July 13, 2021 10:33 AM
Morning Reads for Tuesday, July 13
Good morning! If you live in HD 34, today is Election Day!
- The Delta variant is the main strain of COVID in Georgia — but being fully vaccinated gives you almost total protection against illness. Why, then, are most Georgia adults choosing to not be vaccinated?
- Ballot drop boxes were used heavily in mostly democratic metro counties, as shown in this deeply-researched article — so it shouldn’t be surprising that SB 202 puts severe limits on the demonstrably secure and convenient way to vote.
- Most lawmakers who have been through budget ups and downs will tell you that it’s often tricker to navigate the politics of a surplus than a shortfall. In Georgia, we’re about to put that adage to the test — except the 2022 session with have the added bonus of being an election year and also being immediately post-redistricting.
- Opioid deaths are on the rise in Georgia.
- In this week’s episode of Caregiving Is An Economic Issue (And Is Also Infrastructure), childcare centers throughout Georgia face significant staffing shortages.
- Here’s more information on the expanded child tax credit, and how it might impact your family.
- The trail of indicted Insurance Commissioner Jim Beck is set to start. Here’s what is at stake for him, and for Georgia.
About Author
Teri
Teri Anulewicz is a Democrat who represents House District 42 in the Georgia General Assembly. She previously spent nearly a decade on the Smyrna City Council. A native New Orleanian and quasi-Texan, Teri graduated from Agnes Scott College in 1998. She's been a front page contributor since 2015, and she compiles each Tuesday's Morning Reads.
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SCOOP: Tennessee Department of Health halts all vaccine outreach to kids – not just for COVID-19, but all diseases – amid pressure from GOP. Staff ordered to remove the agency logo from any documents providing vaccine info to the public, per internal documents.
The agency will also end all COVID-19 vaccine events at schools, even though they’ve mostly served adults. And, if teens get a two-dose vaccine, it won’t remind them to go back for their second dose. Teens are intentionally stripped from the mailing list for reminder postcards.
3:05 PM · Jul 13, 2021
From the Tennessean newspaper:
The Tennessee Department of Health will halt all adolescent vaccine outreach – not just for coronavirus, but all diseases – amid pressure from Republican state lawmakers, according to an internal report and agency emails obtained by the Tennessean. If the health department must issue any information about vaccines, staff are instructed to strip the agency logo off the documents.
And these changes will take effect just as the coronavirus pandemic shows new signs of spread in Tennessee. After months of declining infections, the average number of new cases per day has more than doubled in the past two weeks – from 177 to 418. The average test positivity rate has jumped from 2.2% to 5.4% in the same time period.
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/health/2021/07/13/tennessee-halts-all-vaccine-outreach-minors-not-just-covid-19/7928701002/
I thought Georgia Public Health was bad and bowed down to Kemp too much but this is evil.
And they wonder why the Republicans have declining voter numbers. It’s because they will have killed them off.
Anyone who says they support Republicans has got to be crazy and irresponsible. You don’t mess with public health. The USA fought polio, TB, smallpox, encephalitis, malaria (yellow fever), and cholera and now these stupid Republicans want to do away with the protection you get with vaccines. I give up.
Hey Lawton and Charlie, these are your guys. Can you do anything to educate them?
Look at how we are spiking up in Covid case since the first of July:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/map/georgia
(I do not trust the DPH of Georgia to supply accurate numbers)
“Senate Dems have emerged from a closed meeting with an agreement: $3.5 trillion topline.
This includes Medicare expansion for dental, vision, health.
Joe Manchin said earlier today said he wanted any reconciliation package to be fully paid for. His wish has been granted
Warner says it’s fully paid for.”
You see what you can do? Help folks instead instead of ignoring them.
“This includes Medicare expansion for dental, vision, health.”
9:13 PM · Jul 13, 2021·Twitter for iPhone
This is a budget reconciliation so no Republicans needed. Kemp and the Republicans can block the expansion in Georgia but how will that help the average Georgian? It will not. But they do not care.
“Mental health advocates are warning of a coming mental health and substance abuse crisis on the heels of a pandemic that brought isolation to many and heartache to those who lost loved ones to COVID-19.
“We’re looking at this – as mental health – as being the next pandemic,” said Abdul Henderson, executive director of Mental Health America of Georgia.
“Because a lot of people will emerge with untreated issues, and if they don’t have the access or the ability to seek care – and that can come through the lack of transportation, lack of employment, lack of housing, all these other structural societal issues – it can really blow up in our face if we’re unprepared.”
Georgia now ranks last in the nation for access to mental health care, according to a report from Mental Health America that looks at access to insurance and treatment, quality, the cost of insurance and other factors.”
Good job Republicans, we really appreciate your help on stuff like this.
https://georgiarecorder.com/2021/07/13/mental-health-called-georgias-next-pandemic-as-substance-abuse-rises/