usatoday--2020-12-11--Supreme Court challenge to election results turns into bitter war between the states

WASHINGTON – Texas ' request that the Supreme Court block Pennsylvania , Georgia , Michigan and Wisconsin from casting their electoral votes for President-elect Joe Biden erupted Thursday into a war involving nearly every state in the nation .
The four battleground states fired back at the challenge mounted by Texas and joined by President Trump , with Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro labeling the effort to negate millions of citizens ' ballots a `` seditious abuse of the judicial process . ''
They were joined in opposition by 20 Democratic-led states , the District of Columbia , the Virgin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Republican-led states lined up with Texas and the president .
There was dissension on the GOP side , however , as Arizona and Ohio stood apart and Utah 's elected officials took opposite sides .
With the Electoral College set to convene Monday and make Biden 's decisive victory at the polls official , the 11th-hour legal conflagration appeared to represent the last gasp of Trump 's collapsing campaign .
Legal experts agreed the Supreme Court , even with six conservative justices – including three named by Trump – is unlikely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list of reasons .
To begin with , Texas likely lacks any injury that would give it standing to challenge other states ' laws and procedures .
Its effort came too late to block certification of each state 's vote .
Blocking electors from casting battleground states ' electoral votes would disenfranchise millions of citizens .
Perhaps most important , the same claims have been debunked in dozens of other state and federal courts , where Trump 's campaign and other challengers have failed to show evidence of election fraud .
`` Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for yielding results with which it disagrees , '' Shapiro told the justices in legal papers .
`` Its request for this court to exercise its original jurisdiction and then anoint Texas ’ s preferred candidate for president is legally indefensible and is an affront to principles of constitutional democracy . ''
The Supreme Court was expected to rule within days , if not hours .
Election Day was 37 days ago ; by that time in 2000 , the high court had issued its decision in Bush v. Gore , a legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put George W. Bush in the White House .
By contrast , Biden 's 306 electoral votes equaled Trump 's total in 2016 , and Biden won the popular vote by more than 7 million .
“ It ’ s very unlikely that the Supreme Court would get involved , not only because the claims are meritless , but also because they ’ re not outcome-determinative , ” said Rebecca Green , co-director of the election law program at William & Mary Law School .
Nevertheless , Texas contended that changes in voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four battleground states abrogated laws passed by the legislatures , which it said have the sole constitutional authority to run elections .
`` Defendant states flooded their citizenry with tens of millions of ballot applications and ballots , ignoring statutory controls as to how they were received , evaluated , and counted , '' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wrote in igniting the firestorm Monday night .
`` Whether well-intentioned or not , these unconstitutional and unlawful changes had the same uniform effect – they made the 2020 election less secure . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge incorporated widely disputed statistics intended to show that Biden 's victory in the election was almost an impossibility .
Among other things , he incorrectly said no presidential candidate ever lost election after winning Florida and Ohio , as Trump did .
Richard Nixon endured the same fate in 1960 .
`` These things just don ’ t normally happen , and a large percentage of the American people know that something is deeply amiss , '' his lawyers said in court papers .
Notably , those lawyers were not the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins ' name on Paxton 's petition , as is customary .
Further signs of Republican disarray emerged Thursday when only six of the 17 Republican-led states that had backed Texas asked to intervene directly in the case .
Utah 's governor and governor-elect distanced themselves from the state attorney general 's decision to be among the six .
States led by Democrats , however , presented a united front to the high court .
Georgia said the justices should not `` transfer Georgia ’ s electoral powers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas `` does not have a cognizable interest in how Michigan runs its elections . ''
And Wisconsin said `` the harm and public interest factors strongly weigh in favor of denying the extraordinary relief Texas seeks – stripping millions of voters of the choice they made . ''

Supreme Court challenge to election results turns into bitter war between the states
Show Caption Hide Caption How a contentious election affects a peaceful transition of power What history has shown us about contested elections and peaceful transitions of power. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Texas' request that the Supreme Court block Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin from casting their electoral votes for President-elect Joe Biden erupted Thursday into a war involving nearly every state in the nation.
The four battleground states fired back at the challenge mounted by Texas and joined by President Trump, with Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro labeling the effort to negate millions of citizens' ballots a "seditious abuse of the judicial process."
They were joined in opposition by 20 Democratic-led states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and Guam, while smaller groups of Republican-led states lined up with Texas and the president. There was dissension on the GOP side, however, as Arizona and Ohio stood apart and Utah's elected officials took opposite sides.
With the Electoral College set to convene Monday and make Biden's decisive victory at the polls official, the 11th-hour legal conflagration appeared to represent the last gasp of Trump's collapsing campaign.
Legal experts agreed the Supreme Court, even with six conservative justices – including three named by Trump – is unlikely to hear the Texas challenge for a long list of reasons.
To begin with, Texas likely lacks any injury that would give it standing to challenge other states' laws and procedures. Its effort came too late to block certification of each state's vote. Blocking electors from casting battleground states' electoral votes would disenfranchise millions of citizens.
Perhaps most important, the same claims have been debunked in dozens of other state and federal courts, where Trump's campaign and other challengers have failed to show evidence of election fraud.
"Texas seeks to invalidate elections in four states for yielding results with which it disagrees," Shapiro told the justices in legal papers. "Its request for this court to exercise its original jurisdiction and then anoint Texas’s preferred candidate for president is legally indefensible and is an affront to principles of constitutional democracy."
Fact check: Statistical analysis supporting pro-Trump Supreme Court case is 'ludicrous'
The Supreme Court was expected to rule within days, if not hours. Election Day was 37 days ago; by that time in 2000, the high court had issued its decision in Bush v. Gore, a legal battle over Florida's 537-vote margin that put George W. Bush in the White House.
By contrast, Biden's 306 electoral votes equaled Trump's total in 2016, and Biden won the popular vote by more than 7 million.
“It’s very unlikely that the Supreme Court would get involved, not only because the claims are meritless, but also because they’re not outcome-determinative,” said Rebecca Green, co-director of the election law program at William & Mary Law School.
Nevertheless, Texas contended that changes in voting procedures made by state officials in the four battleground states abrogated laws passed by the legislatures, which it said have the sole constitutional authority to run elections.
"Defendant states flooded their citizenry with tens of millions of ballot applications and ballots, ignoring statutory controls as to how they were received, evaluated, and counted," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wrote in igniting the firestorm Monday night. "Whether well-intentioned or not, these unconstitutional and unlawful changes had the same uniform effect – they made the 2020 election less secure."
Trump's request to intervene in the challenge incorporated widely disputed statistics intended to show that Biden's victory in the election was almost an impossibility. Among other things, he incorrectly said no presidential candidate ever lost election after winning Florida and Ohio, as Trump did. Richard Nixon endured the same fate in 1960.
"These things just don’t normally happen, and a large percentage of the American people know that something is deeply amiss," his lawyers said in court papers.
Notably, those lawyers were not the Trump campaign's usual ones. Nor was Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins' name on Paxton's petition, as is customary.
Further signs of Republican disarray emerged Thursday when only six of the 17 Republican-led states that had backed Texas asked to intervene directly in the case. Utah's governor and governor-elect distanced themselves from the state attorney general's decision to be among the six.
States led by Democrats, however, presented a united front to the high court. Georgia said the justices should not "transfer Georgia’s electoral powers to the federal judiciary." Michigan said Texas "does not have a cognizable interest in how Michigan runs its elections."
And Wisconsin said "the harm and public interest factors strongly weigh in favor of denying the extraordinary relief Texas seeks – stripping millions of voters of the choice they made."


usatoday--2020-12-12--Donald Trump stood no chance in front of a conservative Supreme Court. Here's why.

