church under governmental control ― an idea that echoes decades-old conspiracy theories about a global elite secretly working to create a “new world order.”
“They want to stop President Trump because he’s against that agenda,” Maldonado said.
King Jesus International Ministry did not respond to HuffPost’s request for clarification.
The Miami megachurch is where the Trump campaign launched its “Evangelicals for Trump” coalition in January. The church reportedly received between $2 million and $5 million in forgivable loans under federal rescue legislation designed to help small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Maldonado has become something of a celebrity preacher in certain Latinx evangelical circles, in large part because of his televangelism and his books. King Jesus International Ministry is believed to be one of the largest Hispanic churches in the country, attracting thousands to its services in pre-pandemic times. Its network is boosted by several affiliated congregations around the country ― and by the over 800,000 people who follow Maldonado on Facebook.
Members of Maldonado’s church will likely be influenced by his anti-vaccine teachings, according to Lloyd D. Barba, an assistant professor of religion at Amherst College and an expert on Latinx Christian communities.
“When a preacher with his stature mixes conspiracy theory with end time speculation and claims to have heard directly from God on social-political matters, it becomes exceedingly difficult for the faithful in the pews to discern between what is scripture, social commentary, political fantasy, and outright conspiracy,” Barba told HuffPost. “In fact, the parsing out of those elements is discouraged.”
President Donald Trump embraces Guillermo Maldonado during a rally of evangelical supporters at the King Jesus International Ministry church in Miami on Jan. 3, 2020. AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
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In March, as local authorities across the country started to call for shutdowns to combat COVID-19, Maldonado faced backlash for suggesting that truly faithful believers wouldn’t be afraid to attend church in person.
The preacher’s more recent anti-vaccine statements reflect beliefs that aren’t necessarily fringe in Latinx evangelical communities, Barba said. Maldonado is part of the New Apostolic Reformation, a global movement of Pentecostal leaders who see themselves as a “remnant” destined to guide the world in the end times by advancing the establishment of the kingdom of God. The leaders seek to wield social and political influence to accomplish that.
Bible verses about the “mark of the beast,” which Maldonado pointed to in his Sunday sermon, warn Christians about a future where the Antichrist takes over the world economy and prevents people who don’t have that mark from buying or selling food. Some Pentecostals have long speculated that the mark of the beast would appear on earth as a vaccine or microchip designed for human implantation.
These beliefs prompt Christians like Maldonado to see compulsory public health measures as evidence of a scheme to advance a “one-world” government that will set the stage for Christian persecution during the end times.
Maldonado’s latest sermon fell shy of saying that the vaccine will be the way that the mark of the beast is administered, Barba said, but the preacher was alluding to such a possibility.
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“Christians are supposed to do all they can to resist the mark of the beast (whenever that happens) and by extension should also resist any harbingers of it. That’s exactly what this vaccine symbolizes for Maldonado,” Barba said.
Faith leaders, including Maldonado (far left), pray over Trump during an "Evangelicals for Trump" coalition launch at King Jesus International Ministry on Jan. 3, 2020. AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Maldonado’s approach to COVID-19 is also shaped by the prosperity gospel, a teaching that is “massively popular” among Latinx Pentecostals, Barba said. The prosperity gospel suggests that wealth and good health are signs of God’s favor. There’s an emphasis on divine healing and God’s constant protection ― even during a pandemic that has disproportionately impacted Latinx communities.
The coronavirus has proved to be a “pressure point” for this strain of evangelical belief, Barba said.
“The fact that they have not been able to control the pandemic in their own churches and in this country challenges the teachings of divine healing and control over the ‘evil’ elements in this world such as the virus,” he said.
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Miami-Dade County, where King Jesus International Ministry is based, has seen more than 240,000 COVID-19 cases and nearly 4,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus tracker.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Canada's Health Regulator Approves Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine

Health Canada posted on its website that the vaccine made by U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and Germany ’ s BioNTech is authorized .
