SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains high in San Mateo County, reflecting the continued dominance of the BA.5 variant, necessitating further COVID-19 vaccination to protect against severe disease and death.
This was stated by Louise Rogers, San Mateo County Health Chief, who stressed in a message that as many families begin to think about having children return to classrooms while there is high transmission and fewer requirements or restrictions, it is necessary to strengthen inoculation.
In this regard, the local official thanked educational partners for their work to update prevention policies and protocols to allow for safe in-person learning.
"We appreciate the focus of education professionals and families on staying up to date with vaccinations and promoting ventilation, masking, testing and staying home when sick," she said.
It is worth noting that San Mateo County remains in the "high" tier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‒CDC‒, as is much of the Bay Area region and the state.
"This is a longer phase of high transmission than we have experienced in previous periods," Rogers said.
As of Tuesday, the number of patients hospitalized in San Mateo County with COVID-19 was 58 and has fluctuated between 30 and 60 for most of the past two and a half months, the statement said.
The number of hospitalized patients is comparable to the peak of the Delta wave a year ago, but lower than the peak of the Omicron winter wave, which reached 160 patients.
Meanwhile, the level of hospitalization in intensive care units has been in the single digits. “Our local hospitals continue to be able to manage these levels of hospitalization.”
In this regard, he stressed that it is still "strongly recommended" to wear a high-quality mask in indoor environments and to increase ventilation, for example by opening windows and doors where possible, to help prevent infections.
“We urge residents to get tested if they are experiencing symptoms and to contact their doctor. If you are positive, a doctor can assess whether COVID treatments are right for you,” Rogers stressed.
On the vaccination front, she stressed that this is a time of “high transmission,” so if you are eligible for a booster, it is time to get updated, as existing COVID-19 vaccines remain the most important tool to prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death.
For those over 50 or immunocompromised who received a first booster more than four months ago, it is recommended to get their second booster as soon as possible. “There are many avenues throughout the county through health care providers and pharmacies.”
The federal government said Friday that eligibility for a second booster shot will remain unchanged, with a variant-specific Omicron booster expected to be available for those 12 and older in the fall.
El Parque Nacional de las Secuoyas de California es el hogar de Hyperion, el ser viviente más alto del planeta, pero visitarlo podría costarle una multa de 5 mil dólares y seis meses de cárcel, pues su integridad está en riesgo debido al maltrato desmedido de las personas que acuden al lugar.
A través de un comunicado, el parque ubicado al norte de California, casi en la frontera con Oregón, detalló que ha quedado estrictamente prohibido visitar o acercarse al longevo árbol.
«Los visitantes que pisan Hyperion han resultado en la degradación de la base del árbol. El área alrededor del árbol ya no tiene helechos debido al pisoteo», destacó el parque.
Además, ha precisado que está prohibido lanzar, aterrizar u operar una aeronave no tripulada desde o sobre tierras y aguas administradas por el Servicio de Parques Nacionales dentro de los límites del Parque Nacional Redwood, excepto que el superintendente lo apruebe por escrito.
En la actualidad se han implementado numerosas restricciones en el parque, estos incluyen la prohibición de trepar cualquier árbol sin permiso de investigación emitido por el Parque Nacional y Estatal de Redwood además de un permiso por parte del Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de los Estados Unidos (USFWS) por sus siglas en inglés.
A su vez, el arroyo Tom McDonald y la zona circundante aguas arriba de su confluencia con RedwoodCreek forman parte también de los senderos restringidos.
Aunque actualmente visitar a Hyperion está oficialmente prohibido, este gigante se encuentra ubicado en el Parque Nacional de las Secuoyas ubicado junto al Parque Nacional Cañón de los Reyes, específicamente en las montañas de Sierra Nevada del norte de California. Dicho parque se caracteriza por albergar a los enormes árboles de la especie secuoya.
Y es que aunque el árbol se encuentra resguardado y su ubicación exacta fuera del alcance del público, ya ha presentado ciertos niveles de degradación por parte de algunas personas. Pero no sólo los humanos representan un peligro para el Titán de los bosques, pues los incendios también son un elemento amenzante.
The Sequoia National Park de California invita a la reflexión «¿Serás parte de la preservación del parque? ¿O parte del problema?», con la que invita a informarse sobre las consecuencias que actualmente existen si es que se llegara a visitar la zona protegida, pues afirma no existe ningún sendero hacia Hyperion.
«Desde su “descubrimiento” en 2006, este árbol ha estado en la lista de deseos de muchos entusiastas de los árboles. Hyperion se encuentra fuera del sendero a través de una densa vegetación y requiere un gran esfuerzo para llegar al árbol», señala el comunicado.
A pesar del difícil viaje, el aumento de la popularidad debido a los “bloggers”, los escritores de viajes y los sitios web de este árbol fuera de los senderos ha resultado en la devastación del hábitat que rodea a Hyperion. Como visitante, debe decidir si será parte de la preservación de este paisaje único o será parte de su destrucción», agregó.
Hyperion no sólo es dentro de la mitología griega el Titán y padre del dios del Sol sino que así se llama el árbol más sabio que seguramente vio nacer a los abuelos de tus abuelos pues siendo el ser viviente más alto del planeta —en 2004 medía unos 115.55 metros de altura— y se estima que tiene entre 600 u 800 años.
Cabe mencionar que esta peculiar secuoya fue descubierta por Chris Atkins y Michael Taylor, ambos de origen estadounidense el 25 de agosto de 2006, ante las características de dicho árbol su ubicación exacta se mantiene en secreto para tratar de protegerlo.
All of this has earned him to be considered by the Guinness World Records como el árbol vivo más alto del mundo con una altura de 116.07 metros de altura en 2019.
El árbol «secuoya roja» o «de California» es un árbol muy longevo —llega a vivir entre mil 200 y mil 800 años— y además su altura es espectacular siendo la conífera más alta, llegando a medir hasta 115 metros sin incluir sus raíces y, además comprende un poco más de siete metros de diámetro en su base.
The Redwood City Council is seeking candidates for vacancy in District 4.
El solicitante seleccionado se desempeñará como miembro del Concejo Municipal del Distrito 4 hasta diciembre de 2024.
De acuerdo con la Carta Constitucional de la Ciudad y la ley estatal aplicable, el Concejo Municipal debe designar a un solicitante para ocupar la vacante antes del 18 de septiembre de 2022, por lo que está en busca de un ciudadano que busque aportar a su comunidad.
El Concejo Municipal de siete miembros actúa como representante legislativo, organismo que representa a los ciudadanos de Redwood City.
Eligibility requirementsof candidates for vacancy in District 4
Los solicitantes deben tener al menos 18 años de edad y ser ciudadano de EE. UU., además se les pedirá que proporcionen verificación para ser considerados para el nombramiento, y deberán residir en los límites del Distrito 4, tal como se trazan en el Mapa de Límites del Concejo Municipal de 2019 antes del momento del nombramiento ‒antes del 23 de julio de 2022‒.
A su vez, el residente de Redwood City a postularse no deberá estar inhabilitado para ocupar un cargo civil por la Constitución o las leyes del estado de California.
Periodo de aplicación
El período de solicitud estará abierto del 26 de julio al 16 de agosto. El secretario municipal debe recibir todas las solicitudes elegibles a más tardar el 16 de agosto a las 17:00 horas.
Las solicitudes completas serán aceptadas a través del portal de solicitud en línea disponible en www.RedwoodCity.org/Vacancy; por correo electrónico al Secretario Municipal a paguilar@redwoodcity.org; por correo dirigido a la Oficina del Secretario Municipal con atención al City Council District 4 Vacancy, en el 1017 de Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA 94063; o en persona en la recepción del vestíbulo del Ayuntamiento.
El horario de atención es de lunes a miércoles, de 10:00 a 16:00 horas.
Cabe destacar que las solicitudes impresas están disponibles en todas las instalaciones de la Ciudad, incluyendo el Ayuntamiento, todas las bibliotecas, el Centro Comunitario Fair Oaks y el Edificio de Actividades Comunitarias.
El Concejo destacó que cualquier solicitud que no cumpla con los requisitos mínimos de elegibilidad no será considerada para esta vacante.
Appointment of the City Council
Después del cierre del período de solicitud, el personal de la ciudad confirmará la elegibilidad de cada solicitante. El Concejo Municipal entrevistará a los solicitantes elegibles en una reunión pública especial o regular debidamente notificada programada tentativamente para el 22 de agosto de 2022.
Si el Concejo Municipal no tiene éxito en la designación de un solicitante elegible antes del 18 de septiembre de 2022, el organismo deberá realizar una Elección Especial para llenar la vacante.
Aunque se necesita la confirmación del Registro de Votantes del Condado de San Mateo, la fecha más temprana disponible para una Elección Especial es el martes 31 de enero de 2023, pero podría ser hasta el 7 de marzo de 2023 de no encontrarse a un candidato al puesto.
Los interesados pueden obtener más información visitando el sitio web www.RedwoodCity.org/Vacancy, y si se tienen preguntas o necesita servicios de traducción para conocer el proceso de solicitud, puede comunicarse con el secretario municipal al (650) 780-7220 o envíe un correo electrónico a paguilar@redwoodcity.org.
The fifth wave of the pandemic has caused a surge in COVID-19 cases in the U.S., sparking discussions about whether mask mandates should return and the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
More than two-thirds of the U.S. population has tested positive for COVID-19, and 78 percent are part of the Omicron BA5 subvariant, which is not only more contagious but also has more severe symptoms. However, health measures to prevent contracting the disease have been reduced over time.
The use of masks, antibacterial gel, and other things have been left behind, as people have had to return to normality. However, while precautionary measures lose importance, the virus advances.
"The virus is not fast, but it moves," said Ben Neuman, professor of biology and head of virology at Global Health in a panel organized by Ethnic Media Services where experts met to discuss the risks posed by new variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection.
Neuman stressed the importance of the population getting the COVID-19 vaccine as well as its boosters, because although they do not rule out the possibility of becoming infected, they reduce complications, hospitalizations and deaths. “We have to use the tools we have as much as we can,” he said.
There are more positive cases than reported
For his part, Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine specializing in the treatment of infectious diseases, commented that the numbers of people who have tested positive for the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus are higher than those officially reported, since there are those who perform the tests at home or those who simply let the disease pass. "If 1,300 cases are reported a day, there are probably actually a million," he said.
"The true number of infections is much higher than what we are counting," said William Schaffner, a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
He also noted that in his experience, rapid COVID-19 tests are less likely to report a positive result in cases of Omicron's BA5 subvariant.
He also stressed that respiratory infections have increased during this summer season, but this does not mean that all people who have symptoms have the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, so it is best to take a PCR test instead of a rapid test at home.
Discussions continue over the use of masks
States like California have considered reinstating mask mandates, but have backed off because COVID-19 cases have been declining. “That will be up to local authorities to decide,” Schaffner said, but he recommended that masks be worn at least by those at risk of complications, including older adults and people with underlying health conditions.
“Just because we don’t have a mask mandate in public spaces doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea to wear a mask, so it’s still a very strong recommendation even if you’re fully vaccinated and you have your boosters, because who wants to be at home for 5 days?” Chin-Hong said, noting that they not only allow those wearing them to protect themselves, but they also protect all levels of society.
Neuman commented that “from a technical standpoint, masks work, they are always a very good idea and we should have mask mandates and vaccine mandates.”
Is Paxlovid a viable treatment?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says Paxlovid is still recommended as a treatment for early-stage mild to moderate COVID-19 disease in patients at high risk for severe disease, preventing hospitalization and death. However, people with kidney or liver problems are not eligible to receive the drug.
"It prevents the development of a more serious disease," said Schaffner, who along with his wife received the treatment when they were eligible, because although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it for emergency use, there are a series of requirements that patients must meet to obtain Paxlovid.
The requirements for using Paxlovid as a treatment are:
Having tested positive for COVID-19 infection
Have mild or moderate disease
Have one or more risk factors for progression to severe disease
Not requiring hospitalization at the time of starting treatment
A workers' strike at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City ended after 11 days when union members approved a new four-year contract with management last Friday.