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court 's refusal to help Donald Trump change the result of the 2020 election should come as no surprise for the very reason the president hoped to win the case : The court is conservative .
That means the three justices who owe their seats on the nation 's highest bench to Trump , as well as others nominated by Republican presidents , profess adherence to the Constitution and the precise text of federal statutes .
They do n't just make stuff up .
So when Texas , backed by Trump and a cadre of Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , asked the court to block election results from Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin , it stood no chance of prevailing .
More : Supreme Court denies effort to block election results in 4 key states that sealed Trump 's fate '' The hallmark of conservative jurisprudence is respect for established law , '' said Michael McConnell , director of the constitutional law center at Stanford Law School and a former federal appeals court judge appointed by President George W. Bush .
`` No one should be surprised that the justices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in all these elected cases , followed the law . ''
Earlier : Supreme Court challenge to election results turns into bitter war between the states The law took them invariably in one direction , for a number of reasons : • Texas lacked legal standing because it `` has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another state conducts its elections , '' the court said in its brief order Friday .
• The state sought to leapfrog lower courts by framing the case as one in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
• Principles of federalism dictate that states decide for themselves how to run their elections .
• Governors already had certified the votes , making the challenge tardy , if not moot .
• Millions of voters could have been disenfranchised if their legally cast ballots were discounted .
`` Texas is asking the Supreme Court to take up a case in which it would have to find its own facts , in which it isn ’ t remotely obvious why Texas is the right plaintiff , and in which time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephen Vladeck , an expert on federal courts at the University of Texas School of Law .
`` The posture in which the factual and legal arguments were presented necessarily made it impossible for those arguments to be taken seriously , even by the justices who might otherwise have been inclined to do so . ''
Associate Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito , for instance , have urged the court to exercise more often its authority to hear disputes between states without requiring them to start in lower courts .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outlandish requests .
Thomas and Alito said Friday they would have granted Texas ' request to make its case , but `` would not grant other relief . ''
`` They may be conservative on legal and social issues , but they recognize that Texas ’ claim was political theater , not a valid legal action , and that it would be impossible for the Supreme Court to serve as a trial court to evaluate allegations of election fraud in multiple states , '' said John Bellinger , who served during Bush 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department .
`` To have taken the case would have delayed the transition and caused a constitutional crisis . ''
What sets the justices and other federal judges apart from elected officials is their life tenure , which insulates them from political pressure .
While scores of GOP officials saw political benefit in siding with Trump , judges and justices had no similar reasons .
`` Politicians ... will sometimes take truly awful positions on legal issues for political reasons .
Judges have a different structure of incentives , '' said Ilya Somin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University 's Antonin Scalia Law School .
`` They don ’ t have the same need to cater to a political base or to the whims of Donald Trump .
And they have stronger incentives to care about the precedent they are establishing . ''
Thus it was that when Trump 's lawyers urged the Supreme Court this year to block Congress and New York prosecutors from gaining access to the president 's financial records , Associate Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh , Trump 's first two nominees , agreed that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump 's third nominee , Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett , assured the Senate Judiciary Committee in October that she would not be beholden to Trump if called upon to weigh in on the election .
`` I certainly hope that all members of the committee have more confidence in my integrity than to think that I would allow myself to be used as a pawn to decide the election for the American people , '' Barrett said .
More : Justice Amy Coney Barrett could have immediate impact on American democracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Stephen Breyer joined the court 's unanimous 1997 ruling that President Bill Clinton could not sidestep a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones .
`` To be sure , justices may often have views on legal subjects that lead them to understand the law one way or another , '' said Eugene Volokh , a libertarian professor at UCLA School of Law .
`` But they try hard to honestly apply their understanding of the law , without regard to which political figures will benefit from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor at Case Western Reserve School of Law , put it succinctly : '' Law matters , '' he said .
`` Judges are not politicians in robes . ''

Donald Trump stood no chance in front of a conservative Supreme Court. Here's why.
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump says he'll go if he loses Electoral College President Donald Trump said that he will leave the White House if the Electoral College formalizes President-Elect Joe Biden's victory - even as he insisted such a decision would be a “mistake.” (Nov. 27) AP
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court's refusal to help Donald Trump change the result of the 2020 election should come as no surprise for the very reason the president hoped to win the case: The court is conservative.
That means the three justices who owe their seats on the nation's highest bench to Trump, as well as others nominated by Republican presidents, profess adherence to the Constitution and the precise text of federal statutes. They don't just make stuff up.
So when Texas, backed by Trump and a cadre of Republican state attorneys general and members of Congress, asked the court to block election results from Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, it stood no chance of prevailing.
More: Supreme Court denies effort to block election results in 4 key states that sealed Trump's fate
"The hallmark of conservative jurisprudence is respect for established law," said Michael McConnell, director of the constitutional law center at Stanford Law School and a former federal appeals court judge appointed by President George W. Bush. "No one should be surprised that the justices, like the Trump-appointed lower court judges in all these election cases, followed the law."
Earlier: Supreme Court challenge to election results turns into bitter war between the states
The law took them invariably in one direction, for a number of reasons:
• Texas lacked legal standing because it "has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another state conducts its elections," the court said in its brief order Friday.
• The state sought to leapfrog lower courts by framing the case as one in which the Supreme Court has "original jurisdiction."
• Principles of federalism dictate that states decide for themselves how to run their elections.
• Governors already had certified the votes, making the challenge tardy, if not moot.
• Millions of voters could have been disenfranchised if their legally cast ballots were discounted.
"Texas is asking the Supreme Court to take up a case in which it would have to find its own facts, in which it isn’t remotely obvious why Texas is the right plaintiff, and in which time is of the essence," said Stephen Vladeck, an expert on federal courts at the University of Texas School of Law. "The posture in which the factual and legal arguments were presented necessarily made it impossible for those arguments to be taken seriously, even by the justices who might otherwise have been inclined to do so."
Earlier: Trump seeks to join Supreme Court lawsuit challenging election results in 4 key states
Associate Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, for instance, have urged the court to exercise more often its authority to hear disputes between states without requiring them to start in lower courts. But the Supreme Court still has discretion to deny outlandish requests.
Thomas and Alito said Friday they would have granted Texas' request to make its case, but "would not grant other relief."
"They may be conservative on legal and social issues, but they recognize that Texas’ claim was political theater, not a valid legal action, and that it would be impossible for the Supreme Court to serve as a trial court to evaluate allegations of election fraud in multiple states," said John Bellinger, who served during Bush's administration as legal adviser at the State Department. "To have taken the case would have delayed the transition and caused a constitutional crisis."
More: Supreme Court dismisses Trump allies' challenge to Pennsylvania election
What sets the justices and other federal judges apart from elected officials is their life tenure, which insulates them from political pressure. While scores of GOP officials saw political benefit in siding with Trump, judges and justices had no similar reasons.
"Politicians ... will sometimes take truly awful positions on legal issues for political reasons. Judges have a different structure of incentives," said Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School. "They don’t have the same need to cater to a political base or to the whims of Donald Trump. And they have stronger incentives to care about the precedent they are establishing."
Thus it was that when Trump's lawyers urged the Supreme Court this year to block Congress and New York prosecutors from gaining access to the president's financial records, Associate Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, Trump's first two nominees, agreed that the president is not immune from criminal investigation.
Trump's third nominee, Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, assured the Senate Judiciary Committee in October that she would not be beholden to Trump if called upon to weigh in on the election.
"I certainly hope that all members of the committee have more confidence in my integrity than to think that I would allow myself to be used as a pawn to decide the election for the American people," Barrett said.
More: Justice Amy Coney Barrett could have immediate impact on American democracy
Similarly, Associate Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer joined the court's unanimous 1997 ruling that President Bill Clinton could not sidestep a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones.
"To be sure, justices may often have views on legal subjects that lead them to understand the law one way or another," said Eugene Volokh, a libertarian professor at UCLA School of Law. "But they try hard to honestly apply their understanding of the law, without regard to which political figures will benefit from a decision."
Jonathan Adler, a professor at Case Western Reserve School of Law, put it succinctly:
"Law matters," he said. "Judges are not politicians in robes."


usatoday--2020-12-12--'I see bodies flying': Protesters in New York City struck by car; 6 injured

WOODLAND PARK , N.J. – At least six people were injured after a car drove into a crowd of protesters in Manhattan on Friday , according to the New York City Police Department .
The department confirmed on social media that investigation is ongoing into the incident that occurred around 4 p.m. at the intersection of Third Avenue and E. 39th Street .
The New York Fire Department says six people were taken by ambulance to local hospitals .
Police and fire officials said the injuries did n't appear to be life-threatening .
One video shows the car stopped at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the protest , where people had been standing in the street .
Another video shows a person that appears to be the driver being taken into police custody .
The protestors were on hand to raise awareness and bring attention to an ongoing hunger strike by ICE detainees at the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack .
Protests have occurred outside that facility every day for about two weeks .
On Friday , video emerged of an altercation between protestors and sheriff 's officers on River Street .
Footage shows one man being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to push the man back toward the parking lot , into the barricades knocking them down .
The man does not appear to struggle or resist as four officers subdue him .
A spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said last month that nine detainees at the jail had stopped eating meals , but would not say for how long .
A detainee in ICE custody is deemed to be in hunger strike status if they refuse nine consecutive facility-provided meals .
That also applies even if a person eats food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time , according to information on the ICE website .
The circumstances of what caused the car to go into the protest were unclear .
The car 's windshield was smashed by the impact , pictures and video showed .
A participant in the protest , Sofia Vickerman , of Denver , Colorado , told the Associated Press that when the car hit the crowd it tossed people and a bicycle in the air .
“ I hear people screaming in the front , I look behind me , the woman is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I see bodies flying . ''
Images posted online showed a heavy police presence as authorities blocked off the area , and one person being loaded into a stretcher .

'I see bodies flying': Woman charged for driving car into NYC protesters, injuring 6, police say
WOODLAND PARK, N.J. – A woman has been arrested and charged with reckless endangerment after driving her car into protesters Friday in New York City, injuring six of them, police said.
Kathleen Casillo, 52, was released from custody after being given a notice to appear in court at a later date, police said. A message seeking comment was left at a number listed for Casillo. Online records did not list a lawyer who could speak on her behalf.
The New York City Police Department said the incident happened Friday around 4 p.m. at the intersection of Third Avenue and E. 39th Street.
The protestors were on hand to raise awareness and bring attention to an ongoing hunger strike by ICE detainees at the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack.
The New York Fire Department says six people were taken by ambulance to local hospitals. Police and fire officials said the injuries didn't appear to be life-threatening.
One video shows the car stopped at the intersection before accelerating into the area of the protest, where people had been standing in the street. Another video shows a person that appears to be the driver being taken into police custody.
Just in: surveillance video shows a vehicle speeding through a group of protestors in Murray Hill, leaving 7 of them injured. Driver and passenger being questioned, although sources say this incident does not appear to be intentional. @ABC7NY @jimdolan7 @AaronKatersky pic.twitter.com/ulRlef1lPr — Morena Basteiro (@morenabasteiro) December 11, 2020
Protests have occurred outside the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack every day for about two weeks.
On Friday, video emerged of an altercation between protestors and sheriff's officers on River Street. Footage shows one man being arrested. A group of five officers appear to push the man back toward the parking lot, into the barricades knocking them down. The man does not appear to struggle or resist as four officers subdue him.
A spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said last month that nine detainees at the jail had stopped eating meals, but would not say for how long.
A detainee in ICE custody is deemed to be in hunger strike status if they refuse nine consecutive facility-provided meals. That also applies even if a person eats food purchased from the commissary during that period of time, according to information on the ICE website.
The circumstances of what caused the car to go into the protest were unclear. The car's windshield was smashed by the impact, pictures and video showed.
A participant in the protest, Sofia Vickerman, of Denver, Colorado, told the Associated Press that when the car hit the crowd it tossed people and a bicycle in the air.
“I hear people screaming in the front, I look behind me, the woman is plowing through," she said. “I see bodies flying."
Images posted online showed a heavy police presence as authorities blocked off the area, and one person being loaded into a stretcher.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-12-12--Yes, Michigan employers can mandate COVID-19 vaccinations — but it could bring problems

DETROIT – Ford Motor Co. has said it 's ordering a dozen ultra-cold freezers to store coronavirus vaccines globally when they become available .
General Motors Co. plans to share information on vaccine distribution to its employees in the next few weeks .
Meanwhile , crosstown rival Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said it has assembled a team that is studying the most effective approach to distributing vaccines to employees .
It 's not just hospital systems preparing for the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine .
Companies ranging from the Detroit Three automakers to restaurants are thinking about how they communicate to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they should make it available , or even mandate it .
Two COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna could be ready before Christmas , subject to regulatory approval .
In Michigan , they will be available in limited quantities initially , with the first going to front-line health care workers , the state 's Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said .
Streaming TV : Disney+ has a $ 1 price increase to $ 7.99 coming in March But come January , state officials hope to expand the vaccine to more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the public by late spring , Khaldun said .
With companies like Ford and GM taking concrete steps to be prepared to distribute the vaccine , the moves raise questions about whether companies can require that employees get a vaccine .
`` Although the current COVID situation is new , this is n't a new issue for employers , '' said Maria Dwyer , a managing member of Clark Hill ’ s Detroit office and a labor and employment attorney .
Dwyer said it has been well established under the law that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complicated , especially with COVID-19 But just because it 's legal does n't mean issues wo n't arise , employment lawyers say .
There are exemptions for employees with disabilities , such as an underlying condition that would prevent getting a vaccine , and religious beliefs , Dwyer said .
She could also see problems for the employer if an employee took the vaccine and had an adverse reaction .
`` There are benefits , obviously , to having a workforce that 's immunized , '' she said .
`` But employers should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and make sure that there are exceptions under employment law to the rules that are established . ''
Then there are the considerations related to the broader narrative surrounding this vaccine in particular .
The vaccine was developed at a rapid pace and became politicized at certain points .
More than half of the U.S. population — 57 % according to the most recent Gallup poll — are not willing to be vaccinated .
Elisa Lintemuth , a member of Dykema ’ s labor and employment practice in Grand Rapids , Michigan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines , the question in her mind is : `` Is it different than other vaccines ? ''
She thinks it is .
Lintemuth said the companies she 's talking to are more hesitant to implement a mandatory program for the COVID-19 vaccine because it is being approved for an emergency use authorization , a judgment issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that makes a drug , device or test available before having all the evidence the agency would typically have .
`` There 's concern in the general public about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been fast-tracked , '' Lintemuth said .
`` And so employers expect a little bit more pushback from employees than they might with a flu shot , for example . ''
Two of Michigan 's largest nonprofit hospital systems , Beaumont Health and the Henry Ford Health System , said they 're not planning on mandating the vaccine .
In an interview with the Detroit Free Press on Wednesday , Beaumont Health ’ s Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Wood cited the emergency use authorization and the fact that the vaccine is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requiring employees to get the vaccine .
While some company leaders are expressing concerns , a much wider swath of companies are looking into making available , or mandating , the vaccine , Lintemuth said .
Typically , health care providers , schools , day care centers and senior living centers may mandate vaccines , but with COVID-19 , that group has widened to manufacturing and leisure and hospitality , two sectors where many employees ca n't work from home .
`` Employers in almost every industry are trying to decide what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine , '' she said .
`` The typical flu season does n't impact our economy and our society the same way that COVID-19 has , and everyone wants to get back to normal .
And they see the vaccine as a way back to normalcy . ''
John Walsh , president and CEO of the Michigan Manufacturers Association , said , by and large , the industry has n't incentivized or mandated vaccines in the past .
More : Ford aims to offer COVID-19 vaccines to employees , orders ultra-cold freezers More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers around COVID-19 vaccine distribution COVID-19 is different though because it affects employees ' ability to go to work safely .
And in an industry where many employees ca n't work from home , it ultimately affects manufacturers ' bottom lines .
Walsh said there 's a debate among members about when herd immunity could be reached , and that drives some members to consider encouraging and incentivizing employees to get the vaccine , whether it 's through a small cash bonus or an extra day off .
`` We won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walsh said , but he hopes it can be viewed as a positive move by companies and a way to avoid legal issues .
In the heavily unionized manufacturing sector , a mandate would also need to be negotiated with the union , he said .
Lintemuth said that 's in line with what she 's hearing most often from Michigan employers : They want to encourage or incentivize employees getting the vaccine , and they 're not ready to mandate it yet .
Dennis Archer Jr. , who owns multiple businesses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ + Bar in Detroit , said he 's not planning on mandating the vaccine .
But he said he 'll likely hold a Zoom call with a health professional for his 100 employees to share information about the vaccine .
Archer Jr. said the pandemic has caused him to reexamine his approach to management and human resource considerations .
For example , it 's usually larger employers who offer flu shots on-site for their employees .
But should he start offering that ?
`` There 's a cost to doing business , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees and their families , '' Archer Jr. said .
`` But anything that helps stave off sickness and the spread of sickness , especially in the hospitality space , where you have sometimes thousands of guests coming in and out of the restaurant every week '' should be considered .
Working from home likely to continue For the companies who have had their employees working from home throughout the pandemic , they 'll likely continue to do so , said Dwyer .
`` I think we 'll still see a slow return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Maybe those who agree to be vaccinated will be the first ones coming back . ''
Dwyer said cost concerns about who would pay for the vaccine , to the controversy that could arise out of mandating or incentivizing a vaccine , could further drive employers to examine whether employees really need to be back working in the office .
`` A lot of employers are finding really which jobs can be performed from home and which really need to be done in the office , '' she said .

Employers consider encouraging, even requiring COVID-19 vaccinations, but it could bring problems
DETROIT – Ford Motor Co. has said it's ordering a dozen ultra-cold freezers to store coronavirus vaccines globally when they become available. General Motors Co. plans to share information on vaccine distribution to its employees in the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, crosstown rival Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said it has assembled a team that is studying the most effective approach to distributing vaccines to employees.
It's not just hospital systems preparing for the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine. Companies ranging from the Detroit Three automakers to restaurants are thinking about how they communicate to their employees about the vaccine and whether they should make it available, or even mandate it.
Two COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna could be ready before Christmas, subject to regulatory approval. In Michigan, they will be available in limited quantities initially, with the first going to front-line health care workers, said the state's chief medical executive, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said.
Holiday shopping: Will COVID-19 vaccine shipments delay your holiday gifts?
Streaming TV: Disney+ has a $1 price increase to $7.99 coming in March
But come January, state officials hope to expand the vaccine to more populations, with a general vaccine available to the public by late spring, Khaldun said.
With companies like Ford and GM taking concrete steps to be prepared to distribute the vaccine, the moves raise questions about whether companies can require that employees get a vaccine.
"Although the current COVID situation is new, this isn't a new issue for employers," said Maria Dwyer, a managing member of Clark Hill’s Detroit office and a labor and employment attorney.
Dwyer said it has been well established under the law that employers can mandate vaccines.
It's complicated, especially with COVID-19
But just because it's legal doesn't mean questions won't arise, employment lawyers say. There are exemptions for employees with disabilities, such as an underlying condition that would prevent someone from getting a vaccine, and religious beliefs, Dwyer said. She could also see problems for the employer if an employee got the vaccine and had an adverse reaction.
"There are benefits, obviously, to having a workforce that's immunized," she said. "But employers should keep these three issues in mind, and make sure that there are exceptions under employment law to the rules that are established."
Then there are considerations related to this vaccine in particular. The vaccine was developed at a rapid pace and became politicized at certain points. More than half of the U.S. population – 57%, according to the most recent Gallup poll – are not willing to be vaccinated.
Elisa Lintemuth, a member of Dykema’s labor and employment practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan, said that while there is precedent for requiring vaccines, the question in her mind is: "Is it different than other vaccines?"
She thinks it is.
Lintemuth said the companies she's talking to are more hesitant to implement a mandatory program for the COVID-19 vaccine because it is being approved for an emergency use authorization, a judgment issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that makes a drug, device or test available before having all the evidence the agency would typically have.
"There's concern in the general public about whether the vaccine is safe because it has been fast-tracked," Lintemuth said. "And so employers expect a little bit more pushback from employees than they might with a flu shot, for example."
Two of Michigan's largest nonprofit hospital systems, Beaumont Health and the Henry Ford Health System, said they're not planning on a vaccine mandate. In an interview with the Detroit Free Press on Wednesday, Beaumont Health’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Wood cited the emergency use authorization and the fact that the vaccine is new as the primary reasons for not requiring employees to get the vaccine.
A path back to normalcy
While some company leaders are expressing concerns, a much wider swath of companies are looking into making available, or requiring, the vaccine, Lintemuth said.
Typically, health care providers, schools, day care centers and senior living centers may require vaccines, but with COVID-19, that group has widened to manufacturing and leisure and hospitality, two sectors where many employees can't work from home.
"Employers in almost every industry are trying to decide what they're going to do about the COVID-19 vaccine," she said. "The typical flu season doesn't impact our economy and our society the same way that COVID-19 has, and everyone wants to get back to normal. And they see the vaccine as a way back to normalcy."
John Walsh, president and CEO of the Michigan Manufacturers Association, said that by and large, the industry hasn't incentivized or required vaccines in the past.
More: Ford aims to offer COVID-19 vaccines to employees, orders ultra-cold freezers
More: GM preps to unveil plan to workers around COVID-19 vaccine distribution
COVID-19 is different, though, because it affects employees' ability to go to work safely. And in an industry where many employees can't work from home, it ultimately affects manufacturers' bottom lines.
Walsh said there's a debate among members about when herd immunity could be reached, and that drives some members to consider encouraging and incentivizing employees to get the vaccine, whether it's through a small cash bonus or an extra day off.
"We won’t be able to avoid controversy," Walsh said, but he hopes encouraging vaccination can be viewed as a positive move by companies and a way to avoid legal problems.
In the heavily unionized manufacturing sector, a mandate would also need to be negotiated with the union, he said.
Lintemuth said that's in line with what she's hearing most often from Michigan employers: They want to encourage or incentivize employees getting the vaccine, and they're not yet ready to require it.
Dennis Archer Jr., who owns multiple businesses and is a managing partner at Central Kitchen + Bar in Detroit, said he's not planning on requiring the vaccine. But he said he'll likely hold a Zoom call with a health professional for his 100 employees to share information about the vaccine.
Archer said the pandemic has caused him to reexamine his approach to management and human resource considerations. For example, it's usually larger employers that offer flu shots on-site for their employees. But should he start offering that?
"There's a cost to doing business, which is secondary to the health of the employees and their families," Archer said. "But anything that helps stave off sickness and the spread of sickness, especially in the hospitality space, where you have sometimes thousands of guests coming in and out of the restaurant every week," should be considered.
Working from home likely to continue
For the companies who have had their employees working from home throughout the pandemic, they'll likely continue to do so, Dwyer said.
"I think we'll still see a slow return to the workplace," she said. "Maybe those who agree to be vaccinated will be the first ones coming back."
Dwyer said cost concerns about who would pay for the vaccine, and the controversy that could arise out of mandating or incentivizing a vaccine, could further drive employers to examine whether employees really need to be back working in the office.
"A lot of employers are finding really which jobs can be performed from home and which really need to be done in the office."
Contributing: Kristen Shamus
Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@freepress.com.


usatoday--2020-12-12--Blake Griffin joins Michigan Gov. Whitmer's COVID-19 taskforce: 'Everybody has to contribute'

During his post-practice media availability on Thursday , Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin wore a mask .
Most experts would agree the odds of catching COVID-19 through a virtual Zoom conference are non-existent , but Griffin had a positive example to set .
Griffin 's media conference took place an hour after Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer announced that she 's creating a new task force that will be tasked with raising awareness about COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy .
Griffin is the lone athlete on the Protect Michigan Commission , which also includes Lt. Gov .
Garlin Gilchrist II , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several medical experts .
`` I was just approached by the governor and being the spokesperson for being smart , wearing masks , social-distancing , washing hands , doing all of the things that we know are important and helps to slow the spread of the virus , '' Griffin said .
`` But also , the vaccine as well when it ’ s time for that .
It ’ s not something we ’ re going to get through just by a few people doing what they need to do .
Everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glad to be a part of it and proud to be a part of it . ''
The commission is being formed as Michigan prepares for the distribution of Pfizer 's vaccine , which has a 95 % efficacy rate .
The state of Michigan passed 400,000 cases and 10,000 virus-related deaths this week .
Meanwhile , the NBA is preparing to start the 2020-21 season .
The Pistons begin their home slate with a preseason game against the New York Knicks on Friday ; they will play without fans at Little Caesars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2019-20 season in March , then completed it and the playoffs in a `` bubble '' at Walt Disney World in Orlando , Florida , though the Pistons ( along with several other teams ) did not take part .
Griffin , who has not played for the Pistons since Dec. 28 due to a knee injury , acknowledged that there 's some uncertainty approaching the start of the season .
But the NBA , along with the National Basketball Players Association , has a plan intended to minimize cases and ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he believes the league is prioritizing safety , and he 's eager to play for the first time in 2020 .
Griffin 's public support for the eventual distribution of a vaccine comes after an ESPN report stating the NBA could become the first professional sports league in America to manage wide vaccine dispersalal for its players , coaches and staff .
`` Is there uncertainty ?
Yes .
I ’ m not uneasy about it , '' Griffin said of the looming season .
`` I think the NBA and NBPA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together a plan that keeps us safe , first and foremost .
It ’ s going to be a different experience .
Going into it , no one knows what it ’ s going to be like .
I ’ m just ready to play some basketball . ''
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa @ freepress.com .
Follow him on Twitter @ omarisankofa .

