A Pennsylvania Doctor Accused Of Prescribing Ivermectin For Covid
A Pennsylvania doctor accused of prescribing ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19, two drugs that regulators have called not safe for treating the disease, was fired this week, a regional health system said.
The doctor, Edith Behr, who worked for Tower Health, was accused of writing prescriptions for the drugs, which are not approved for the prevention or treatment of Covid, the company said. The health system said it became aware of the allegations against Dr. Behr on Wednesday.
We investigated the matter and, as a result, Dr. Behrs employment with Tower Health Medical Group has been terminated effective immediately, the health system said in a statement on Friday.
Dr. Behr could not be immediately reached for comment on Friday. News of her termination was reported by PennLive.com on Thursday.
Tower Health is a Pennsylvania-based regional health system that consists of several hospitals, including Phoenixville Hospital, about 30 miles northwest of Philadelphia, and Pottstown Hospital. Dr. Behr was on staff at Phoenixville and Pottstown hospitals, according to Tower Health.
She is licensed as a doctor and a surgeon, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State. Tower Health said Dr. Behr had failed to meet the requirements, including consulting patients medical histories, for prescribing medications for off-label purposes.
Using ivermectin for Covid can be highly dangerous, according to the agency.
Companies With Employee Vaccination Requirements
Companies that have implemented plans for mandatory vaccinations include airlines, cruise lines, concert halls, health care facilities and restaurants. Some of the requirements may include mask and testing guidelines, and some may only apply to employees traveling internationally, working in the office or having face-to-face interactions with customers. If any of these applies to you, check with your employer for more details.
Here are some of the companies that have announced vaccination requirements for employees:
- Amtrak
- Walmart
How Many People In San Joaquin County Have Received A Covid
- 67% of people in San Joaquin County have received at least one dose of the vaccine, for a total of 492,816 people.
- 57% of people in San Joaquin County are fully vaccinated, for a total of 420,446 people.
For a county-by-county look at the vaccination rollout, see our COVID-19 vaccine tracker, which is updated daily.
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How Many People In California Have Been Vaccinated So Far
- 44% of people in California have received at least one dose of the vaccine, for a total of 17,276,173 people.
- 26% of people in California are fully vaccinated, for a total of 10,041,634 people.
We pull data on local vaccine distribution on a weekly basis. Check back for our next weekly update mid-week for the latest numbers.
This Is How Many People Are Refusing The Covid

According to a recent survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, 26,590,000 Americans — or 10.7% of the 18 and older population — say they will either probably or definitely not get the vaccination when given the opportunity.
The majority of Americans who have yet to be vaccinated cite one of three reasons: either they are concerned about possible side effects, or they want to wait to see if it is safe, or they think that others would benefit more than themselves from a vaccination. Others cite different reasons.
Nationwide, 15,800,000 people, 6.3% of the eligible population, do not trust the COVID-19 vaccines, and another 5,780,000, or 2.3%, are anti-vaccines in general. Additionally, 13,630,000 American adults, or 5.5% of the 18 and older population, have not been vaccinated because they do not trust the government.
In California, an estimated 1,901,600 adults, or 6.4%, say they will likely refuse the vaccine. Of all adults in the state, 3.4% will refuse because they do not trust the COVID-19 vaccine specifically, 1.4% because they are against vaccination in general, and 3.6% because they distrust the government.
Despite pockets of resistance, California is doing a better job at vaccinating its population quickly than most states. So far, 47.4% of Californias population are fully vaccinated, compared to 45.2% of all Americans.
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Keep Tabs On The Latest California Policy And Politics News
The myths and the misgivings are real for the communities who have suffered at the hands, historically, of a racist, systemic problem.
Sarah Reyes, managing director of communications at the California Endowment
A reason for these disparities could be the barriers that communities of color still face to accessing vaccines, including medical misinformation and hesitancy stemming from medical mistrust, according to Sarah Reyes, managing director of communications at the nonprofit California Endowment, which focuses on improving health care access in underserved communities.
People have to understand that the myths and the misgivings of the medical community are real, Reyes said. Theyre real for the communities who have suffered at the hands, historically, of a racist, systemic problem.
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders have died at the highest rate of any racial group. But some good news: The rate decreased from 18.4 deaths per 100,000 people in January to 17 in August and 11.8 in September.
Is There A Growing Gender Gap
Men are dying at a slightly higher rate than they were in the beginning of the pandemic, according to the state data.
In September of last year, 45.2% of deaths were female and 54.6% were male. But in August 2021, it was 41% female and 58.9% male, which shows that the gap is widening in favor of women.
In Long Beach, 70% of deaths since July 2021 have been males, compared to 58% from March 2020 through July 2021.
Before vaccine availability, males made up a slightly larger percentage of deaths than females. Now as the gap widens, vaccinations may play a role.
I cant help to think that some of that is due to failure to vaccinate differential failure to vaccinate, meaning that women are more likely to vaccinate than men, Rutherford said.
Women are more likely to be vaccinated than men in the state, and there is still a slight gap between the proportion of men who make up the states vaccine population and those who still need to get vaccinated.
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How Many People Are Vaccinated
About 70 percent of Monterey County residents are fully vaccinated by Jan. 31, according to California Department of Public Health.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers that a person is fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving a single dose or a second dose .
California reported a total of 8,427,782 coronavirus cases, a 6% increase over the previous week.
The five counties with the highest percentage of their fully vaccinated population in California on January 31 are Marin County , Imperial County , Santa Clara County , San County Francisco and San Mateo County .
Here are the latest numbers on COVID-19 vaccines in Monterey County as of January 31:
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Getting the COVID-19 vaccine is one of the most important ways to end the pandemic. Research shows it is very effective and safe. The San Francisco Department of Public Health strongly recommends all eligible residents to get the vaccine.
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The Coronavirus Continues To Sideline Olympic Participants
The Chinese authorities said on Friday that they had detected more than 300 Covid-19 cases in people seeking to enter, or remain in, the tightly controlled bubble that Beijing is betting will allow it to hold the Olympic Games safely during a pandemic.
About two-thirds of the 308 positive tests since Jan. 23 occurred when people arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport, the only gateway into the country for the Games. The remaining 102 cases were discovered during the daily tests that are compulsory for people who are in a closed-loop system that has walled off Olympic participants from Chinese society.
The authorities said they had administered more than 71,000 tests at official hotels, venues, the Olympic Village, the media compound and other sites on Thursday alone and discovered 21 cases. Health officials said they expected those figures to decline as the Games proceed and fewer people arrive in Beijing.
The pandemics reach is a particularly contentious subject in China, where the government has pursued an uncompromising zero-Covid policy. Under the system that the authorities designed for the Games, Olympic participants are not allowed to have contact with anyone outside the bubble, with their flights even parking at a sealed-off airport terminal staffed with workers in full-body protective gear.
Positive tests had already compromised some competitions before Friday nights opening ceremony.
The Governors Next Move
It remains unclear how enthusiastic Gov. Gavin Newsom is about Pans bill. A spokesperson for the governor said his office is still analyzing it.
Barrett Snider, a lobbyist for school districts, said the risks for the governor are a question. While it is an election year, the fallout from a vaccine mandate without personal belief exemptions might anger just a vocal minority.
I feel like these issues of schools and COVID-19 were largely litigated in the recall election, Snider said. And theres no apparent contender for him in the upcoming election.
Given the anxiousness many Californians feel, leaders should tread carefully, said Dorit Reiss, professor of law who focuses on legal and policy issues related to vaccines at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.
Vaccines have been so politicized that our kids are nervous about them, she said. Moving forward with the mandate could exacerbate and push parents who are not anti-vaccine into the arms of the anti-vaccine crowd.
The division could lead to more pressure on the Legislature, Reiss said.
Everybody is nervous, stressed or tired and everyone is vulnerable, she said. And they are going online. Its a moment of opportunity for people who want to scare other people.
By Joe Hong and Elizabeth Aguilera / CalMatters
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Southwest Plans To Start Selling Alcohol On Flights Again Over The Objections Of Flight Attendants
Southwest Airlines said Friday that it planned to start serving alcohol on flights later this month, nearly two years after it suspended the service amid coronavirus pandemic restrictions.
The move, opposed by the union representing the airlines flight attendants, will make American Airlines the last of the four major airlines still not allowing alcohol sales for most passengers.
Saying that customers have expressed a desire for more beverage options, Southwest announced that it would restore the sale of on-board alcoholic drinks starting Feb. 16 on flights of 176 miles or longer. The airline also said that it would expand its nonalcoholic options.
Officials from the union that represents the airlines flight attendants said they were outraged at the unsafe and irresponsible decision.
We have adamantly and unequivocally informed management that resuming sales of alcohol while the mask mandate is in place has the great potential to increase customer noncompliance and misconduct issues, Lyn Montgomery, the president of TWU Local 556, said in a statement.
A federal mandate requires that passengers wear masks at all times while in the airport and during flights, except while eating, drinking or taking medications for brief periods. Enforcement of the mandate has led to abusive passenger behavior, including assaults on flight attendants.
Delta Air Lines resumed alcohol sales in its main cabins in April, and United Airlines did so in November.
Vaccine Doses Administered By Provider

Vaccine Provider | |
---|---|
Kaiser Permanente NorCal Regional Locations | 253,516 |
Sonoma County Community Health Centers | 196,586 |
Safeway, Vons, Pavilions Regional Locations | 66,472 |
Rite Aid Pharmacy Regional Locations | 38,696 |
AMR, DEMA, MRC, and Partners | 24,997 |
St. Joseph Health Regional Locations | 22,524 |
Sonoma County Office of Education | 8,322 |
Redwood Coast Medical Services – Gualala | 2,466 |
Other Providers | 2,168 |
Lark Rexall Drugs, Inc. dba Lark Drugs Pharmacy | 1,049 |
Sonoma State University Student Health Center Pharmacy | 194 |
Creekside Rehabilitation and Behavioral Health | 138 |
Muir Wood Adolescent and Family Services | 112 |
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic | 203 |
---|
Percentage Partially or Fully Vaccinated |
---|
5-11 |
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Those With Weakened Immune Systems Are Urged To Get Additional Shots Sooner
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday encouraged people with weakened immune systems to come forward sooner for additional coronavirus shots, part of what the agencys scientists described as a bid to shore up those peoples levels of protection in the face of the highly contagious Omicron variant.
Members of an advisory committee to the C.D.C. also signaled their support for another change to vaccination guidelines, indicating that they would endorse extending the gap between first and second doses of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines from roughly four to eight weeks.
That change, expected to reduce the risk of heart-related side effects and heighten the effectiveness of the vaccines, has not yet been voted on by the committee or implemented by the C.D.C.
Those and other updates to vaccination guidelines were the focus of a daylong meeting on Friday of C.D.C. scientists and expert advisers.
During the meeting, the advisers also updated their endorsement of Modernas coronavirus vaccine after the Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted full approval to the shot, making it the second to receive full regulatory approval. Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the C.D.C. director, gave her own backing to Modernas vaccine later on Friday.
C.D.C. scientists said they hoped that the new guidance would smooth that groups path to receiving additional shots.
The C.D.C.s expert advisers applauded the push to better protect people with weakened immune systems.
Doses Administered To San Franciscans By The City
The dashboardshows all doses administered to San Francisco residents by the San Francisco Department of Public Health .
This includes:
- Clinics run by the San Francisco Health Network
- Neighborhood sites run by the COVID Command Center in partnership with community organizations
This does not include high volume sites run by the COVID Command Center in partnership with large private healthcare providers.
The dashboard includes every San Francisco resident, even if they got vaccinated somewhere else in California.People who do not live in San Francisco are not included, even if they work in the City or got vaccinated in San Francisco.
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How Each State Compares To The National Share Of Fully Vaccinated People
There are many reasons eligible people are not vaccinated. Surveys have indicated that some people are adamant in their refusal of the coronavirus vaccines, while others are open to getting a shot but have been putting it off or want to wait and see before making a decision.
The first group, surveys have shown, tends to be disproportionately white, rural, evangelical Christian and politically conservative. The second group tends to be a more diverse and urban group, including many younger people, Black and Latino Americans, and Democrats.
In April, The New York Times analyzed vaccine records and voter records in every county in the United States and found that both willingness to receive a coronavirus vaccine and actual vaccination rates were lower, on average, in counties where a majority of residents voted to re-elect former President Donald J. Trump in 2020.
County Of Ventura Sponsored Clinics
County Public Health operates vaccination clinics at the following locations. Appointment is encouraged but not required. Want to plan ahead? Make an appointment at MyTurn.ca.gov or call the CA COVID-19 Hotline at 833-422-4255.
North Oxnard Public Health |
Vaccine: Pfizer |
Public Health also offers mobile clinic events at various sites throughout the county each week. See the flyers below to view the upcoming mobile clinics.
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Vaccine Requirements For Us Military And Police
In August, the Pentagon said that all 1.3 million active-duty service members will need to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. The directive covers all active-duty members of the Armed Forces or in the Ready Reserve, including the National Guard. The Department of Defense will make Pfizer shots accessible on military installations around the world. Service members who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines will still be considered fully vaccinated. There are some exemptions, including one for religious reasons, but they aren’t granted frequently.
In response to several cities requiring law enforcement officers to get vaccinated, police associations have come out openly against vaccine mandates. In Oregon, for example, police and firefighter associations sued Gov. Kate Brown to block a state-level vaccine requirement, although that suit was later rejected by the state Supreme Court.
Right now, members of the military are already required to get at least nine other vaccines — and possibly up to 17 in total — depending on where they’re deployed.
Cdc Data Through December Show Boosters Offer Fewer Gains For Those Under 65
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday night published new data on the risks of hospitalization and of death from Covid-19 among people who are unvaccinated and vaccinated, with or without booster doses.
The figures confirm that booster doses are most beneficial to older adults. But the numbers for younger Americans are less compelling. In these age groups, vaccination itself decreases the risk of hospitalization and death so sharply that a booster shot did not seem to add much benefit.
The data run only through the end of December, when the Omicron surge began. Because the variant is so highly contagious, booster doses may have contributed to limiting the variants spread through the population, an effect that may not be captured in the newly released data.
Still, several recent studies have found that parts of the immune system remain strongly protective against severe illness and death in most people, even without booster shots, after Omicrons appearance.
I do not think these data support a universal booster rollout for everyone, said Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease expert and epidemiologist at Kaiser Health News.
Instead, boosters seem most essential for older adults, she said, and those who have certain immune conditions or live in long-term care facilities. In younger Americans, it may have made sense to make boosters available to those with certain medical risks instead of everyone, she said.
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