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Some States Move to Block COVID Vaccine Requirements in Public Schools

CNN reported:

As the return to school approaches, some states are prohibiting public schools from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations or proof of vaccination for students ranging from pre-K to university.

A CNN analysis has found that at least seven states — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Montana, Oklahoma and Utah — have enacted legislation this year that would restrict public schools from requiring either coronavirus vaccinations or documentation of vaccination status.

White House to Ask SMS Carriers to Monitor Vaccine ‘Misinformation’ in Private Text Messages

The Defender reported:

The Biden administration and allied groups, including the Democratic National Committee (DNC), are “planning to engage fact-checkers more aggressively and work with SMS [Short Message Service] carriers to dispel misinformation about vaccines sent over social media and text messages,” according to a report today in Politico by White House correspondents Natasha Korecki and Eugene Daniels.

The initiative is part of the administration’s attempt to get more people vaccinated for COVID after failing to reach its goal of having 70% of American adults receive at least one vaccine dose by July 4.

Students Suing Indiana University Over Vaccine Mandate Appear in Federal Court Tuesday

Indiana Public Media reported:

Eight IU students who are suing the university over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate will be in federal court tomorrow in South Bend.

The group, represented by James Bopp, Jr., is asking a judge to pause the vaccine mandate until the lawsuit ends.

In a press release, Bopp says tomorrow’s arguments are critical to students’ rights to an education “free from unnecessary restrictions, and the right to consent to medical treatment.” He adds that a vaccine mandate is “unreasonable, even irrational, and way out of the mainstream,” as most places begin to lift COVID-19 restrictions.

D.C. Mother Furious After School’s Tennis Camp Forces Kids to Wear Masks in Extreme Heat

Fox News reported:

A Washington, D.C. mother is pushing back on “political theater” after her nine-year-old daughter was forced to wear a mask while playing tennis at a summer camp.

“I went to pick up my daughter from camp. And it was the hottest day of the year, 98 degrees. When I went to pick her up, she looked sick. And I asked her when she got in the car if she had to keep her mask on outside for three hours of tennis and she said yes,” Ashley McGuire told “Fox & Friends.”

The mom of four “couldn’t believe” that the Sidwell Friends School summer camp called her to complain that her daughter kept pulling down her mask. “I thought to myself, you know who of us have ever had to play tennis outside for three hours wearing a mask. I think it’s absurd, unfair, and unhealthy. It’s not based on science what we’re asking kids to do,” McGuire said.

Why Facebook Really, Really Doesn’t Want To Discourage Extremism

The Washington Post reported:

Last year, the Wall Street Journal reported Facebook executives allegedly shut down internal research showing the platform increased political polarization and declined to make changes that might make the platform less divisive.

Why might Facebook be reluctant to reduce polarization on its platform? Our study, recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, might offer an answer.

College of Charleston Amends COVID Vaccination Policies After Concerns Raised by S.C. Attorney General

FITSNews reported:

The College of Charleston is amending its policies regarding COVID-19 vaccinations for students this summer and fall after parents voiced concerns to the school – and to the office of South Carolina attorney general Alan Wilson.

Documents obtained by this news outlet reveal that Wilson’s office was inundated with inquiries regarding the school’s policies – which would have required unvaccinated students to subject themselves to monthly COVID-19 testing or face unspecified sanctions.

Idaho Lawmakers Eye Special Session on Mandatory COVID Vaccines

Associated Press reported:

Republican state senators plan to meet this week to discuss the possibility of a special session after three large health care providers announced policies requiring employees to get COVID-19 vaccinations, the top Senate Republican said Monday.

Senate Pro Tempore Chuck Winder said Republican senators will meet online Friday morning amid growing calls for a special session on employers requiring coronavirus vaccines.

California Backtracks on Banning Unmasked Students From School Campuses

ABC News reported:

California issued a new rule on Monday banning unmasked students from school campuses but then rescinded it just hours later.

The California Department of Health published its COVID-19 public health guidance for K-12 schools in the Golden State for the 2021-2022 school year, including a new mandate that said students “are required” to wear face masks indoors, unless they are exempt due to a medical condition, and “schools must exclude students from campus” if they refuse to do so.

The guidance, which was initially published on Monday afternoon and took immediate effect, noted that schools “should offer alternative educational opportunities for students who are excluded from campus because they will not wear a face covering.”

France, Greece Order Health Workers to Be Vaccinated

The Hill reported:

Officials in France and Greece have announced plans to require that health workers be vaccinated, as the infectious COVID-19 delta variant continues to cause case surges throughout the world.

French Health Minister Olivier Véran on Monday said health workers in the country will be suspended without pay if they have not completed their vaccination series by Sept. 15, according to The Washington Post.

Germany Won’t Make COVID Vaccination Compulsory — Merkel

Reuters reported:

Germany will not make vaccination against COVID-19 compulsory, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday, adding that ensuring more Germans get vaccinated, sticking to distancing rules and testing should help prevent a fourth wave.

“We have no intention of going down this road,” Merkel said during a news conference. “There will be no compulsory vaccination.”

Factbox: Countries Make COVID Vaccines Mandatory

Reuters reported:

A sharp upturn in new coronavirus infections due to the highly contagious Delta variant and a slowdown in vaccination rates have pushed governments to make COVID-19 jabs mandatory for health workers or other high-risk groups.

A growing number of countries also stipulate that a jab, or a negative test will be needed for dining out, among others.