Blake Griffin joins Michigan Gov. Whitmer's COVID-19 taskforce: 'Everybody has to contribute'
Show Caption Hide Caption Blake Griffin: Detroit Pistons' energy is best I've seen here Blake Griffin on joining Gov. Whitmer's COVID-19 taskforce, excitement for the season and more, at Pistons' practice facility in Midtown, Dec. 10, 2020. Detroit Pistons
During his post-practice media availability on Thursday, Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin wore a mask. Most experts would agree the odds of catching COVID-19 through a virtual Zoom conference are non-existent, but Griffin had a positive example to set.
Griffin's media conference took place an hour after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that she's creating a new task force that will be tasked with raising awareness about COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy.
Griffin is the lone athlete on the Protect Michigan Commission, which also includes Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, former Lt. Gov. Brian Calley and several medical experts.
"I was just approached by the governor and being the spokesperson for being smart, wearing masks, social-distancing, washing hands, doing all of the things that we know are important and helps to slow the spread of the virus," Griffin said. "But also, the vaccine as well when it’s time for that. It’s not something we’re going to get through just by a few people doing what they need to do. Everybody has to contribute. I’m glad to be a part of it and proud to be a part of it."
The commission is being formed as Michigan prepares for the distribution of Pfizer's vaccine, which has a 95% efficacy rate. The state of Michigan passed 400,000 cases and 10,000 virus-related deaths this week.
Meanwhile, the NBA is preparing to start the 2020-21 season. The Pistons begin their home slate with a preseason game against the New York Knicks on Friday; they will play without fans at Little Caesars Arena for now.
The NBA paused the 2019-20 season in March, then completed it and the playoffs in a "bubble" at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, though the Pistons (along with several other teams) did not take part. Griffin, who has not played for the Pistons since Dec. 28 due to a knee injury, acknowledged that there's some uncertainty approaching the start of the season.
Understanding the NBA's unconventional 2020-21 season SportsPulse: This isn't your grandparent's NBA. Following a short layoff from the previous season, the league has devised a unique plan for 2020-21, but will it go off without a hitch? SportsPulse, USA TODAY
But the NBA, along with the National Basketball Players Association, has a plan intended to minimize cases and ensure the completion of the season. Griffin said he believes the league is prioritizing safety, and he's eager to play for the first time in 2020.
Griffin's public support for the eventual distribution of a vaccine comes after an ESPN report stating the NBA could become the first professional sports league in America to manage wide vaccine dispersalal for its players, coaches and staff.
"Is there uncertainty? Yes. I’m not uneasy about it," Griffin said of the looming season. "I think the NBA and NBPA have done a good job of putting together a plan that keeps us safe, first and foremost. It’s going to be a different experience. Going into it, no one knows what it’s going to be like. I’m just ready to play some basketball."
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa.


usatoday--2020-12-12--Your COVID-19 vaccine questions, answered: What are the side effects? Can you still get sick? Is it

Your COVID-19 vaccine questions, answered: What are the side effects? Can you still get sick? Is it safe during pregnancy?

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized the first coronavirus vaccine for emergency use , and distribution of Pfizer 's vaccine could begin within 24 hours of authorization .
Both Pfizer and Moderna – have applied for emergency use authorization for their two-shot vaccine candidates , and more companies are expected to apply in the coming months .
Meanwhile this week , Canada and the United Kingdom authorized the widespread use of Pfizer 's vaccine .
As vaccines are being produced in record time , what do we know about these shots ?
What are the side effects ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have to take the vaccine once or every year ?
We know you have questions , and we ’ re here to help .
Ask us your vaccine questions through this online form , and we 'll speak with public health experts to answer them below .
Here 's what we know : Is there a vaccine for the coronavirus ?
There are more than 200 vaccine candidates under development , with 52 in clinical trials , according to the World Health Organization .
As of late November , Phase 3 clinical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for five vaccines in the U.S. , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The U.S. , United Kingdom and Canada have authorized the use of a vaccine developed by drug companies Pfizer and BioNTech .
China and Russia began rolling out their own vaccines before completing late-stage clinical trials .
Pfizer ’ s COVID-19 vaccine : Key committee endorsement paves way for clearance by FDA and vaccinations in US to begin The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday released a 53-page report summarizing data from Pfizer and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The data supports earlier findings that the vaccine is safe and will prevent 95 % of people from becoming sick with COVID-19 .
Read more .
Will the vaccine be safe for children and pregnant people ?
Historically , major vaccines have not been tested during pregnancy because of concerns that both the pregnant person and fetus would be at risk for complications .
Pregnant and nursing people were not included in the Pfizer/BioNTech study , so there is no data to suggest whether they should avoid vaccination .
In a Dec. 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how vaccines should be allocated , several expert members said they expected the vaccine would be safe for mothers who are nursing because the virus itself does not seem to pass through the mother ’ s milk .
The Pfizer trial data only included children ages 16 and up , though the study has since been extended to age 12 , and will include younger children as soon as the company decides what dose it wants to test in this group .
Read more .
Related : No , the COVID-19 vaccine doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine ?
Americans will likely experience at least one side effect from the COVID-19 vaccine , but doctors say that ’ s normal and you should still get vaccinated .
For the vaccine by Pfizer/BioNTech , many trial participants endured side effects for a day or two after getting their shots , particularly the second one .
The most commonly reported side effect among vaccine recipients under age 55 was a sore arm , followed by fatigue ( 60 % after the second shot ) ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot ) ; other muscle aches ( 37 % ) ; and chills ( 35 % ) .
About 28 % took pain medication after the first shot and 45 % after the second shot .
Read more .
Can you get one dose from one vaccine and the second from another ?
The Pfizer/BioNTech and the Moderna vaccines both require two doses , given 21 and 28 days apart , respectively .
Since the vaccines differ in composition , storage and time between the two doses , experts say people must take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What is the level of immunity after one shot ?
The vaccine by Pfizer/BioNTech was 52 % effective after the first dose , according to a recent FDA report .
However , because everyone received a second dose three weeks after the first , there ’ s no evidence of protection lasting longer than a few weeks after the first dose .
Read more .
How long will a COVID-19 vaccine be protective ?
There is no data on how long a vaccine will be protective .
FDA officials were expected to authorize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic because it is safe and at least transiently effective , rather than withholding it for two years to await the typical long-term results required for a full approval .
Vaccine companies intend to follow trial participants for two years and submit a full application when they have that data .
Read more .
Once you get vaccinated , can you still get sick or spread the virus ?
Yes , it 's possible .
The potential vaccines are not 100 % effective , so there ’ s a small chance you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick .
It also typically takes `` a few weeks '' for the body to build immunity after vaccination , meaning a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and get sick , according to the CDC .
Even after vaccination , it 's not clear whether someone could catch the virus that causes COVID-19 and pass it on to someone else , even without becoming ill .
The studies designed to test the candidate vaccines only examined symptomatic infections , not whether vaccinated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means that people who are vaccinated can be pretty sure that they won ’ t develop COVID-19 themselves , but they could still pass it on to others without knowing they are infected .
Future studies will explore this .
Read more .
There has been concern that getting vaccinated against the coronavirus might cause a subsequent COVID-19 infection , as some dengue vaccines have been shown to do for that disease .
The FDA concluded that use of the vaccine has not been widespread enough to know for certain , but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of vaccine-enhanced disease , and conversely suggest effectiveness against severe disease within the available follow-up period . ''
The risk does remain over time as immunity against the disease wanes , the FDA said , and `` needs to be evaluated further in ongoing clinical trials . ''
Read more .
Which vaccines will be only one shot ?
Johnson & Johnson is developing a single-dose vaccine .
The company 's chief scientist said last month that the company expects to have all the data it needs to file for authorization by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had COVID-19 , should you still get vaccinated ?
People who have had COVID-19 `` may be advised '' to get the vaccine , `` due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that re-infection with COVID-19 is possible , '' according to the CDC .
If you 've had COVID-19 and recovered , you have what 's called natural immunity .
Studies have shown natural immunity to COVID-19 may last months to years .
Immunity from a vaccine is called vaccine-induced immunity , and it 's unclear how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 vaccine 'ingredients ' ?
None of the vaccines in development in the U.S. use the `` live '' virus that causes COVID-19 , according to the CDC .
Most of the vaccines under development introduce the `` spike '' protein found on the surface of the virus .
They train the immune system to recognize this protein and attack in case of infection .
But both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines depend on a technology never before used in a commercial vaccine : mRNA , or messenger ribonucleic acid .
Read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moderna vaccines made ?
Pfizer has two plants making its COVID-19 vaccine , one in Kalamazoo , Michigan , and one in Puurs , Belgium .
The company has a distribution site in Pleasant Prairie , Wisconsin , where its vaccine is being stored .
There may also be other sites around the nation where the vaccine will be stored prior to authorization .
Moderna has started producing vaccine at its plant in Norwood , Massachusetts , and it will ramp up production in the next month with help from contract manufacturer Lonza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Portsmouth , New Hampshire .
How will the vaccine be shipped ?
The vaccine is shipped in glass vials , five-dose vials for Pfizer and 10-dose vials for Moderna .
The Pfizer vaccine must be stored at minus 94 degrees or below ; Moderna 's at minus 4 degrees .
Because of the ultracold storage requirements of the Pfizer vaccine , it is being stored either at Pfizer production facilities or what are known as `` freezer farms , '' storage sites filled with row upon row of ultracold freezers about the size @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will ship its vaccine using UPS and FedEx as its main distributors .
Moderna 's vaccine distribution is being coordinated by McKesson , the nation 's largest medical supply distributor .
Read more .
What is the vaccine delivery schedule ?
Once the initial doses have shipped , the system will begin regular deliveries .
Each Thursday , Operation Warp Speed , the White House 's coronavirus vaccine initiative , will ask vaccine producers how much vaccine they have made during the week , Paul Ostrowski , who leads supply , production and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warp Speed , who walked USA TODAY through the process .
On Friday , staff will meet and decide how many doses can be allocated .
States will put in their orders on Saturday and deliveries will happen on Monday morning .
UPS , FedEx and McKesson all have 24-hour hotlines sites can call if there are delivery troubles .
In addition , Operation Warp Speed officials said they will have staff available at two operations centers , one in Washington and one in Atlanta , both with 24-hour hotlines .
Read more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system called Tiberius that allows states and local jurisdictions to order and track vaccine .
It records all allocations of COVID-19 vaccines to states , territories , cities and federal entities , said Col. Deacon Maddox , OWS Chief of Plans , Operations and Analysis .
It works in conjunction with the CDC 's Vaccine Tracking System , known as VTrckS , which has been distributing vaccine for children for a decade .
Read more .
How much does the vaccine cost ?
Both Moderna and Pfizer have agreed to provide the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funded through federal support of manufacturing and distribution .
Vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost , according to the CDC .
`` However , vaccine providers will be able to charge administration fees for giving or administering the shot to someone .
Vaccine providers can get this fee reimbursed by the patient ’ s public or private insurance company or , for uninsured patients , by the Health Resources and Services Administration ’ s Provider Relief Fund , '' the CDC says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how vaccines are authorized , approved and monitored ?
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn answers questions here .

Adrianna Rodriguez, Grace Hauck, Elizabeth Weise and Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY

Your vaccine questions, answered: I had COVID, should I still get vaccinated? What are the side effects? What are its 'ingredients?'
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19 vaccine concerns: You Asked, We Answered We asked you to tell us your biggest questions about the COVID-19 vaccines. Here are some answers. USA TODAY
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized the first coronavirus vaccine for emergency use, and distribution of Pfizer's vaccine was underway over the weekend.
Moderna has also applied for emergency use authorization for its two-shot vaccine candidate, and more companies are expected to apply in the coming months. Meanwhile this week, Canada and the United Kingdom also authorized the widespread use of Pfizer's vaccine.
As vaccines are being produced in record time, what do we know about these shots? What are the side effects? Will you be immune? And will you have to take the vaccine once or every year?
We know you have questions, and we’re here to help. Ask us your vaccine questions through this online form, and we'll speak with public health experts to answer them below.
Here's what we know:
Is there a vaccine for the coronavirus?
There are more than 200 vaccine candidates under development, with 52 in clinical trials, according to the World Health Organization. As of late November, Phase 3 clinical trials were in progress or being planned for five vaccines in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The U.S., United Kingdom and Canada have authorized the use of a vaccine developed by drug companies Pfizer and BioNTech. China and Russia began rolling out their own vaccines before completing late-stage clinical trials.
Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine: Key committee endorsement paves way for clearance by FDA and vaccinations in US to begin
Is the vaccine safe?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday released a 53-page report summarizing data from Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 candidate vaccine trial. The data supports earlier findings that the vaccine is safe and will prevent 95% of people from becoming sick with COVID-19. Read more.
If you already had COVID-19, should you still get vaccinated?
People who have had COVID-19 "may be advised" to get the vaccine, "due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that re-infection with COVID-19 is possible," according to the CDC.
If you've had COVID-19 and recovered, you have what's called natural immunity. Studies have shown natural immunity to COVID-19 may last months to years. Immunity from a vaccine is called vaccine-induced immunity, and it's unclear how long that may last.
How the new RNA technology is used to create the COVID-19 vaccines The COVID-19 vaccine is using new technology that has never been used before in traditional vaccines. Here's how an mRNA vaccine works. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Will the vaccine be safe for children and pregnant women?
Historically, major vaccines have not been tested during pregnancy because of concerns that both the pregnant person and fetus would be at risk for complications. Pregnant and nursing people were not included in the Pfizer/BioNTech study, so there is no data to suggest whether they should avoid vaccination.
Dr. Peter Marks, who directs the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the FDA, said Saturday that pregnant people, children and those who are immunocompromised should discuss vaccination with their providers and "will need to consider on an individual basis."
In a Dec. 1 meeting of a CDC group that determines how vaccines should be allocated, several expert members said they expected the vaccine would be safe for mothers who are nursing because the virus itself does not seem to pass through the mother’s milk.
The Pfizer trial data only included children ages 16 and up, though the study has since been extended to age 12, and will include younger children as soon as the company decides what dose it wants to test in this group. Read more.
Related: No, the COVID-19 vaccine doesn’t cause infertility in womenmen
What about 16- and 17-year-olds?
Although there's not as much data for this age group as others, officials believe they know enough to conclude the benefits of getting vaccinated outweigh the risks, Marks said.
Sixteen and 17-year-olds rarely get severely ill with COVID-19, but they do transmit it easily, often without showing symptoms. And some in that age group work jobs in which they interact with the public, such as check-out clerks.
What are the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine?
Americans will likely experience at least one side effect from the COVID-19 vaccine, but doctors say that’s normal and you should still get vaccinated. For the vaccine by Pfizer/BioNTech, many trial participants endured side effects for a day or two after getting their shots, particularly the second one.
The most commonly reported side effect among vaccine recipients under age 55 was a sore arm, followed by fatigue (60% after the second shot); headache (52% after the second shot); other muscle aches (37%); and chills (35%). About 28% took pain medication after the first shot and 45% after the second shot. Read more.
Can you get one dose from one vaccine and the second from another?
The Pfizer/BioNTech and the Moderna vaccines both require two doses, given 21 and 28 days apart, respectively. Since the vaccines differ in composition, storage and time between the two doses, experts say people must take the same vaccine for both doses.
What is the level of immunity after one shot?
The vaccine by Pfizer/BioNTech was 52% effective after the first dose, according to a recent FDA report. However, because everyone received a second dose three weeks after the first, there’s no evidence of protection lasting longer than a few weeks after the first dose. Read more.
How long will a COVID-19 vaccine be protective?
There is no data on how long a vaccine will be protective. FDA officials were expected to authorize Pfizer's vaccine in the midst of the pandemic because it is safe and at least transiently effective, rather than withholding it for two years to await the typical long-term results required for a full approval. Vaccine companies intend to follow trial participants for two years and submit a full application when they have that data. Read more.
Once you get vaccinated, can you still get sick or spread the virus?
Yes, it's possible. The potential vaccines are not 100% effective, so there’s a small chance you could encounter the virus and still get sick. It also typically takes "a few weeks" for the body to build immunity after vaccination, meaning a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and get sick, according to the CDC.
Even after vaccination, it's not clear whether someone could catch the virus that causes COVID-19 and pass it on to someone else, even without becoming ill. The studies designed to test the candidate vaccines only examined symptomatic infections, not whether vaccinated people could still be contagious. This means that people who are vaccinated can be pretty sure that they won’t develop COVID-19 themselves, but they could still pass it on to others without knowing they are infected. Future studies will explore this. Read more.
Could the vaccine make subsequent infections worse?
There has been concern that getting vaccinated against the coronavirus might cause a subsequent COVID-19 infection, as some dengue vaccines have been shown to do for that disease.
The FDA concluded that use of the vaccine has not been widespread enough to know for certain, but that "available data do not indicate a risk of vaccine-enhanced disease, and conversely suggest effectiveness against severe disease within the available follow-up period." The risk does remain over time as immunity against the disease wanes, the FDA said, and "needs to be evaluated further in ongoing clinical trials." Read more.
Which vaccines will be only one shot?
Johnson & Johnson is developing a single-dose vaccine. The company's chief scientist said last month that the company expects to have all the data it needs to file for authorization by February or sooner.
What are the COVID-19 vaccine 'ingredients?'
Experts say the ingredients in the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer/BioNTech looks pretty standard for a vaccine. They can be organized into four basic categories: the active ingredient (messenger RNA, in this case), fats, sugars and salt. Read more on ingredients.
None of the vaccines in development in the U.S. use the "live" virus that causes COVID-19, according to the CDC. Most of the vaccines under development introduce the "spike" protein found on the surface of the virus. They train the immune system to recognize this protein and attack in case of infection. But both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines depend on a technology never before used in a commercial vaccine: mRNA, or messenger ribonucleic acid. Read more on mRNA.
What if I have had an allergic reaction in the past?
About 1.6% of the population has had a severe allergic reaction to food or something in the environment, but they are eligible to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, Marks said. Only people who have had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine or one of its components should not receive the vaccine. Sites where the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine are administered will be able to treat allergic reactions, Marks said.
Two British people with severe allergies apparently had reactions to Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine this week. Allergic reactions were not a significant problem in the U.S. trial, in which more than 20,000 people received two doses of the vaccine. The U.S. trials kept out subjects who have had severe allergic reactions.
Where are the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines made?
Pfizer has two plants making its COVID-19 vaccine, one in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and one in Puurs, Belgium. The company has a distribution site in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, where its vaccine is being stored.
Moderna has started producing vaccine at its plant in Norwood, Massachusetts, and it will ramp up production in the next month with help from contract manufacturer Lonza Biologics, which has a facility in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
How will the vaccine be shipped?
Shipment of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine involves Pfizer personnel taking five-dose glass vials of vaccine out of subzero freezers and packing them into specially designed shipping containers, Wes Wheeler, president of Global Healthcare at UPS, told USA TODAY.
Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine is being shipped in insulated containers that hold between 195 and 975 five-dose vials and are about the size of a carry-on suitcase. The vials are stored in flat, pizza box-sized compartments, each of which holds 195 vials. A fully loaded thermal container, which is reusable, contains five of these and weighs about 70 pounds.
Pfizer will ship its vaccine using UPS and FedEx as its main distributors. Moderna's vaccine distribution is being coordinated by McKesson, the nation's largest medical supply distributor. Each carton will have a GPS tracker allowing it to be located in real-time anywhere in the world, as well as a Bluetooth tracker that can locate it within 10 feet inside a UPS facility, said Wheeler. Read more.
How much vaccine is there?
Approximately 2.9 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will be distributed across the 50 states in the next few days, Gen. Gustave Perna, co-leader of Operation Warp Speed in charge of logistics, said Saturday. Another 2.9 doses are being held back to distribute later for the second shot, plus reserves.
More vaccine will be rolled out in the weeks and months to come, with Pfizer and Moderna expected to deliver a combined 300 million doses of their vaccines by the middle of next year, enough to vaccinate nearly half the population of the U.S.
What is the vaccine delivery schedule?
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will be sent to to 636 hospitals, clinics and public health systems nationwide this week, with 145 sites receiving doses Monday, 425 on Tuesday and the final 66 on Wednesday, Perna said.
Once the initial doses have shipped, the system will begin regular deliveries. Each Thursday, Operation Warp Speed, the White House's coronavirus vaccine initiative, will ask vaccine producers how much vaccine they have made during the week, Paul Ostrowski, who leads supply, production and distribution for the federal government's Operation Warp Speed, who walked USA TODAY through the process. On Friday, staff will meet and decide how many doses can be allocated. States will put in their orders on Saturday and deliveries will happen on Monday morning, he said.
UPS, FedEx and McKesson all have 24-hour hotlines sites can call if there are delivery troubles. In addition, Operation Warp Speed officials said they will have staff available at two operations centers, one in Washington and one in Atlanta, both with 24-hour hotlines. Read more.
How does Operation Warp Speed track doses?
Operation Warp Speed created a software system called Tiberius that allows states and local jurisdictions to order and track vaccine. It records all allocations of COVID-19 vaccines to states, territories, cities and federal entities, said Col. Deacon Maddox, OWS Chief of Plans, Operations and Analysis. It works in conjunction with the CDC's Vaccine Tracking System, known as VTrckS, which has been distributing vaccine for children for a decade. Read more.
How much does the vaccine cost?
Moderna has agreed to provide the U.S. with 200 million doses and Pfizer at least 100 million by the middle of next year, have agreed to provide the U.S. with 100 million doses apiece, already funded through federal support of manufacturing and distribution. Vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost, according to the CDC.
"However, vaccine providers will be able to charge administration fees for giving or administering the shot to someone. Vaccine providers can get this fee reimbursed by the patient’s public or private insurance company or, for uninsured patients, by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund," the CDC says on its website.