With 64 percent voting in favor, union members approved a tentative agreement reached the day before with hospital owner Dignity Health, according to a news release from the union, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 57.
Union members had asked for more than the 4 percent pay increase they said they had been offered.
The union's press release did not include details of the new contract, but said, "The recently ratified contract includes major achievements that improve working conditions, wages and patient care."
In turn, he said, “it ensures an increase in certified nursing assistant staffing levels, which will improve both the quality of care provided and workplace safety. Management can no longer unilaterally increase employee health insurance costs, a first for a Dignity Health hospital and a major step toward financial stability for workers.”
Dignity Health officials were not immediately available for comment Monday evening.
Hundreds of workers, including nursing assistants, surgical technicians, respiratory therapists, housekeepers, cooks and others, began picketing at the hospital and Dignity Health headquarters on July 18.
A week later, Dignity officials threatened to cut workers' health benefits, saying in an emailed statement that the hospital system's health plan requires employees to work a full schedule and confirmed that those on strike would lose access to the benefits plan:
“Employees who do not meet the requirements of the benefit plan program are removed from the benefit plans at the beginning of each month. In August, this will include employees who stopped working in conjunction with the AFSCME indefinite strike.”
Dignity Health officials also said in the email that employees would get their medical care back once they resume work. The union said the move was unnecessary and designed to break the strike.
In the union's Monday news release, Jackie Garcia, a surgical technician at Sequoia Hospital, called the new contract a victory for current and future patients and staff.
“This is going to be a better, stronger, safer place to seek and provide care.”
On Monday afternoon, Governor Gavin Newsom decretó a California en Estado de Emergencia por viruela símica, como parte de la respuesta continua del estado al brote de dicha enfermedad y para reforzar los esfuerzos de vacunación para los californianos.
«California está trabajando con urgencia en todos los niveles del gobierno para frenar la propagación de la viruela símica, aprovechando nuestras pruebas sólidas, el rastreo de contactos y las asociaciones comunitarias fortalecidas durante la pandemia para garantizar que las personas en mayor riesgo sean nuestro enfoque para las vacunas, el tratamiento y la divulgación», dijo Newsom.
«Seguiremos trabajando con el gobierno federal para asegurar más vacunas, crear conciencia sobre la reducción del riesgo y apoyar a la comunidad LGBTQ+ en la lucha contra la estigmatización», agregó.
La proclamación permitirá que el personal de los Servicios Médicos de Emergencia ‒EMS, por sus siglas en inglés‒ administre vacunas contra la viruela del simio aprobadas por la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos ‒FDA, por sus siglas en inglés‒ de manera similar a la autorización legal promulgada recientemente para que los farmacéuticos administren vacunas.
La respuesta del estado a la viruela del símica, dijo, se basa en la infraestructura desarrollada durante la pandemia de COVID-19 para implementar clínicas de vacunas y garantizar un alcance inclusivo y específico en asociación con organizaciones locales y comunitarias.
El mes pasado, los líderes de salud pública de California instaron a los socios federales poner a disposición del estado más dosis de vacunas lo más rápido posible para que el estado pueda ampliar la elegibilidad a exposiciones tanto confirmadas como probables, así como a personas que corren un alto riesgo de contraer el virus.
A la fecha, el estado ha distribuido más de 25 mil dosis de vacunas y hará asignaciones adicionales en los próximos días y semanas, precisó un comunicado emitido por el gobierno este lunes. Sin embargo, en total, California ha recibido 61 mil dosis.
Cabe destacar que el condado de Los Ángeles ha recibido una asignación separada de vacunas.
El estado también está apoyando los esfuerzos generales de vacunación en colaboración con los lugareños, lo que incluye ayudar a proporcionar personal y clínicas móviles, además de asignar las dosis a los departamentos de salud locales en función de una serie de factores, incluida la cantidad de casos de viruela símica informados en un área y la estimación de las poblaciones en riesgo.
Desde el 28 de julio, el estado había ampliado su capacidad de prueba para procesar más de mil por semana.
Los líderes de los laboratorios de salud pública del estado han estado trabajando con los laboratorios académicos, comerciales y de salud pública locales para garantizar que la capacidad de prueba esté cada vez más disponible y coordinada con la respuesta de salud pública.
