Coronavirus Update 8-31-21: Despite FDA and CDC warnings to the contrary, Ohio court orders hospital to administer Ivermectin to Covid patient

Ivermectin is a high potency medication used to prevent or treat parasites in livestock. It's FDA-approved for limited use in humans, such as in specific doses for some parasitic worms, and there are topical (on the skin) formulations for head lice and certain skin conditions. It is not an anti-viral medication. 

Yet, the drug has grown in popularity among conservatives, fueled by endorsements from people like Senator Ron Johnson and Fox News personalities Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity. It is not approved to treat COVID-19 infections, and both the FDA and CDC have issued strong warnings against its use for that purpose. Nevertheless, reports of poisoning related to the use of Ivermectin have increased threefold this year, spiking in July, and feed stores in states with low vaccines rates selling out of the drug.

Courts are now wading into the issue, but not how you'd expect. 

Coronavirus Update 8-30-21: Vaccine mandates and unemployment compensation

DO NOT QUIT YOUR JOB

As the mandates are increasing and the “deadlines” fast approach, YOU SHOULD NOT QUIT YOUR JOB. Do not be fooled if your boss says you must resign. Make your boss fire you and do not sign anything or agree to anything that says otherwise. Do not agree with “voluntary resignation.” If you are fired, you are eligible for unemployment. Anything else and you are not.

–americasfrontlinedoctors.org

This statement, variations of which are making the rounds on social media and elsewhere online, is very, very wrong (at least in Ohio).

An employee fired for declining a vaccine mandate (for a reason other than a bona fide medical or religious excuse) is not eligible for unemployment.

WIRTW #593 (the “18 and life” edition)

17 years and 363 days ago, I married the love of my life. In two days, we'll celebrate our 18th anniversary.

The number 18 is significant. In Hebrew, each letter has a numerical value. The number 10 is the letter Yod, and the number 8 is the letter Het. Het-Yod spells the word Chai (חי), which translates in English to "life." 

Chai is a perfect allegory for marriage. Life is not perfect, and neither is a marriage. Both have their ups and their downs. But, if you can find that someone with whom you not only enjoy the ups but can ride out the downs and come out the other side, you've done well. 

I've done very, very well. Happy 18 Colleen.

Here's what I read this week:

Coronavirus Update 8-26-21: Incentivizing Covid vaccinations through insurance-premium penalties for the unvaccinated

Delta Air Lines has decided to try a different approach to get as many of its employees vaccinated as possible. It's imposing a $200 charge for any unvaccinated employees on its health plan. Think of it as a smokers' penalty, but for the Covid vaccine.

NPR has the details:

Delta Air Lines will charge employees on the company health plan $200 a month if they fail to get vaccinated against COVID-19, a policy the airline's top executive says is necessary because the average hospital stay for the virus costs the airline $40,000.

Coronavirus Update 8-25-21: Inside the Five responds to John Mandel, and they are not happy

An update on Monday's post, about a Toledo-area brewery that got canceled over a tweet by Senate candidate John Mandel congratulating a sick employee for reporting to work. The restaurant is none too happy with ol' Joshy.

One of its owners made their position on sick employees very clear to Toledo's WTVG:

It is our policy for employees to inform all management before coming to work. As soon as we found out, we sent our employee home.

The correct response. Sick employees don't work, period, especially during a global pandemic of an airborne virus.

Coronavirus Update 8-24-21: FDA grants full approval to Pfizer Covid vaccine … but will it make any difference

Yesterday, the FDA granted full and final approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.

Calling the agency's approval "a pivotal moment" in the battle against Covid, FDA Acting Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock said:

While this and other vaccines have met the FDA's rigorous scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA approved Covid-19 vaccine, the public can be confident that this vaccine meets the FDA's gold standard for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality that we require for an approved product.

Coronavirus Update 8-23-21: I’ll have a side of Covid with my burger, please

PERRYSBURG, OH — @InsideTheFive is a cool brewery started by two NFL vets. Great food and spirited waitresses!

Even though Brianne was sick today, she came to work because she knew they were short servers.

These are the type of American workers that make our country strong. pic.twitter.com/o0VFkDkjuo

— Josh Mandel (@JoshMandelOhio) August 20, 2021

That is perennial political loser and 2022 Senatorial candidate Josh Mandel tweeting in support of a local restaurant.