The vaccine already has been approved by the United Kingdom and Bahrain and officials have said they expect U.S. approval within days .
“ This a momentous occasion .
I mean the geek in me is amazed , ” Dr. Supriya Sharma , chief medical advisor at Health Canada , said .
“ No one would have thought , even when we looked back at the first discovery of the virus , that less than a year later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Canadians can have confidence in our rigorous review process , and that the vaccine was only authorized only after a thorough assessment of the evidence demonstrated that it met Canada ’ s strict standards for safety , efficacy , and quality , ” she said .
U.S. regulators on Tuesday also released their first scientific evaluation of Pfizer ’ s COVID-19 vaccine and confirmed it offers strong protection .
Vaccines are emerging from an all-out worldwide race and are reaching the market less than a year after the virus was even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shaved years off the usual process .
The encouraging developments come as the coronavirus continues surging across much of the world .
The scourge has claimed more than 1.5 million lives , including over 285,000 in the U.S. , the highest toll of any country .
U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientists are meeting on Thursday when the agency ’ s independent advisers will debate if the evidence is strong enough to recommend vaccinating millions of Americans .
“ It is encouraging to see that our mRNA vaccine is now authorized in Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the third country to approve use of our vaccine within a week , ” said Sean Marett , BioNTech ’ s chief business and chief commercial officer .
Health Canada said the vaccine is for use in people 16 years of age or older , but noted Pfizer-BioNTech are running further clinical trials on children of all age groups and that could change .
Britain ’ s medical regulator warned Wednesday that people with a history of serious allergic reactions shouldn ’ t receive vaccines from Pfizer and BioNTech .
Sharma said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allergies to the ingredients in the vaccine to avoid it but said they ’ ll review info out of UK and decide on whether to expand that advice .
“ The people that had the allergic reaction in the U.K. had other a history of severe allergic reactions , ” she said .
“ At this point in time , we are not changing our recommendation.
” Canada recently amended the contract with Pfizer so that it would deliver up to 249,000 doses this month .
That will mean about 124,500 of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first as two doses are required per person a few weeks apart .

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TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s health regulator on Wednesday approved Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, days ahead of possible approval in the United States.
Health Canada posted on its website that the vaccine made by U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech is authorized. The vaccine already has been approved by the United Kingdom and Bahrain and officials have said they expect U.S. approval within days.
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“This a momentous occasion. I mean the geek in me is amazed,” Dr. Supriya Sharma, chief medical advisor at Health Canada, said. “No one would have thought, even when we looked back at the first discovery of the virus, that less than a year later we would authorizing and distributing a vaccine.”
Sharma called it an exceptional day for Canada.
“Canadians can have confidence in our rigorous review process, and that the vaccine was only authorized only after a thorough assessment of the evidence demonstrated that it met Canada’s strict standards for safety, efficacy, and quality,” she said.
Health Canada said the terms of the approval require the manufacturer to continue providing information on the safety, efficacy, and quality of the vaccine.
Canada is set to receive up to 249,000 doses this month and Canadian officials expect to administer them within days.
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Britain on Tuesday began vaccinations with the shot made by Pfizer and BioNTech.
U.S. regulators on Tuesday also released their first scientific evaluation of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine and confirmed it offers strong protection. Vaccines are emerging from an all-out worldwide race and are reaching the market less than a year after the virus was even identified — a remarkable scientific achievement that shaved years off the usual process.
The encouraging developments come as the coronavirus continues surging across much of the world. The scourge has claimed more than 1.5 million lives, including over 285,000 in the U.S., the highest toll of any country. U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientists are meeting on Thursday when the agency’s independent advisers will debate if the evidence is strong enough to recommend vaccinating millions of Americans.
“It is encouraging to see that our mRNA vaccine is now authorized in Canada. Following U.K. and Bahrain, it is the third country to approve use of our vaccine within a week,” said Sean Marett, BioNTech’s chief business and chief commercial officer.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leaves a news conference in Ottawa, Monday, Dec. 7, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
U.S. FDA scientists reanalyzed data and found the Pfizer vaccine appears safe and more than 90% effective across patients of different ages, races, and underlying health conditions.
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Health Canada said the vaccine is for use in people 16 years of age or older, but noted Pfizer-BioNTech are running further clinical trials on children of all age groups and that could change.
Asked how Health Canada beat the U.S. FDA, Sharma smiled and said. “We’re just better,” she joked.
“We’re not in a race with any other regulator.”
Britain’s medical regulator warned Wednesday that people with a history of serious allergic reactions shouldn’t receive vaccines from Pfizer and BioNTech. Sharma said Health Canada is only advising people with allergies to the ingredients in the vaccine to avoid it but said they’ll review info out of UK and decide on whether to expand that advice.
“The people that had the allergic reaction in the U.K. had other a history of severe allergic reactions,” she said. “At this point in time, we are not changing our recommendation.”
Canada recently amended the contract with Pfizer so that it would deliver up to 249,000 doses this month. That will mean about 124,500 of the highest risk Canadians will get vaccinated at first as two doses are required per person a few weeks apart.
Pfizer and BioNTech said it will supply a minimum of 20 million doses to Canada through 2021 and as many as 76 million.
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Canada has contracts with six other vaccine makers is currently reviewing three other vaccines including one by Moderna that Canadian health officials said could be approved soon.
The government has said 14 distribution centers will be located in large Canadian cities initially. There will be at least one in each province and two each in Canada’s four largest provinces.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Biden's Health Agenda Starts With Reversing Everything Trump Did In The Last 4 Years

“ I think the Biden administration can actually do a tremendous amount in its first year to make more people @ @ @ @ @ coverage more affordable for many families , ” said Sabrina Corlette , a research professor @ @ @ @ @ on Health Insurance Reforms in Washington .
“ I know there ’ s a lot @ @ @ @ @ things didn ’ t more clearly break the Democrats ’ way in the Senate , @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t get disheartened , because there ’ s a lot that can be @ @ @ @ @ ”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
It was less than a year ago that the Democratic presidential candidates were locked in a furious debate over whether to fortify the Affordable Care Act or to replace all existing insurance arrangements with a government-run “Medicare for All” plan.
Now, the prospects for either approach seem remote, at least in the short term.
At best, Democrats in 2021 will have 50 votes in the Senate, and that will include relatively conservative Democrats likely to be skeptical of far-reaching, necessarily expensive health care legislation. At worst, Republicans could maintain their majority for another two years. Georgia will decide that with its Jan. 5 runoff.
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But President-elect Joe Biden will still have some tools for improving access to health care. The power of executive action is considerable, as outgoing President Donald Trump has demonstrated in the last four years.
Trump and his lieutenants significantly altered the kinds of health coverage available to Americans, and what they had to pay for it, by rewriting the rules for private insurance on HealthCare.gov, for example, and allowing states to introduce work requirements for Medicaid enrollees.
The effects were not always straightforward, and federal courts blocked a number of them. But even before COVID-19 threw the economy and employer health insurance arrangements into disarray, the percentage of Americans without health insurance was on the rise for the first time since full implementation of the Affordable Care Act in 2014.
Biden and his newly announced choice to run the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D), will have their chance to undo what Trump has done. They’ll also have opportunities to bolster the ACA, so that it offers more financial assistance to low- and middle-income Americans buying insurance, potentially making the program even more generous than it was under President Barack Obama.
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Biden’s philosophical approach will, of course, be much different from Trump’s. That alone will make a difference. Trump understood this: One of his first actions after being inaugurated in 2017 was to issue an executive order directing agencies to find ways around the ACA’s rules. The Biden administration can also decline to defend Trump policies in court, where many of them are still tied up.
Executive action has trade-offs, including more government spending in some cases or opposition from health industry groups. It also takes time to roll back or rewrite existing rules and regulations. But with effort and patience, executive action could help millions. Here’s how.
Canceling Medicaid Work Requirements
Trump has taken aim at Medicaid, the joint federal-state health program for low-income people, throughout his presidency. The Republicans’ Obamacare replacement bill that failed to pass the Senate in 2017 included significant cuts to the program, as have Trump’s annual budget proposals.
Progressives ― and so far the federal courts ― have objected to Trump’s policy requiring some Medicaid enrollees to prove they have jobs, are looking for work or are engaged in some form of volunteer work. These “work requirements” are modeled on those from other public benefit programs, such as federal food assistance. Those who fail to comply risk losing their medical coverage.
The Trump administration invited states to apply for federal permission to impose work requirements in January 2018, and 19 states accepted the offer. The current administration maintains that the policy’s aim is to encourage Medicaid beneficiaries to get jobs and obtain employer-sponsored benefits.
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But there are few people on Medicaid who are physically able to work who don’t have jobs. The biggest measurable effect of work requirements has been fewer people with coverage. Before a federal court blocked it, Arkansas implemented work requirements that promptly led to 18,000 people losing benefits. The Supreme Court will hear an appeal of the rulings against work requirements next year.
“There's a lot that can be done through executive action.” - Sabrina Corlette, Georgetown University
Biden can act sooner if he chooses. States obtained permission to impose work requirements, along with other Trump-approved policies such as monthly premiums and copayments for medical care, via Medicaid’s “waiver” process, through which the federal government allows states to customize their Medicaid programs.
Those waiver approvals can be unwound under certain conditions, said MaryBeth Musumeci, associate director of the Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington.
For a start, Biden’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services could simply dismiss the seven pending applications for work requirements. And the federal government has the authority to cancel the 12 previously approved waivers.
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This is rarely done, Musumeci said, but Biden can make a good case that a Medicaid policy that results in coverage losses doesn’t comport with the program’s legal requirement to provide medical care, which also was a central part of the court rulings against work requirements.
“When you look at the evidence, I think there is more than enough justification,” Musumeci said.
This process could drag on, however, if states contest the decision to do away with work requirements, and especially if they take the matter to court, she said.
Unmaking Federal Regulations
Trump implemented many of his health policies through the federal rulemaking process. Reversing formal regulations takes time ― a minimum of 180 days, except in emergencies ― during which time the government must field comments from the public. Biden’s team will have a lot to review before making decisions about which regulations to undo, which to revise and which to leave in place.
Regulations related to discrimination against LGBTQ people in the health care sector illustrate the process. In 2016, the Obama administration published a regulation, stemming from language in the ACA, to prevent unfair treatment based on sex, gender identity and sexual orientation by health care providers. Trump reversed that regulation three years into his presidency. If Biden decides to restore protections for LGBTQ patients, it will likely take time.
Progressives also will be watching to see what Biden does about Trump’s so-called public charge rule, a regulation that would threaten the immigration status of lawful immigrants who use public benefit programs. A federal appeals court struck down the regulation this month, but the issue remains live. Biden could cancel the regulation and withdraw from the federal government’s defense of the policy in court.
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Limiting Short-Term Plans To The Short Term
The Trump administration also spent a lot of time rewriting the rules for private insurance ― most conspicuously, when it loosened rules on “short-term/limited-duration plans,” which had long existed as a stopgap for people who are between jobs or otherwise need a bridge between one coverage option and another.
The Obama administration, just before leaving office, finalized rules limiting short-term plans to durations of three months. Under the new Trump administration rules, people can effectively hold on to these policies for up to three years.
The Trump administration touted short-term policies as a new, cheap coverage alternative because their premiums are typically lower than what buyers will find on HealthCare.gov or one of the state-run exchanges like Covered California. But that is because the plans can have large gaps in coverage, exposing beneficiaries to catastrophic medical bills; in addition, insurers can ― and do ― deny short-term policies to people with preexisting conditions.
Not long after the Trump administration rule took effect, there were news stories of unwitting consumers discovering the benefit gaps as soon as they got sick and had large medical bills. The old, Obama-era restriction sought to prevent that from happening, and the Biden administration could bring it back, although doing so would require extra time because the existing regulation involves three different executive branch departments: Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury.
Another potential complication will be familiar to anybody who remembers the controversial rollout of HealthCare.gov back in late 2013. People who now have short-term plans might be angry if they can’t renew them, because they haven’t had a major medical issue and don’t realize how thin their benefits are.
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Making The Affordable Care Act More Affordable
Short-term plans and other coverage alternatives wouldn’t seem so attractive if the options on the exchanges were less expensive. Making that insurance more affordable was the primary focus of Biden’s campaign proposal, and while most of that proposal would require legislation, there are steps he can take now through executive action.
He could start by reversing two regulatory adjustments that the Trump administration made ― one to the formula for calculating private insurance tax credits, another defining what kind of insurance qualifies as “Bronze,” “Silver,” “Gold” or “Platinum” coverage.
These modifications functionally reduced the amount of financial assistance people could get while simultaneously lowering the standards for what insurance covers. A Trump change to the rules for “essential health benefits” in insurance had similar effects.
“The Trump administration was very good at this death-by-a-thousand-cuts approach, making all of these little rule changes here and there that add up to something bigger,” said Aviva Aron-Dine, vice president for health policy at the Washington-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “I think there is an opportunity to sort of do the same in reverse, making financial assistance and insurance coverage more adequate.”
Improving Choice By Reducing It
A major focus of the Trump administration was increasing the options available to insurance buyers ― in part, by rolling back yet another set of Obama administration rules that restricted the kinds and numbers of plans that insurers could offer on HealthCare.gov.
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But research has shown repeatedly that insurance buyers struggle when there are too many choices, because coverage is so hard to compare. The whole point of the Obama rules, which went into effect just as he was leaving office, was to simplify choices, as successful state-run exchanges like California’s have done for years.
Trump got rid of that rule, and today nearly half of all HealthCare.gov customers have 50 or more insurance choices, according to David Anderson, a research associate at the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy based in North Carolina.
“The Trump administration was very good at this death-by-a-thousand-cuts approach.” - Aviva Aron-Dine, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
“This is what I do for a living and what I do for fun, but if I had to look at 50 choices, I probably wouldn’t make a catastrophic choice but I wouldn’t make the optimal choice either,” Anderson said. “And if I’m not making the optimal choice, I guarantee you my little sister isn’t making an optimal choice.”
Reinstating the Obama rules would simplify the choices. It would also most likely translate into more financial assistance for consumers, as the analyst and writer Jon Walker has pointed out, because insurers have learned to game the current rules ― and the way that the law calculates subsidies ― in ways that ultimately leave people with less money for buying coverage.
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Insurers would likely complain, and maybe even threaten to pull out of HealthCare.gov markets as they did in 2015 and 2016, at a time when many carriers were losing money. But the markets have settled down and insurers are making money now.
“It’s a fundamentally profitable business space,” said Anderson. “It’s hard argument to make that modest regulation, bringing us functionally back to 2018 and 2019, is going to drive out massive numbers of incumbent insurers.”
Fixing The Family Glitch
The Biden administration can do more than simply undo Trump administration changes. It can improve upon the ACA in ways even the Obama administration never did. One obvious place to start would be with the law’s definition of “affordability” and how it applies to certain families.
Under the ACA, people are not eligible for subsidies at HealthCare.gov or in a state-based exchange if an employer offers “affordable” insurance, which the law defines as premiums that work out to less than 9.8% of household income.
But under an Obama administration regulation, that threshold applies to the cost of an employer policy for a single employee only. If an employee wants family coverage, and the cost of a family policy versus an individual policy pushes the price above 9.8% of household income, that family still isn’t eligible for subsidies.
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The result is that several million families can’t get insurance unless they pay a lot more than 9.8% of income on premiums. Those families either struggle with high costs, or remain uninsured ― a situation known as the “family glitch.”
The Biden administration could rewrite the rule to make family members eligible for subsidies. That would help a few million people save several thousand dollars a year in premiums, and a few hundred thousand previously uninsured would get coverage, according to an estimate that Urban Institute researchers produced in 2016.
A more ambitious version of the fix, under which the employee could also get subsidies, would probably require legislation.
Boosting The Subsidies
Another potential way to boost subsidies would require action at both the state and federal levels ― and involve Medicaid, as well. The Biden administration could alter some of the rules around Medicaid waivers so that states could use federal Medicaid funding to supplement private insurance subsidies, effectively bolstering them in a way that the states of Massachusetts and Vermont already do.
This kind of change might raise more legal complications than some of the others. But if this use of Medicaid waivers could get through the rulemaking process, and if the courts were to uphold it, the benefits would be substantial.
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“In Massachusetts, this has been a huge part of why they’ve succeeded in coming closer to universal coverage than any other state,” said Stan Dorn, a senior fellow at the Washington-based liberal health care advocacy group Families USA. “Insurance is substantially more affordable for low- and moderate-income people in Massachusetts than elsewhere in the country.”
And while the Biden administration might struggle with some of the regulatory hurdles to boosting subsidies, it wouldn’t face much in the way of interest group opposition. Insurers, employers and other industries that might fight other changes are likely to welcome these, because they stand to benefit if more people get government help buying insurance.
In fact, the main trade-off would be in the form of higher federal spending, perhaps as much as a few billion dollars a year. But that’s a pittance relative to what the federal government already spends on health care every year, and it would provide tangible, meaningful help to Americans in desperate need.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-09--Mississippi Governor To Host Holiday Parties Despite State's Limit On Gatherings

Mississippi ’ s governor is reportedly planning several holiday parties at the governor ’ s mansion this month , even as his own executive orders severely limit indoor gatherings as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the state .
Invites have gone out for several parties scheduled for this week and the next at the official residence of Gov .
Tate Reeves ( R ) in Jackson , Mississippi Today reported Monday .
The governor invited legislators from the state House and state Senate to two separate parties , according to Mississippi Today .
Though it ’ s not known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and whether recipients are invited to bring guests , there are 122 members of the state House and 52 members of the state Senate .
Bailey Martin , a spokesperson for Reeves ’ office , did not respond to HuffPost ’ s specific questions about how the holiday parties will meet the requirements of the governor ’ s executive orders .
She instead said that Reeves and his wife have cancelled or delayed many mansion events this year , including a Christmas candlelight event and their daughter ’ s 16th birthday party .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they “ can be conducted safely , ” she said in an email Wednesday .
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is reportedly hosting several holiday parties at his Jackson mansion , pictured , despite having signed an executive order that limits indoor gatherings to no more than 10 people .
But the guest lists for Reeves ’ upcoming holiday parties are likely to be much higher than the limit he has set for Hinds County , where the governor ’ s mansion is located .
There , no more than 10 people ― who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ household ― are allowed to gather indoors , and 50 people outdoors when social distancing is not an option .
The same rules apply to more than four dozen other Mississippi counties that have seen high numbers of COVID-19 cases .
State Rep. Chris Bell , a Democrat whose district is Hinds County , said he was among those invited to the governor ’ s mansion but he will not be attending due to concerns about the virus .
“ We haven ’ t been informed of any guidelines or any precautions they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party .
We don ’ t know who ’ s going to be there , who ’ s going to be maybe , potentially infected with COVID , ” Bell told local station WAPT News .
Gov .
Reeves is seen explaining his rationale for not ordering a statewide mask mandate last month while seated next to State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs .
Dobbs continues to remind the public that social interactions should be limited to household members only .
Reeves earlier this month appeared to disregard his own rule when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a top hospital executive in Harrison County , one of the counties where indoor events are limited to no more than 10 people .
Kent Nicaud , the CEO of Memorial Hospital at Gulfport , hosted the event at his home .
He told Mississippi Today that no more than 21 or 22 people were at his home at the same time and they were all spread out .
Mississippi ’ s health officer , Thomas Dobbs , reminded people Tuesday on Twitter that social interactions should be limited to household members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s hospitals battle a steady two-month climb in patients infected with the virus , as both ICU beds and ventilators are in short supply .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) has also faced scorn this week over his decision to host a holiday party .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife have also sent out around 900 invitations for one of several indoor holiday parties at the State Department , The White House is also planning to host at least 25 indoor holiday parties this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 50 guests , the Washington Post reported .
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has said that masks and social distancing will be optional .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Mississippi’s governor is reportedly planning several holiday parties at the governor’s mansion this month, even as his own executive orders severely limit indoor gatherings as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the state.
Invites have gone out for several parties scheduled for this week and the next at the official residence of Gov. Tate Reeves (R) in Jackson, Mississippi Today reported Monday.
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The governor invited legislators from the state House and state Senate to two separate parties, according to Mississippi Today. Though it’s not known exactly how many invites went out, and whether recipients are invited to bring guests, there are 122 members of the state House and 52 members of the state Senate.
Bailey Martin, a spokesperson for Reeves’ office, did not respond to HuffPost’s specific questions about how the holiday parties will meet the requirements of the governor’s executive orders. She instead said that Reeves and his wife have cancelled or delayed many mansion events this year, including a Christmas candlelight event and their daughter’s 16th birthday party. Future events will continue so long as they “can be conducted safely,” she said in an email Wednesday.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is reportedly hosting several holiday parties at his Jackson mansion, pictured, despite having signed an executive order that limits indoor gatherings to no more than 10 people. Suzi Altman / Reuters
But the guest lists for Reeves’ upcoming holiday parties are likely to be much higher than the limit he has set for Hinds County, where the governor’s mansion is located. There, no more than 10 people ― who are not in the same family or household ― are allowed to gather indoors, and 50 people outdoors when social distancing is not an option. The same rules apply to more than four dozen other Mississippi counties that have seen high numbers of COVID-19 cases.
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Elsewhere across the state, indoor gatherings are limited to 20 people and outdoor gatherings to 100 people.
State Rep. Chris Bell, a Democrat whose district is Hinds County, said he was among those invited to the governor’s mansion but he will not be attending due to concerns about the virus.
“We haven’t been informed of any guidelines or any precautions they have taken, in respect to this party. We don’t know who’s going to be there, who’s going to be maybe, potentially infected with COVID,” Bell told local station WAPT News.
Gov. Reeves is seen explaining his rationale for not ordering a statewide mask mandate last month while seated next to State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs. Dobbs continues to remind the public that social interactions should be limited to household members only. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Reeves earlier this month appeared to disregard his own rule when he attended an in-person fundraiser for himself hosted by a top hospital executive in Harrison County, one of the counties where indoor events are limited to no more than 10 people.
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Kent Nicaud, the CEO of Memorial Hospital at Gulfport, hosted the event at his home. He told Mississippi Today that no more than 21 or 22 people were at his home at the same time and they were all spread out.
Mississippi’s health officer, Thomas Dobbs, reminded people Tuesday on Twitter that social interactions should be limited to household members only. His urging came as the state’s hospitals battle a steady two-month climb in patients infected with the virus, as both ICU beds and ventilators are in short supply.
The state on Tuesday reported 1,732 new cases of the virus, 56 new deaths, and 206 outbreaks in long-term care facilities.
Reeves isn’t the only politician pushing forward with holiday plans.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has also faced scorn this week over his decision to host a holiday party. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife have also sent out around 900 invitations for one of several indoor holiday parties at the State Department,