El Departamento de Salud Pública de California ‒CDPH, por sus siglas en inglés‒ también está ampliando las opciones de tratamiento. El acceso al medicamento antiviral recetado tecovirimat ‒TPOXX‒ que se usa para tratar la viruela «del mono» es limitado, pero ahora se puede administrar en más de 30 instalaciones y proveedores en todo el estado, puntualizó el documento.
Finalmente, destacó que el estado continúa con los esfuerzos de divulgación y educación para informar a los californianos sobre la viruela símica y las formas de limitar su propagación, y puntualizó que ha organizado múltiples seminarios web para departamentos de salud locales, organizaciones comunitarias y otros proveedores de atención médica y ha asistido a varios ayuntamientos y reuniones comunitarias para hablar y escuchar a los líderes locales y públicos.
A su vez, CDPH también está programando sesiones de escucha con la comunidad LGBTQ+ y está ejecutando campañas publicitarias en varias plataformas de medios digitales para promover la conciencia e involucrar a las comunidades con mayor riesgo de contraer la viruela del mono.
Cabe destacar que apenas el 30 de julio, el estado de Nueva York decretó Estado de Emergencia por la misma enfermedad, mientras que la ciudad de San Francisco lo hizo el pasado 28 de julio.
Un hombre de San Francisco recibió 60 días de cárcel y dos años de libertad condicional supervisada el viernes por un grave delito de odio contra una familia que vestía camisetas de «Black Lives Matter», a quienes amenazó, anunció la Oficina del Fiscal de Distrito del Condado de San Mateo.
Steven L. Cibotti, de 56 años, estaba comiendo en un restaurante en Burlingame el 7 de junio de 2020 que también estaba siendo visitado por una familia de cinco personas que acababa de participar en una marcha de Black Lives Matter en San Francisco.
La familia estaba compuesta por tres niños de siete, cinco y dos años, y vestían camisetas de Black Lives Matter, dijo el fiscal.
Cibotti supuestamente estaba intoxicado y se acercó a la mesa de la familia y gritó «las vidas azules importan» y empujó su mesa. El padre de la familia le dijo a Cibotti que no podía hablarles así y luego el acusado supuestamente gritó: «Jódanse, si tuviera un arma, les dispararía a todos».
El hoy sentenciado no refutó un delito grave de odio por medio de amenazas graves y recibió una sentencia de dos años de libertad condicional supervisada, 60 días en la cárcel con un día de crédito por el tiempo cumplido y 120 horas de servicio público.
El culpable también debe abstenerse de consumir alcohol y sustancias controladas, incluida la marihuana, estar sujeto a registro e incautación, no estar en posesión de armas ni municiones, y tiene una orden de no contacto con las víctimas.
San Joaquin County still faces significant challenges in COVID-19, as the growing diversity in its area ranks 31st out of 58 in the number of adults who have completed primary vaccination against the disease.
San Joaquin County is one of the smallest counties in terms of area in the state of California, however, it is also one of the most populated with a population of approximately 970 thousand people, in addition to having great cultural diversity since around 30 languages are spoken in its territory.
In addition to being one of the most culturally diverse counties, it has one of the highest COVID-19 death rates compared to other rural areas in the state, with 2,270 deaths.
San Joaquin County Public Health Officer Dr. Maggie Park spoke at an informational panel hosted by Ethnic Media Services that “diversity has been a challenge” because in this county there are different populations that health campaigns must reach.
And the fifth wave of COVID-19 has affected thousands of people, leaving, as of July 28 of this year, 187,934 confirmed cases - in this county - with the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, however, Park noted that "the number is much higher because here we are only counting people who had a PCR test done in laboratories," so this figure does not count those who do it at home.
In San Joaquin County, only 65.6 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated, due to the fact that the area is mostly inhabited by agricultural workers, which has made it difficult for the community to receive the inoculation, so authorities have sought ways to increase these numbers through campaigns and events.
“San Joaquin County is a working-class county with limited access to health services,” said José Rodríguez, president of El Concilio, a nonprofit organization in California that supports marginalized, minority and low-income communities, who also commented that since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic they knew that the Latino community would be one of the most affected by the disease.
Rodríguez also pointed out that one of the strategies that has worked best in this area has been to bring vaccination and health campaigns to the communities, because in his words "for people to participate we have to go to where they are instead of waiting for them to come to the vaccination center."
Language, one of the major barriers for the communities
Language, information and technology barriers have been one of the reasons why vaccination rates in this California county have been so low, as Kevin Sunga, Health Director of Little Manila Rising, commented that these resources "are not enough for them to access"
She also stressed that information about the COVID-19 vaccine is not available in sufficient languages for the communities, as there is no information translated into the dialects that some of the county's residents speak.
He also pointed out that part of the population in this area does not have access to a cell phone or the internet, so the difficulties in obtaining information and making an appointment to get vaccinated are greater.
HengSothea Ung, program director for Apsara – serving Cambodian refugees – said that websites for scheduling an appointment to receive the vaccine or obtaining information are not in enough languages to accommodate the diversity that exists in the area. Although they are available in English, Spanish and Korean, they do not consider those who speak Cambodian or another language, which is why there is a lot of misinformation.
“People who don’t speak English can’t access the truth, they can’t know what the real information is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the California Department of Public Health – CDC and CDPH,” HengSothea said.
Myths hinder vaccination
Misinformation has been one of the biggest problems in relation to COVID-19, as various social media networks have contributed to the spread of myths that cause fear in those who are thinking about receiving the inoculation.
"We have seen that social media plays an equal role in informing and misinforming the population," Sunga said.
Infertility, cancer, chips, heart problems, effects on pregnant women, effectiveness and even spiritual and religious issues have caused a large part of the population to give up receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and although the CDC and various organizations have launched campaigns to combat misinformation, there are those who do not have access to these.
José Rodríguez commented that one of the priorities is also to inform and educate the population, so that they can make an informed decision about the vaccine, since people decide not to receive the inoculation out of fear.
Call to pay attention to homeless people
Zonnie Thomson, a community organizer with Faith in the Valley in Stockton, said that since the COVID-19 pandemic, the problem of homelessness in the U.S. has increased, and the majority of this vulnerable population does not have access to medical services, so these communities were among the most affected by the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
"I've had COVID-19 five times, three times when I was homeless," said Nick Worrell, who until recently was homeless.
He commented that one of the many difficulties that this vulnerable population faces is the possibility of accessing inoculation and boosters, since many times they do not have proof that they have already received the first dose.
"When you're homeless, it's hard to keep a document, something that proves that you've been vaccinated," he said.
In this regard, Worrell called on authorities and organizations to find solutions for this community, since many of the people who live on the streets do not have easy access to vaccination campaigns because they are sometimes very far from where they live, so he pointed out that one option could be to take the campaigns to the camps.
In this regard, Thomson noted that the number of homeless people in San Joaquin is very high, however there have not been many efforts to bring vaccination campaigns to these communities. "I have seen only one effort in 2021, since then I have not seen any other follow-up," he said.
"They need protection from extreme temperatures, they have many mental health issues, they cannot access different resources, they deal with very high prices to buy food or water," he said.
Instagram is removing recent updates following criticism from users, after the social network that was initially characterized by prioritizing photos increasingly resembled its rival TikTok.
Criticism grew louder after the change to full-screen format and because the platform now showed much more recommended content from accounts that are not followed by the user.
In response, a spokesperson for Meta, Instagram's parent company, said in a statement that, based on its findings and community feedback, the full-screen test will be paused in order to explore other options, and recommendations in the feed will be reduced "in order to improve the quality of your experience."
"We recognize that changes to the app can be an adjustment, and while we believe Instagram needs to evolve as the world changes, we want to take the time to make sure we get this right," the statement said.
The company also said a test version of the app that opened photos and videos in full screen will be phased out over the next two weeks, and it will also reduce the number of recommended posts on the app as it works to improve its algorithms.
“I’m glad we took a risk. If we don’t fail from time to time, it’s because we’re not thinking big or bold enough,” Mosseri told the outlet. “But we definitely need to take a big step back and regroup. “When we’ve learned a lot, we come back with some kind of new idea or iteration. So we’re going to work on that.”
Among those complaining about the changes were reality stars, entrepreneurs and influencers Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, two of the platform's most popular users, who publicly criticized the "TikTokification" of Instagram.
Through posts, both urged to “Make Instagram Instagram again.”
This was of no small concern to Instagram executives, who criticized Snapchat's redesign in 2018, causing its shares to plummet.
Just last July 26, Mosseri noted in a video via his Twitter account that a number of different changes were being experimented with in the app, and that if users were experiencing a new full-screen version of Feed, it was just a test.
“It’s a test for a small percentage of people. And the idea is that a full-screen experience could be a more fun and interesting experience, but I also want to be clear that it’s not the end yet and we’re going to have to get it to a good place if we’re going to ship it to the rest of the Instagram community.”
He made it clear that photo sharing would continue to be supported. However, “I need to be honest, I think more and more of Instagram will move to video over time. We see this even if we don’t change anything, we see this even if you just look at the chronological footers, if you look at what people are sharing on Instagram, that shift will be more to video over time.”
However, things have not worked out well for users and Instagram has had no choice but to "back off."
Photo: NHS England High Consequence Infectious Disease Network
New York declared a state of emergency over monkeypox, after its governor, Kathy Hochul, stated that as of July 29, the state had already accumulated 1,383 cases.
The declaration of a statewide disaster emergency, he said, will serve to strengthen ongoing efforts to address the monkeypox outbreak.
"This Executive Order allows us to respond more quickly and enables healthcare professionals to take additional steps that will help vaccinate more New Yorkers," the governor said on Twitter.
She noted that more than one in four monkeypox cases in the country are in New York, which currently has a disproportionate impact on at-risk groups.
"We are working around the clock to secure more vaccines, expand testing capacity and educate New Yorkers on how to stay safe," he stressed.
In mid-July, the state launched a cell phone information system on the disease, which provides the service in both English and Spanish. Those interested simply need to text the words “MONKEYPOX” or “MONKEYPOXESP” to the local phone number 81336.
By providing a ZIP code, New Yorkers can also opt in to receive location-based messages, which may include information about vaccines and care in their area.
For its part, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced in the third week of July that Sonic Healthcare USA (Sonic) will begin testing for monkeypox using the federal agency's orthopoxvirus test, which detects most orthopoxvirus viruses unrelated to smallpox, including monkeypox.
The New York Department of Health said that while New Yorkers should not be alarmed, everyone should stay informed about monkeypox. This means understanding the symptoms, how it spreads and what to do if you are exposed.
It should be noted that last week, San Francisco Mayor London Breed also declared a State of Emergency for monkeypox, which went into effect on Monday, August 1, an action she said will allow the city to prepare and dedicate resources to prevent the spread of the disease.
As of Thursday, July 28, there were 261 diagnosed cases of monkeypox in San Francisco, a figure that places it as one of the epicenters of the disease in the country, as it registered more cases than most states.
Breed noted that while this virus affects everyone equally, there is a higher risk of exposure in the LGBTQ+ community, which accounts for nearly 90 percent of cases in San Francisco.
He also pointed out that the Latino community represents 30 percent of the cases, despite being only 15 percent of the city's population.
Monkeypox is spread through close physical contact between people. This means that anyone can contract the disease. However, according to the current outbreak, certain populations are affected by monkeypox more than others, including men who have sex with men.
Based on previous monkeypox outbreaks around the world, some groups may also be at higher risk of serious outcomes if they contract the virus, including people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, young children under 8 years old, and pregnant people.
Symptoms of monkeypox may include:
Rashes, bumps, or blisters on or around the genitals or other areas such as the hands, feet, chest, or face.
Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, and fatigue. These symptoms may occur before or after the rash appears, or not at all.
Monkeypox is spread through close physical contact between individuals. This includes:
Direct contact with simian pox sores or rashes on a person who has the virus.
Respiratory droplets or oral fluids from someone with the disease, particularly for those who have close contact with someone or are around them for a long period of time.
It can also be transmitted through contact with objects or fabrics (clothing, bedding, towels) that have been used by someone with monkeypox.