usatoday--2020-12-13--Proud Boys show up at pro-Trump rally in DC before Electoral College formalizes Biden's win

WASHINGTON – A crowd waving American flags and wearing “ Make America Great Again '' hats gathered Saturday in Freedom Plaza in support of President Donald Trump and his unfounded allegations of voter fraud in the presidential election .
Later in the evening , the scene became unruly .
Sporadic fights broke out between pro-Trump and anti-Trump demonstrators after sundown , and the Metropolitan Police Department said at least six people were arrested .
Videos posted to social media showed confrontations between Trump supporters and opponents and people wearing pro-Trump attire attacking bystanders .
In one incident , a bystander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump supporters .
In another , police pepper-sprayed people involved in a scuffle .
Earlier , the mood in Freedom Plaza was celebratory as speakers including Sebastian Gorka falsely claimed Trump had won the election and urged demonstrators to keep the pressure on state legislatures .
A few blocks away , things were getting tense near Black Lives Matter Plaza , not far from the White House .
Police in riot gear formed a line to separate members of the Proud Boys , a far-right nationalist group , from counterprotesters .
Proud Boys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through and trading expletives with counterprotesters .
On Saturday night , more videos posted to social media showed fights and documented far-right demonstrators burning a Black Lives Matter banner .
The violence escalated after dark , even as police worked to keep Proud Boy members away from counter-protesters , according to the Washington Post .
Across the country in Olympia , Washington , Police in arrested one person following a shooting near a number of demonstrations , including a group that wanted COVID-19 restrictions lifted , another protesting President Donald Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a Black Lives Matter counterprotest .
The Washington DC rally was organized by Women for America First , a conservative group that organized last month 's “ Stop the Steal ” rally , which drew tens of thousands of people .
As many as 15,000 people were expected Saturday , according to the group 's permit .
Trump tweeted Saturday morning that he was unaware of the event , `` but I ’ ll be seeing them ! ''
People cheered as he flew on Marine One on his way out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in West Point , New York .
The crowd started to thin by mid-afternoon .
Many did n't wear masks , despite a mask mandate set by Washington , D.C. , Mayor Muriel Bowser .
Organizer Cindy Chafian told attendees to wash their hands but mocked COVID-19 precautions like social distancing and mask-wearing .
Chants of “ CNN sucks , Fox News sucks too !
” “ Four more years !
” and “ Fight for Trump !
” broke out as massive speakers blared pro-Trump songs such as “ Real Women Vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a small crowd of Trump supporters bearing flags and signs marched to the Supreme Court where they broke into chants of “ USA ” and “ Four more years.
” The crowd started to disburse as police worked to clear the street .
The Supreme Court on Friday denied an effort to prevent battleground states from casting their Electoral College votes for President-elect Joe Biden on Monday .
“ The courts do not decide who the next president of the United States will be , '' former national security adviser Michael Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision has all but sealed Trump 's political fate , he contended , “ There are paths that are still in play . ''
Flynn pled guilty to perjury for lying to the FBI over his conversations with a Russian ambassador before Trump became president , but Trump pardoned him last month .
Some attendees appeared to support QAnon , the baseless conspiracy theory that the FBI has deemed a domestic terrorist threat .
ANALYSIS : Donald Trump stood no chance in front of a conservative Supreme Court .
Here 's why .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , drove 14 hours from Florida to show their support for Trump and demand transparency from the government .
Parry , who wore a “ Million MAGA March ” sweatshirt , said she doesn ’ t believe Biden could ’ ve won the election .
The night of the election , “ I went to bed at 1 o ’ clock and Trump was ahead .
There ’ s no way , ” Parry , a retired nurse said .
“ I don ’ t believe it .
It ’ s faked.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at what courts said about rejecting attempts to overturn Biden 's election win No allegations of widespread voter fraud have been substantiated , and a few dozen lawsuits raising such allegations have failed .
Even Attorney General William Barr has said there is no evidence of fraud that would have affected the outcome of the presidential race .
Enrique Tarrio , the chairman of the Proud Boys , implied he had been invited to the White House on Saturday .
But White House Deputy Assistant and Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere told USA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christmas tour open to the public .
For Trump supporters , the rally is a way to express their disillusionment and anger over the election , Amy Kremer , chair for Women for America First , previously told USA TODAY .
She traveled to the nation 's capital as part of a two-week , cross-country bus tour .
`` We want him to continue to stay strong and fight to expose this voter fraud and demand transparency and election integrity , '' she said .
`` The second purpose is really to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just days before electors from all 50 states and Washington , D.C. , meet in their respective capitals to cast votes for president based on the popular votes in each state .
Biden won 306 electoral votes and Trump got 232 ; a presidential candidate needs 270 to win .
BEHIND THE LAWSUITS : For these Trump supporters primed to disbelieve defeat , challenging the election was a civic duty 'We , the people , are pissed' Robin Pressley , 53 , of eastern Tennessee , came to the November rally and returned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the Electoral College formalizes the win for Biden on Monday , they ’ ll be back in the streets .
“ We ’ ll be back out here .
We ’ re not going to quit , ” she said .
“ We , the people , are pissed.
” Pressley , who owns a cleaning business , and her husband , Greg , said they believe the election results still could be overturned although nearly every lawsuit alleging voter fraud has been struck down in court .
“ I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do it , ” Pressley said .
“ But God ’ s gon na take care of things.
” “ Trump will be inaugurated on January 20th , ” Greg Pressley said .
“ The last word 's not been said yet.
” Stephanie Liu , a research assistant from New York , came to the rally with Chinese Americans for Trump to protest “ election fraud.
” “ It ’ s so obvious ... the media was lying , ” she said .
“ That makes America look so bad in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brokenshire , Elizabeth Mortimer and Anmarie Kaziamis met on Facebook and carpooled from New Jersey to Washington Saturday morning .
They could n't attend the previous rally in November but made a point to come Saturday to support the “ Stop the Steal ” campaign .
“ Our democracy is at risk , ” Kaziamis said while holding a Trump flag .
“ I wouldn ’ t miss this one for the world.
” 'STOP THE STEAL ' : Trump says the election is not over as 'Stop the Steal ' and 'voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Twitter Several groups , including the anti-Trump organization Refuse Fascism and anti-fascist group All Out DC , held counterprotests at Black Lives Matter Plaza , just a few blocks from the White House .
To avoid confrontation , organizers of Saturday 's rally told demonstrators to avoid certain hotels and designated parts of Washington as a “ no-go zone.
” Five people were arrested Friday night and were charged with disorderly conduct , inciting violence and assault , among other charges .
Skirmishes between protesters and counterprotesters broke out across the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 people were arrested on a variety of charges , including assault and weapons possession , The Associated Press reported .

N'dea Yancey-Bragg and Joshua Bote, USA TODAY

At least 23 arrested as crowds turn unruly after pro-Trump rally in Washington, DC
Show Caption Hide Caption Pro-Trump rally in Washington, D.C. includes arrests, stabbings Supporters of President Donald Trump's unfounded voter fraud claims in the District of Columbia clashed with counter-protesters. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – A crowd waving American flags and wearing Make America Great Again hats gathered Saturday in Freedom Plaza in support of President Donald Trump and his allegations of voter fraud in the presidential election.
Later in the evening, the scene became unruly. WRC-TV reported that four people were taken to a hospital with stab wounds, and the Metropolitan Police Department told the station 23 people were arrested.
Videos posted to social media showed confrontations between Trump supporters and opponents and people wearing pro-Trump attire attacking bystanders. In one incident, a bystander pulled out a knife after arguing with Trump supporters. In another, police pepper-sprayed people involved in a scuffle.
Earlier, the mood in Freedom Plaza was celebratory as speakers including Sebastian Gorka claimed Trump had won the election and urged demonstrators to keep the pressure on state legislatures.
A few blocks away, things were getting tense near Black Lives Matter Plaza, not far from the White House. Police in riot gear formed a line to separate members of the Proud Boys, a far-right nationalist group, from counterprotesters. Proud Boys antagonized police, demanding to be let through and trading expletives with counterprotesters.
On Saturday night, more videos posted to social media showed fights and documented far-right demonstrators burning a Black Lives Matter banner. The violence escalated after dark, even as police worked to keep Proud Boy members away from counterprotesters, according to The Washington Post.
Across the country in Olympia, Washington, police arrested one person after a shooting near a number of demonstrations, including a group that wanted coronavirus restrictions lifted, another protesting Trump’s loss in the presidential election last month, and a Black Lives Matter counterprotest.
The rally in Washington, D.C., was organized by Women for America First, a conservative group that organized last month's Stop the Steal rally, which drew tens of thousands of people.
As many as 15,000 people had been expected Saturday, according to the group's permit.
Trump tweeted Saturday morning that he was unaware of the event, "but I’ll be seeing them!" People cheered as he flew on Marine One on his way out of town for the Army-Navy football game in West Point, New York.
The crowd started to thin by midafternoon. Many didn't wear masks, despite a mask mandate set by Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser. Organizer Cindy Chafian told attendees to wash their hands but mocked COVID-19 precautions like social distancing and mask-wearing.
Chants of “CNN sucks, Fox News sucks too!” “Four more years!” and “Fight for Trump!” broke out as massive speakers blared pro-Trump songs such as “Real Women Vote For Trump.”
As the rally concluded, a small crowd of Trump supporters bearing flags and signs marched to the Supreme Court, where they broke into chants of “USA” and “Four more years.” The crowd started to disperse as police worked to clear the street.
The Supreme Court on Friday denied an effort to prevent battleground states from casting their Electoral College votes for President-elect Joe Biden on Monday.
“The courts do not decide who the next president of the United States will be," former national security adviser Michael Flynn said. Though the Supreme Court's decision has all but sealed Trump's political fate, he contended that “there are paths that are still in play."
Flynn pleaded guilty to perjury for lying to the FBI over his conversations with a Russian ambassador before Trump became president, but Trump pardoned him last month.
Some attendees appeared to support QAnon, the conspiracy theory movement that the FBI has deemed a domestic terrorist threat.
ANALYSIS: Donald Trump stood no chance in front of a conservative Supreme Court. Here's why.
Lisa Parry and her husband, Richard, drove 14 hours from Florida to show their support for Trump and demand transparency from the government. Parry, who wore a Million MAGA March sweatshirt, said she doesn’t believe Biden could’ve won the election.
The night of the election, “I went to bed at 1 o’clock and Trump was ahead. There’s no way,” Parry, a retired nurse, said. “I don’t believe it. It’s faked.”
CHECK OUT:Here's a look at what courts said about rejecting attempts to overturn Biden's election win
No allegations of widespread voter fraud have been substantiated, and a few dozen lawsuits raising such allegations have failed. Attorney General William Barr has said there is no evidence of fraud that would have affected the outcome of the presidential election.
Enrique Tarrio, chairman of the Proud Boys, implied that he had been invited to the White House on Saturday. But White House Deputy Assistant and Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere told USA TODAY that Tarrio was merely on a Christmas tour open to the public.
For Trump supporters, the rally was a way to express their disillusionment and anger over the election, Amy Kremer, chair for Women for America First, told USA TODAY. She traveled to the nation's capital as part of a two-week, cross-country bus tour.
"We want him to continue to stay strong and fight to expose this voter fraud and demand transparency and election integrity," she said. "The second purpose is really to support each other."
The rally comes just days before electors from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., meet in their respective capitals to cast votes for president based on the popular votes in each state. Biden won 306 electoral votes and Trump 232; a presidential candidate needs 270 to win.
BEHIND THE LAWSUITS: For these Trump supporters primed to disbelieve defeat, challenging the election was a civic duty
Robin Pressley, 53, of eastern Tennessee, came to the November rally and returned Saturday in pro-Trump attire. She said that if the Electoral College formalizes the win for Biden on Monday, protesters will be back in the streets.
“We’ll be back out here. We’re not going to quit,” she said. “We, the people, are pissed.”
Pressley, who owns a cleaning business, and her husband, Greg, said they believe the election results still could be overturned, although nearly every lawsuit alleging voter fraud has been struck down in court.
“I don’t know how he’s going to do it,” Pressley said. “But God’s gonna take care of things.”
“Trump will be inaugurated on January 20th,” Greg Pressley said. “The last word's not been said yet.”
Stephanie Liu, a research assistant from New York, came to the rally with Chinese Americans for Trump to protest “election fraud.”
“It’s so obvious ... the media was lying,” she said. “That makes America look so bad in front of the whole world.”
Cynthia Brokenshire, Elizabeth Mortimer and Anmarie Kaziamis met on Facebook and carpooled from New Jersey to Washington Saturday morning. They couldn't attend the rally in November but made a point to come Saturday to support the Stop the Steal campaign.
“Our democracy is at risk,” Kaziamis said while holding a Trump flag. “I wouldn’t miss this one for the world.”
'STOP THE STEAL': Trump says the election is not over as 'Stop the Steal' and 'voter fraud' disinformation go viral on Facebook and Twitter
Several groups, including the anti-Trump organization Refuse Fascism and anti-fascist group All Out DC, held counterprotests at Black Lives Matter Plaza, just a few blocks from the White House.
To avoid confrontation, organizers of Saturday's rally told demonstrators to avoid certain hotels and designated parts of Washington as a “no-go zone.” Five people were arrested Friday night and were charged with disorderly conduct, inciting violence and assault, among other charges.
Skirmishes between protesters and counterprotesters broke out across the city at the November rally. At least 20 people were arrested on a variety of charges, including assault and weapons possession, The Associated Press reported.
Contributing: Will Carless; The Associated Press