Latest News
Vaccines are central to ending this pandemic: Dr. Deborah Maine in the Register-Star
"Vaccines are central to any plan to bring an end to the current pandemic," says Dr. Deborah Maine, maternal health expert, longtime Columbia County resident and member of our Advisory Group.
There's more on the history of gains from vaccination in New York State and the US in her Register-Star op-ed.
The impact of COVID on children, schools and community: Stephanie Susssman in The Columbia Paper
Finally, there is a light at the end of the tunnel... Vaccine availability for children... has excited many parents who have been waiting for schools and family life to get back to normal," writes Stephanie Sussman, Columbia County resident, retired Deputy School Superintendent and grandparent.
“Scare Tactics Aren’t Science”: Columbia Paper Editorial
The Columbia Paper slammed the anti-vaxx postcards sent to local homes, calling them "scare tactics," "an effort to frighten parents," and not science in an editorial. The editorial ends urging, "get your family vaccinated."
Read the full Columbia Paper editorial.
COVID vaccines are safe andf highly effective: Dr. Ronald Pope in The Register-Star
Columbia Memorial Health's Dr. Ronald Pope writes, "98% of physicians in the US have received full vaccination... this sends a clear message to society about our faith in the COVID vaccination."
Dr. Pope's full op-ed in The Register-Star.
Anti-vaxx mailer sabotaging efforts to save children’s lives
COVID vaccines are proven to be safe and life-saving for children. However, thousands of us just received an outrageous mailer from a Columbia County anti-vaxx group falsely claiming the opposite. Our Department of Health called the mailer “bogus.”
Our statement on the mailer to the right. More background, plus sources for our information here.
Columbia County health leaders call anti-vaxx literature "bogus"
Columbia County health leaders slammed as "bogus" a mailer filled with misinformation that anti-vaxxers sent to thousands of residents. They said it was "tragic that this group is trying to sabotage efforts to prevent COVID deaths among children in Columbia County."
Full story in The Register-Star here.
Our Statement: Leaders of Columbia County’s School Districts deserve our full support
Leaders of Columbia County’s school districts deserve our full support for wisely deciding to protect our children by requiring indoor winter sports participants to be vaccinated, and by requiring masking. Those opposing these measures threaten the health of our children and community.
Our full statement to the right here.
The vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective: Dr. Ramani in the Columbia Paper
Columbia County's Dr. Ananthakrishnan Ramani of Albany Medical School writes, "As an infectious disease specialist ... I implore all to get the benefit of the vaccine and to keep our communities, especially our children, safe so that we can get back to life as we knew it before this pandemic.”
Read his full Columbia Paper op-ed here.
The cultural cost of the pandemic: David McCarthy in The Columbia Paper
Hudson Valley musician and economic activist David McCarthy reflects with other artists on the cost to our culture of arts events canceled due to COVID, and concludes that "vaccination and other safety measures" can "bring us closer to the day when we can share in the cultural life we love."
Read his full op-ed here.
In some cases misinformation is actually killing people
NPR reports, “U.S. health authorities and most doctors do not recommend using [Ivermectin] to prevent or treat COVID-19, citing a lack of clear evidence on whether the drug works. Yet myths and beliefs around the drug have taken on a life of their own, fueled by a small group of doctors whose views diverge from the medical consensus, by right wing commentators and by internet groups where people share tips on sourcing and dosing.”
News reports of people being hospitalized after taking the medication meant for livestock deworming suggest that it is also unsafe. The manufacturer also recommends that people avoid taking the drug.
Read the full NPR story on Ivermectin here.
All three Covid vaccines are safe and effective: Dr. Joseph P. Lalka in The Columbia Paper
Based on the strictly regulated protocols of randomized controlled studies performed with tens of thousands of people, the FDA approved vaccines designed to reduce the severe consequences of COVID-19 are both safe and highly effective. Common side effects are consistent with other approved vaccines, such as sore arms and body aches.
Dr. Joseph Lalka, a family physician in Columbia County since 1991, writes that all three Covid vaccines are "safe and effective," “We need to work together,” and "Getting the Covid vaccine is an act of love."
Read Dr. Lalka’s full op-ed in the Columbia Paper here.
COVID vaccines are safe and effective: Michael Seserman in The Columbia Paper
Michael Seserman, past President of the New York State Public Health Association, explains that getting vaccinated protects our community, particularly the most vulnerable.
Read his full op-ed in The Columbia Paper.