YP Daily Roundup 12/31/21

Stay up-to-date on what’s in the news with the Y’all Politics Daily Roundup. 

YP – Latest CDC guidance suddenly moves goalposts from vaccinated to boosted

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new COVID isolation and quarantine guidance, shortening the recommended time for isolation for the public when they contract the virus.

The CDC noted that the change was “motivated by science” as they have found that the majority of transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after.

One caveat that appears to have gone largely unnoticed, however, is that in this new CDC guidance, those who have been vaccinated and received the booster (3rd shot) are not recommended to quarantine following exposure. Those persons are merely recommended to wear a mask as they can still contract COVID and spread it – even with the booster.

Governor Reeves updates negotiations on Medical Marijuana bill

YP – Singing River Health System CEO advocates for health care worker retention package

Singing River Health System Chief Executive Officer Lee Bond joined Y’all Politics on Thursday for a discussion on where health care stands in Mississippi and what he believes can be done to improve outcomes while buoying a dwindling workforce.

Bond is advocating for lawmakers to utilize a portion of the $1.8 billion Mississippi has received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to go directly to health care workers, not hospitals. He would like to see the Legislature set aside up to $20,000 per lifesaver for a 24-month retention plan.

MS COVID-19 Hospitalizations Reporting

Mississippi #COVID19 Hospitalizations continue to climb, up 68 patients and 17 in ICU since yesterday.

Hospital beds available drop 172 since yesterday but ICUs have 6 more beds open than the previous reporting. pic.twitter.com/nkAZcUlxC4

— Magnolia Tribune (@magnoliatribune) December 30, 2021

YP – As Omicron variant surges, states experience shortage of monoclonal antibody treatments

Recently, the Biden Administration paused distribution of two out of the three available monoclonal antibody treatments proving inefficient against the Omicron variant, those being the Eli Lilly and Regeneron treatments.

The one monoclonal antibody treatment that has performed well against Omicron is sotrovimab, made by GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology.

Florida’s Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo wrote a letter on Tuesday accusing the Biden Administration of “actively preventing the effective distribution” of monoclonal antibodies by pausing two of the available antibody treatments.

MEMA year in review

MEMA by the numbers for calendar year 2021! https://t.co/8dWR2RRdSh pic.twitter.com/lX34noV4om

— msema (@MSEMA) December 30, 2021

MS Highway Patrol taking applications for new cadet class

Applications are now available for Cadet Class 66 (Certified Law Enforcement Officers Class Only)!Applications are now available at your local Troop Substation or contact MHP Recruiting at mhprecruiting@dps.ms.gov for more information. pic.twitter.com/p4ESkBf5Me

— MS Highway Patrol (@MSHwyPatrol) December 15, 2021

WLOX – Chief justice issues emergency COVID-19 order

Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph issued an emergency order Thursday, extending the time for COVID-19 safeguards in all courts and giving individual judges discretion to postpone jury trials scheduled through Jan. 14, 2022.

Emergency Administrative Order 25 is the fourth emergency order issued since August which allows judges to postpone jury trials. Judges who preside over drug intervention courts are also authorized to modify scheduling of drug testing and home supervision of participants.

WTOK – Local lawmakers share goals for the 2022 Legislative Session agenda

Senator Jeff Tate said his priority in the legislative session is election integrity…

…Tate said he is currently working with the Secretary of State to allow election audits to be conducted in all counties.

The state has received $1.8 billion in COVID funds and over $1 billion in sales tax revenue. Money, State Representative Charles Young Jr. hopes the legislature votes to put back into communities.