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This week, Mary Holland, Children’s Health Defense (CHD) president, and Polly Tommey, co-producer of “Vaxxed,” cover the latest COVID headlines, including the story about more than 100 Ontario youth sent to the hospital for heart problems related to COVID vaccines, and the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI) refusal to authorize COVID shots for 12- to 15-year-olds.
Also on tap this week is news that government officials in the UK could defy JCVI and proceed with COVID jabs for all 12- to 15-year-olds, and senior U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials who are stepping down over a disagreement with the White House on COVID booster shots.
Mary and Polly also cover a report by The Defender on how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsed the FDA’s approval of the Pfizer vaccine for 16 and older amid questions about missing data and which vaccine is actually approved.
Here are more of this week’s highlights:
- Pediatricians could prescribe COVID shots to children under 12 as an off-label medication — despite the fact that the vaccine is unapproved for that age group. “Even though the vaccine has not yet been granted either an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) or a license for children under 12, it’s clearly being used for younger children,” said Mary.
- A woman died of a rare brain disease within three months of getting the second Pfizer shot. A doctor said the vaccine could be responsible.
- Israel’s COVID czar told Israelis to prepare for a fourth dose of the COVID vaccine. “There’s a toxic tipping point for everybody,” said Mary. “Just because you’re fine after the first dose doesn’t mean you’re fine after the second, third or fourth dose.”
- Japan halted 2.6 million Moderna vaccines after officials linked three deaths to the jab. Some vials were contaminated with foreign substances. The latest suspension comes after 1.63 million doses were halted last week over similar concerns.
- Japan’s prime minister said he will step down after a one-year tenure marred by an unpopular COVID response and sinking public support. “It doesn’t appear to be a coincidence,” said Mary. “Governments are profoundly involved in this whole COVID issue. And if it goes bad, like this one just did, governments can fall.”
- A New York Times opinion piece written by Tony Blair, John Bell and David Agus — all three co-chairs of the Global Health Security Consortium — said we need a global vaccine certification system to safely reopen the world. “It’s a ghastly article, but you really need to read it,” said Polly.
- Pfizer is developing a COVID pill to take alongside COVID vaccines. Pfizer is so confident the pill will be approved and likely mandated that it has started production before the end of clinical trials. “The notion that Pfizer is already in production of these antiviral pills, to be taken twice a day, in conjunction with the vaccine, is breathtaking,” said Mary.
- The scientists who made the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine are using the same technology to develop a cancer vaccine. The vaccine will enter human trials this year if studies in mice show a reduction in tumor size and improved survival rate. “These mRNA vaccines are the new technology,” said Mary. “Companies want to leverage all of the promotion and the mandates that they’ve gotten for these vaccines into new products. We’re going to see a whole new order of vaccines [for things like] cancer, obesity and addiction.”
- The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said vaccine mandates don’t compromise civil liberties, but “actually further civil liberties.” Mary said, “This is really disappointing. The ACLU has been central in fighting discrimination. For them to come out with this article is just shocking.”
- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says people can be fired for refusing COVID vaccines. However, there may be other risks to firing unvaccinated workers, including internal turmoil, CBS News reported. As a result, only 7% of businesses say they’re firing workers who are unvaccinated. “Three times as many companies are using testing as they are using vaccine mandates,” said Mary.
- Some U.S. hotels are requiring proof of vaccination for guests and staff. The PUBLIC Hotel, Equinox Hotel and Wythe Hotel, all in New York City, Urban Cowboy Lodge in Big Indian, N.Y., a hamlet in the Catskill Mountains, and Pilgrim House in Provincetown, Massachusetts., are among the first in the U.S. to require proof of vaccination. “I’m not aware of a single superspreader event from a hotel,” said Mary. “Some places are seeing this as either necessary or as favorable marketing.”
- Australia is testing an app to enforce the country’s quarantine rules. Returning travelers quarantining at home will be forced to download an app that combines facial recognition and geolocation. The state will text them at random times, after which they’ll have 15 minutes to take a picture of their face in the location where they’re supposed to be. If they don’t, the local police department will be sent to follow up in person. “This would make George Orwell blush,” said Mary. “This is unbelievable.”
- A new report says vaccinated people with breakthrough COVID infections are 50% less likely to have long COVID than the unvaccinated. “All the emphasis for the next several weeks is going to be about the kids,” said Mary. “They want to license it for 12 to 15 and they want to grant EUA for kids under 12.”
- The World Health Organization is monitoring a new COVID variant called “Mu.” Mary said, “Many credible scientists are telling us [variants] are arising because there’s so much ecological pressure from the vaccines on the viruses. So, they’re more likely to mutate, just like antibiotic-resistance comes from the overuse of antibiotics.”
- Bulgaria and Romania have low vaccination rates — and low COVID rates. “These are former Soviet bloc countries,” said Mary. “They know what totalitarianism feels like. They know what compulsory medicine feels like.”
- A California judge dismissed nine people in a jury pool because they were not vaccinated against COVID. “This is happening in courts around the country,” said Mary.
- A report by the Detroit Free Press says Democratic lawmaker Michigan Rep. Jewell Jones “falsely questioned” the safety of COVID vaccines on social media.
- A Pennsylvania doctor is speaking out after the region’s three largest healthcare providers announced a COVID vaccine mandate for its employees. “We have to give individuals freedom to choose their life for themselves,” said Dr. Chaminie Wheeler.
- Two military service members filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense, FDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on behalf of themselves and 220,000 active service members who are being forced to get a COVID shot despite having natural immunity.
- A Florida chiropractor had dozens of parents and children line up outside his office to get opt-out letters to avoid their school district’s mask mandate. The chiropractor said he’s signing the forms for free.
- Newark firefighters, in cooperation with several unions, held a protest outside City Hall in Newark, New Jersey, on Sept. 8.
- Children’s Health Defense’s historic win against the FCC presents the first real opportunity to create change surrounding 5G technology and harmful wireless radiation. “We must capitalize on this win and maximize its impact in order to protect our communities and our children from the massive rollout of 5G currently underway, Mary said. “Our elected officials must be informed of this decision. Act Now. Please send our letter to your elected officials.”
- The New York State Department of Health repealed an emergency mask mandate after a lawsuit was filed in federal court challenging the regulation. “This is an important win,” said Mary.
Watch “This Week” with Mary + Polly:
