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Kaiser mental health workers allege state law violation in fifth week of strike

Peninsula 360 Press

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2022.09.13

Kaiser mental health workers allege state law violation in fifth week of strike

Kaiser mental health workers — From left, Kaila Castaneda and Mary Nguyen clap their hands during an informational picket outside Kaiser Permanente in Manteca, Calif. on Sept. 1, 2022. (Harika Maddala/ Bay City News/ Catchlight Local)

Los trabajadores de salud mental de Kaiser permanente, así como las enfermeras en su quinta semana de huelga por mejores condiciones de trabajo han pedido a los reguladores estatales que eviten que el proveedor de atención médica use trabajadores de reemplazo temporales que, según afirman, podrían posponer la atención de los pacientes durante la huelga.

El Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Salud ‒ NUHW, por sus siglas en inglés‒ presentó una queja ante el Departamento de Atención Médica Administrada del estado en nombre de los empleados en huelga el viernes, argumentando que Kaiser planeaba contratar temporalmente enfermeras vocacionales con licencia no calificadas durante la huelga.

La ley estatal actual requiere que los proveedores de atención médica ofrezcan una sesión de terapia de salud mental de seguimiento dentro de los 10 días hábiles de una sesión inicial, a menos que un terapeuta autorizado determine que un tiempo de espera más largo entre sesiones no dañaría al paciente.

Los trabajadores temporales de Kaiser, según la denuncia, tendrían la tarea de determinar si los pacientes requieren una sesión de terapia de seguimiento dentro de los 10 días posteriores a su sesión inicial. El NUHW argumentó que hacerlo violaría la ley estatal.

«Es hora de que el estado haga su trabajo y haga cumplir la ley para que a los pacientes de Kaiser Permanente no se les niegue injustamente la atención de salud mental que necesitan», dijo el presidente de NUHW, Sal Rosselli, en un comunicado.

Más de dos mil terapeutas, psicólogos, trabajadores sociales y consejeros de adicciones han realizado piquetes en las ubicaciones de Kaiser en el Área de la Bahía desde el 15 de agosto, cuando NUHW dijo que las conversaciones laborales se deterioraron.

Según el sindicato, los trabajadores aceptaron una oferta de estructura salarial de la gerencia de Kaiser, pero el proveedor de atención médica se negó a aceptar propuestas que requerían más personal y tiempos de espera reducidos para las citas.

Kaiser Permanente calificó la huelga de «innecesaria» en un comunicado y sugirió que NUHW está presionando a los trabajadores para que hagan piquetes y «hagan acusaciones mal caracterizadas o infundadas».

Kaiser también argumentó que las enfermeras y los médicos que están trabajando temporalmente durante la huelga lo han hecho con poca anticipación y únicamente en un esfuerzo por garantizar que la atención al paciente no se interrumpa.

«Contrariamente a las alegaciones de NUHW, las enfermeras no brindan evaluaciones clínicas ni hacen citas, y no emiten ningún juicio con respecto a la atención que ya se ha brindado», dijo Kaiser sobre los trabajadores temporales. «Solo nuestros expertos clínicos autorizados en salud del comportamiento revisan la atención del paciente, evalúan lo que se necesita para el paciente y trabajan para brindarle la atención».

Se espera que los funcionarios sindicales y de Kaiser reanuden las conversaciones de negociación el miércoles.

Hasta entonces, se espera que los trabajadores hagan huelga en los centros médicos de San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, Vallejo y Walnut Creek de 8 am a 3 pm La huelga continuará hasta que las dos partes lleguen a un nuevo acuerdo de negociación, según el NUHW.

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Redwood City Recognizes September as National Suicide Prevention Month

Peninsula 360 Press

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2022.09.13

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Redwood City Recognizes September as National Suicide Prevention Month

La tarde de este lunes, el Concejo del Ayuntamiento de Redwood City, proclamó este septiembre como Mes de la Prevención Nacional de Suicidio, reconocimiento que fue entregado a StarVista la cual es la operadora del Centro de Intervención de Crisis y Prevención del Suicidio en el condado de San Mateo, y que atiende a través del número 988.

«Es un momento para crear conciencia sobre un tema que es primordial para la salud y el bienestar de nuestra comunidad», señaló la alcaldesa de Redwood City, Giselle Hale. «La salud mental es un tema, por supuesto, que he encabezado junto con varios miembros del Concejo».

«Vemos la necesidad en nuestras comunidades y el suicidio ha sido un resultado desafortunado de mucho dolor que la gente ha tenido a lo largo de la pandemia. Y así, nuestro objetivo es asegurar que los individuos, amigos familias, tengan acceso a los recursos que necesitan para discutir sobre la prevención del suicidio y para buscar ayuda», subrayó.

StarVista, dijo Hale, es una organización local sin fines de lucro que ayuda a los residentes y las familias a navegar por los desafíos de la vida a través de asesoramiento, la gestión de casos, la habilidad, el desarrollo y la contención de crisis, así como la prevención y programas.

In light of this, she stressed that if someone at any time needs to use or has a friend who needs help due to a crisis or suicidal thoughts, they can use the 988 service.

Zena Andreani, subdirectora de los Servicios de Intervención de Crisis y Prevención del Suicidio de StarVista aceptó la proclamación, al tiempo que reconoció que es necesario que los residentes desempeñen un papel en el apoyo mutuo para la prevención del suicidio.

«Muchas gracias por esta Proclamación y por proclamar el mes de la prevención del suicidio 2020. El tema de este año es tomar medidas para la prevención del suicidio y la prosperidad en todas las edades», dijo Andreani.

Destacó que la Proclamación es un reconocimiento de «la importancia, a fuerza y la resiliencia, factores de protección para realmente cuidar de sí mismo y promover el bienestar en los demás».

«Este es un momento realmente histórico. Así que cualquiera que marque este número de tres dígitos ‒988‒, si usted está en crisis, si está preocupado por alguien, este es el número al que ir. Si tiene pensamientos de suicidio, está preocupado por su salud mental o tiene la necesidad de recurrir al uso de sustancias, sólo está a una llamada de distancia», puntualizó.

Cabe destacar que, durante el pasado año fiscal, el personal de la Línea Directa de Crisis 24/7 del Centro de Crisis de StarVista respondió a más de 13 mil llamadas telefónicas.

Estas llamadas telefónicas duraron un promedio de 12 minutos cada una y al 100 por ciento de las personas que llamaron se les ofreció asesoramiento inmediato y remisiones a otros servicios.

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Casa Círculo Cultural receives Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation for its community work

Peninsula 360 Press

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2022.09.12

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Casa Círculo Cultural receives Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation for its community work

From September 15 to October 15, the United States is recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month, a celebration that Redwood City is joining in with a proclamation, which was received by the organization's general director and founder. Casa Circulo CulturalVerónica Escámez Martínez, accompanied by Wendy Segovia, coordinator of the extended education program of said organization, which was worthy of the proclamation thanks to its contribution and support to the community.

“The City of Redwood City is celebrating this month and celebrating the rich contributions, culture and heritage of our community and our Hispanic brothers and sisters,” said Redwood City Mayor Giselle Hale. “This year’s Proclamation is presented to an organization that truly embodies the work of preserving Hispanic heritage and culture in our community.”

The mayor highlighted that Casa Círculo Cultural is a local nonprofit multidisciplinary arts organization that has been dedicated to cultural programming that reflects the experiences of Latino communities in the area, and is notably focused on preserving them through the family.

He also noted that the Hispanic and Latino community represents approximately 39 percent of Redwood City's population, making it the second-largest demographic group in the city.

In light of this, he noted that the Council in the town of Redwood City decided to proclaim September 15 through October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month.

"I do not have the capacity to represent the entire Mexican and Latin American community of Redwood City, which is large and very diverse, but I am happy to join you as one more of those voices," said Escámez Martínez in her speech upon receiving the Proclamation at City Hall during the City Council meeting.

He added that the Latino community "represents a strong pillar in the economy and culture of Redwood City, and we are an essential part of the development of the United States."

“The Latinx community is actively involved in the daily life of Redwood City. There is a legacy of Latinx pride that permeates the lifestyle of the rest of the population of which we are a part. The pride of being part of this powerful community gives us the strength to overcome obstacles. It is what gives us the love to face any challenge. It is this pride that allows us to take steps forward as people, and by doing so we are helping others to advance alongside us,” she stressed.

In light of this, Escámez Martínez pointed out that the proclamation of Hispanic Heritage Month is, therefore, "an important contribution to society and to the inclusion of Latino communities in the United States."

"It is a step forward towards equality and to make this sector of the population visible in the different spheres of society, including politics. We love Redwood City as much as we love the place where we were born."

In that sense, he explained that the proclamation "signifies Redwood City's support for the Latino population they represent."

"It is through active political representation that the future of the Latinx community can be opened and confront, with the support of its representatives, the current problems of xenophobia, discrimination and hatred that affect Latino residents of the United States," he continued.

«The day comes when we realize that the pride of being part of the Latinx community is celebrating our essence and our values. That love for our languages and traditions is what gives us the motivation to fight for an inclusive world; where differences unite us and celebrate others.»

Finally, Verónica Escámez Martínez said she felt honored to receive the Proclamation and to assume the responsibility "to be the best we can be, so that inspired by our efforts, others dare to pursue their dreams and not rest until those dreams become reality."

It is worth noting that this Saturday, September 17, after three years of not celebrating, the celebration of the Fiestas Patrias will be held in a Plaza of the Palace of Justice from 4:00 to 8:00 pm, an event for all ages in which the plaza will be transformed into a beautiful and fun festive setting to commemorate the Independence of Mexico.

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Elmer Martinez Saballos sworn in as Redwood City Councilman for District 4

Peninsula 360 Press

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2022.09.12

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Elmer Martinez Saballos sworn in as Redwood City Councilman for District 4

After the Redwood City City Council unanimously appointed on August 20, 2009, a new Elmer Martínez Saballos para ocupar el puesto del Concejo Municipal para el Distrito 4 hasta diciembre de 2024, este lunes, el nuevo miembro juramentó durante la reunión concejal.

Councilman Martinez took the oath of office at the City Council dais, where he swore to protect and uphold the U.S. Constitution and the laws of Redwood City.

«Nos sentimos muy honrados de llamarle ahora nuestro colega del Consejo y sabemos que va a trabajar tremendamente duro en nombre de todos los residentes de Redwood City y esperamos trabajar juntos para apoyar a nuestra comunidad. Gracias por dar este paso», dijo la alcaldesa de Redwood City, Giselle Hale, tras la juramentación de Martínez.

After hugs and celebration from his now colleagues, Councilman Martinez took a few minutes to thank them for the task, for which he said he was "ready for the challenge."

«Estoy eternamente agradecido por la confianza que se ha depositado en mí hoy. Sé que esto no es un, un trabajo fácil o uno al que muchas personas simplemente se lancen sin pensar realmente en ello», refirió el concejal Martínez. «Mi acción para mi servicio a la comunidad y mi devoción a todos ustedes se deriva de mi familia, las luchas, la pasión y el trabajo duro que han hecho posible que yo esté en este estrado».

«Me inculcaron muy pronto que, si tienes la capacidad de hacer el bien por ti mismo y el bien por tu familia, tienes la responsabilidad de hacer eso por tu vecino, por aquellos que están luchando. Y es por eso que estoy aquí hoy, porque quiero que esta comunidad sea fuerte para todos, pero tengo un enfoque especial para los más vulnerables entre nosotros», subrayó.

Tras la dimisión del concejal Michael Smith en julio de este año, y motivo por el cual Martínez lanzará su nombre al ruedo por el puesto, dijo que «no será fácil recoger el manto y continuar el trabajo que él ha hecho para construir el trabajo sobre el que todos ustedes han completado, pero estoy listo para este desafío. Estoy listo para crecer con todos ustedes. Estoy listo para convertirme en un líder comunitario más eficaz y mantener a Redwood City como un lugar fuerte en la Península, el gran lugar para llamar hogar que es hoy».

Tras su discurso, la alcaldesa le recordó que cuanta con el apoyo de la comunidad, personal y colegas, por lo que no estará solo en la tarea.

Elmer Martínez ha sido residente de toda la vida de Redwood City y trabaja como asociado sénior de políticas para ReadyNation, una organización nacional sin fines de lucro que moviliza a los líderes empresariales para abogar en la legislatura estatal por políticas y programas que apoyen a los niños y jóvenes, señaló la alcaldía en un comunicado.

A su vez, se desempeñó anteriormente como representante de distrito del exsenador estatal Jerry Hill y del asambleísta estatal Kevin Mullin, donde ayudó directamente a los electores a navegar los recursos del gobierno estatal durante la pandemia de COVID-19.

In addition to his professional duties, Martinez has volunteered with the Redwood City Education Foundation, Cañada College's OYE Youth Conference and is a graduate of the Chamber's San Mateo County Leadership Program.

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Redwood City Library goes against the book ban

Irma Gallo

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2022.09.12

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Redwood City Library goes against the book ban

Redwood City Library Foundation Board Member Gina Meyers is clear: “After doing research, we found that over the past few years, the number of books that have been banned across the country, in different areas, has increased dramatically.”

According to PEN (Poets, Essayists, Novelists) USA, from July 2021 to March 2022, 1,145 titles by 874 writers in 86 school districts across 26 states were affected. Texas tops the list with 713 titles.

Among the efforts that have been made at the national level to revoke these threats and prohibitions, the auction of a "fireproof" specimen of The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood for 130 thousand dollars. The Canadian writer herself certified that the copy was "fireproof" when she tried to burn it publicly.

The Redwood City Library Foundation Board has also decided to do something special for Banned Books Week this year: on Wednesday, September 22, from 5 to 8 p.m., there will be a downtown Redwood City bar crawl where each establishment will feature a banned book and offer special drink discounts.

The tour will begin at the Redwood City Library and continue to the following establishments: Alhambra, Angelicas, Blacksmith, City Pub, CRU, Gourmet Haus Staudt, Little Green, LV Mar, Quinto Sol, The BottleShop, The Hub, and The Sandwich Spot.

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased on the website: eventbrite.com

Gina Meyers explains that the idea for this very original fundraiser came from the calls speakesies, places where, in 1922, alcoholic beverages were sold illegally during the prohibition in the United States and some people were discreetly notified where they could share a drink. «In 2022 we want libraries not to become the speakesies of banned books."

“I think it’s important for people to know that,” Meyers continues, “especially to explain to them what we’re talking about. Sometimes when we say banned or threatened books, people assume that these are titles that are no longer in print or have been pulled from the shelves, but often that’s not the case.”

The most common pushback regarding banned books, says Gina Meyers, is the threat of defunding public libraries, as happened with the Patmos Little Library in Jamestown, Michigan. “They had a graphic novel with LGBTIQ content, and a group of people decided it was too visible. So the library pulled it off the shelves but didn’t remove it—they put it under the desk, so that kids wouldn’t accidentally see it but it would be available if someone asked for it. But that group of people wasn’t happy with it staying there, so they started a campaign to convince the community to vote NO in an upcoming referendum to fund the library.”

The graphic novel in question is Gender Queer: A Memoir, by Maia Kobabe, an autobiography in which the author comes to terms with being non-binary. It is the most banned book in the United States according to The New York Times.

After the Patmos library was effectively left without these funds, anonymous donors managed to raise $245,000 in two campaigns on the online platform GoFundMe, of which $50,000 came from the novelist's own pocket Nora Roberts.

According to the American Library Association, banning and/or threatening books causes significant harm to communities: “Students cannot access critical information that helps them understand themselves and the world around them. Parents lose the opportunity to engage in teachable moments with their children. And communities lose the opportunity to learn and build mutual understanding.”

According to a cloud of topics for which books are threatened or banned in the United States, compiled by the same association, the most abundant is LGBTIQA+, followed closely by Black Lives Matter, Political point of view, Racism, Religious point of view and Anti-police, among others.

In addition, Nathalie Baptiste, writer and reporter of the HuffPost and of Mother Jonesstates that there is a plot of the most conservative groups in the United States (for example, Moms for Liberty and Catholic Vote) to destroy public libraries.

Among the books that have been threatened and/or banned over the years are essential titles of universal literature such as Huck Finn, by Mark Twain, in the 1880s, because it was considered racist and anti-religious; The grapes of wrath, by John Steinbeck, in 1939, for the use of vulgar words and profanities, I know why the caged bird sings, by Maya Angelou, in 1969, for its language and portrayals of racism, explicit sexuality and teenage sex; Blue eyes, by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison in 2007 because it depicts the sexual abuse of a child and has explicit sexual content, among many others.

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Mexicans in the U.S. can pay their Infonavit loan through remittance companies

Peninsula 360 Press

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2022.09.12

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Mexicans in the U.S. can pay their Infonavit loan through remittance companies

Mexican migrants living in the United States who have a loan from the National Workers' Housing Fund Institute (Infonavit) can now pay it through remittance companies with which the organization has signed agreements.

Thus, through the Infonavit sin Fronteras program, immigrants will be able to fulfill their dream of owning property in the land where they were born.

Furthermore, the program is not only aimed at those who already have a contract in their name, as the person who lives in the United States and is not the credit holder can help pay the loan of a family member, partner, or a third party residing in Mexico, if they so decide.

Which remittance companies can be used to make payments for the Infonavit sin Fronteras loan?

The companies that work with Infonavit are Dolex, Maxitransfers, Intercambio Express and since November 2021, Barri Financial Group joined the network, with more than a thousand agents throughout the United States.

The program has an important advantage for workers, and that is that Infonavit assumes the cost of the commission for sending the funds to Mexico.

The only thing that nationals must do is go to any of the participating remittance company branches with the 10-digit credit number and make the deposit.

To make your loan payment, you only need to make the deposit at the participating remittance company branches. It is important to note that no manager should ask you for personal information or money to make payments.

To learn more about Infonavit credits, procedures and services, in a simple and clear way, interested parties can enter the website https://infonavitfacil.mx/.

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Gavin Newsom proclaims Sept. 11 as Patriot Day

Peninsula 360 Press

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2022.09.12

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Gavin Newsom proclaims Sept. 11 as Patriot Day

Patriot's Day — Photo: California Governor's Office

The Governor Gavin Newsom emitió este domingo una proclamación declarando el 11 de septiembre de 2022 como el Día del Patriota en el Estado de California.

«Este 11 de septiembre marca 21 años desde que los inconcebibles ataques del 11 de septiembre de 2001 cobraron casi tres mil vidas y cambiaron irrevocablemente nuestro mundo», señaló la proclamación emitida ayer.

Destacó que, desde entonces, cada año, se ha conmemorado el sombrío aniversario como el Día del Patriota «para recordar a aquellos que perdimos y honrar a los valientes socorristas y hombres y mujeres de todos los ámbitos de la vida que tomaron medidas para proteger a sus compatriotas estadounidenses».

Newsom apuntó que, mientras se reflexiona sobre los últimos 21 años, también se conmemora a los miembros del servicio que respondieron al llamado de la nación después de los ataques. «Nunca olvidaremos sus sacrificios para proteger nuestras preciadas libertades y forma de vida».

Para sumar a la proclamación, este domingo 11 de septiembre, Newsom ordenó que todas las banderas de los edificios estatales ondearan a media asta.

«Rindamos homenaje a los héroes estadounidenses que hemos perdido y volvamos a comprometernos con los valores de igualdad, oportunidad y libertad que representa nuestra nación», puntualizó.

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Pandemic wiped out two decades of progress in math and reading for children

Peninsula 360 Press

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2022.09.12

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Pandemic wiped out two decades of progress in math and reading for children

Pandemic wiped out two decades of progress

Nine-year-old children have been particularly affected by COVID-19, because beyond what it caused on an emotional or even physical level, their education was brutally affected, since according to the results of a national test, the pandemic erased two decades of progress in mathematics and reading for that group of the population.

For the first time since National Assessment of Educational Progress tests began tracking student knowledge in the 1970s, 9-year-olds' math and reading performance has fallen to levels seen two decades ago.

These devastating effects cut across nearly all ethnicities and income levels, but were markedly worse for the lowest-performing students.

While those in the top 90th percentile showed a modest drop, three points in math, students in the bottom 10th percentile dropped 12 points in math, four times the impact.

In math, African-American students lost 13 points, compared with five points among white students, widening the gap between the two groups.

The study also highlighted the profound effect that school closures had on low-income students, especially African Americans and Latinos.

The decline in test scores means that while many 9-year-olds can demonstrate partial understanding of what they are reading, fewer can infer a character's feelings from what they have read.

In math, students may know simple arithmetic operations, but they have a harder time adding fractions with common denominators.

The setbacks could have powerful consequences for a generation of children who must go beyond the basics in elementary school to thrive later in life.

“Students’ test scores, even as early as first, second and third grade, are really very predictive of their success later in school and their educational trajectories in general,” Susanna Loeb, director of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, which focuses on educational inequality, told The New York Times.

"The main reason for concern is the lower performance of the lowest-performing children," he added.

In this regard, she pointed out that such a delay could lead to disconnection from school, which would make it less likely that they would graduate from high school or attend university.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress is considered a gold standard in testing. Unlike state tests, it is standardized across the country, has remained consistent over time and does not attempt to hold individual schools accountable for results, which experts say makes it more reliable.

While scores in reading and especially math have generally trended upward or remained steady since the test began in 1970, including a period of strong progress from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, the pandemic and school closures that forced schools to move to a fully online system left children scrambling to learn from home.

In some parts of the country, the worst of the disruptions were short-lived and schools reopened that fall, but in other areas, particularly large cities with large populations of low-income students and students of color, schools remained closed for many months and some did not fully reopen until last year.

There are signs that students who have fully returned to school have begun learning at a normal pace, but experts say it will take more than a typical school day to make up for gaps created by the pandemic.

With information from The New York Times.

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Javier Marías: the great writer and controversies with women

Opinion

Irma Gallo

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2022.09.11

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Javier Marías: the great writer and controversies with women

Javier Marías has died. And yes, I have no doubt that the world of Spanish literature is in mourning. In addition to being a narrator, he was a translator, essayist and member of the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language. He was an eternal candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature and a Knight of the Order of Letters, as well as winner of many very important literary awards, such as the José Donoso, the Formentor de las Letras and the Library Lion of the New York Public Library. He received these numerous awards because he dedicated his entire life to writing and did so with skill and quality. He has, to his credit, sixteen novels such as Tomorrow in battle think of me, The crushes, Your face tomorrow (trilogy consisting of Fever the spear, Dance and dream and Poison and shadow and goodbye) and Thomas Levinston, among others, as well as books of short stories, essays and more than one hundred newspaper articles.

Marías was able to capture the spirit of a Spain that went from being depressed after the war, to being liberated by the Movida, to being a rich and developed country where African and Latin American immigrants arrived with the hope of surviving.

I like reading Javier Marías, how could I not? In addition to what I mentioned in the previous lines, his work is deeply universal, it is nourished by his multiple and varied readings. In 2018 I wrote for the Gatopardo magazine about his book Berta Isla: “It is a novel in which Marías’ literary passions can be seen, from Shakespeare to Eliot, Faulkner, Doyle, Melville and Dickens. It is also a tribute to English literature and culture, with its great classics but also with its pop characters, such as James Bond, of whom Tomás will at some point say “there have been other Bonds but the only one, the original, is Sean Connery”. The spy in the novel talks about the most famous English spy in the world. Another flash of the sense of humour that Javier Marías displays masterfully.”

That was Javier Marías, the writer. But the opinions of Javier Marías, the journalist (how to separate one from the other? Is it possible to do so?), when they had to do with women and feminism were not so honourable: his column in El País of February 11, 2018 She was criticized for statements such as this one, in relation to the emergence of #MeToo: “Giving credit to victims for the fact that they present themselves as such is opening the door to revenge, slander and settling of scores,” or “Now the MeToo movement and others have established two pseudo-truths: a) that women are always victims; b) that women never lie.”

While some of Marías' friends, such as the writer Arturo Pérez-Reverte defended him to the hiltthousands of users of the networks (especially those who have users, but also men) who criticized him for the column, which is full of irresponsible phrases - to say the least - and misogynistic, to put it bluntly. For example: "There is no need to resort to names to remember the considerable number of young and attractive women who have married decrepit men not precisely for love, nor for sexual desire either."

Just on May 6, 2022, your news house, The Country, public an interview that he did about the book of newspaper articles Is the cook a good person? published by Alfaguara this year. In this interview, although he says that “at this point everyone is a feminist” and that “anyone who is not a stubble-bearer has been one”, the author of Sometimes a gentleman She also warns that “there is a so-called fourth wave feminism that, for me, contradicts classical feminism. They are saying exaggerated and nonsensical things. And above all, there is an error in that they are dangerously close to the intolerance of the Catholic Church during the Franco dictatorship.”

With this “mistake,” Marías refers to the intention to “prohibit or fine” lascivious glances, and speaks of what he considers an intrusion into people’s freedom. I have no doubt that the writer has never been the victim of one of those glances that make you change sidewalks and quicken your pace in the street, or that make you get off the subway car or the city bus you are riding.

I also have no doubt, as write Mexican writer Dahlia de la Cerda, that not all men are potential murderers of women, and that those who grow up in contexts of high marginalization and violence are at a disadvantage in terms of equality, freedom, respect and many of the things that we demand as feminism. In other words, as Rita Segato also wrote, there are men oppressed by other men, even by white women and from hegemonic social, economic and political strata.

The topic is open to a much deeper and thoughtful discussion, but as a reader, I prefer Javier Marías as the narrator. As a feminist, I cannot help but think that Javier Marías, the columnist, should have done a much deeper analysis before giving his opinion.

Irma Gallo She is a reporter and writer. In addition to Península 360 Press, she has collaborated with Letras Libres, the University of Mexico Magazine, Lee Más Gandhi Magazine, Gatopardo, Este País Magazine, Sin Embargo, El Universal, and Newsweek in Spanish. Her most recent book is When the Sky Turns Orange. Being a Woman in Mexico (UANL/VF Agencia Literaria, 2020). Twitter: @irmagallo IG: @irmaevangelinagallo.

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Call for Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters in the United States

Peninsula 360 Press

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2022.09.10

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Call for Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters in the United States

COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. — Photo P360P

On Thursday, September 1, updated COVID-19 vaccine boosters in the United States were approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), so health authorities have called for updated vaccine boosters across the country.

A year and a half after their appearance, the Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines have been updated and approved by the CDC after authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although they have contributed to the decrease in COVID-19 mortality rates worldwide, it has become necessary to expand protection against the new omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants.

“The updated COVID-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating COVID-19 variant. They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and are designed to provide broader protection against new variants. This recommendation is the result of a thorough scientific evaluation and intense scientific debate,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.

The vaccine has been a great help during the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, reducing not only the number of deaths worldwide but also complications from the disease.

"I think it's important to have at least one annual booster shot that contains the most up-to-date protection," said Gil Chavez, deputy director of the Center for Infectious Diseases at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), at a press conference organized by Ethnic Media Services and the Vaccinate All 58 campaign.

At the same time, he made a comparison with the influenza vaccines that are applied to the population, since these include the strains that circulate over time and considered that "with COVID-19 we are moving in the same direction."

Likewise, Oliver Brooks, chief physician at Watts Healthcare Corporation in Los Angeles, stressed that “the job of vaccines is to reduce hospitalization and the risk of death,” and pointed out that those who have all the COVID-19 vaccines are less likely to have the disease in the long term.

He also stressed that worldwide, vaccination against the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has prevented between 13 and 16 million deaths. "Vaccines are a biotechnological miracle," Brooks said, acknowledging that the vaccination is safe and effective.

Eva Smith, director of K'ima Medical Center, noted the importance of communities receiving the vaccine. Even though many of the myths surrounding the vaccine have been debunked by the CDC and CDPH, they still influence people's decisions.

Smith, on the other hand, said that people are struggling with vaccine fatigue and the negative response to post-vaccine symptoms, but "that's better than being very sick with COVID-19," he said.

“This booster shot is timely because there is predicted to be another surge in COVID-19 cases and we need to be ready,” said Maggie Park, a pediatrician and public health officer for San Joaquin County.

He also noted that these updated vaccines were developed to protect against Omicron BA.5 and its subvariants, as these have been the ones that have been circulating since June, causing at least 87 percent of COVID-19 cases.

California has already received 600 thousand doses of COVID-19 vaccines

In California, 72 percent of the population has received the primary series of COVID-19 vaccinations, but only 58.8 percent of those eligible for a booster shot have received them, Park said, stressing the importance of those who are eligible for a booster shot getting it.

Meanwhile, California pharmacies, clinics and other health care providers are stocked with up-to-date doses of COVID-19 vaccines, as the state has received 600,000 doses and is expecting 400,000 more.

“Our hope is to continue on the path of having few cases and preventing COVID-19 cases during the winter,” Chavez said.

He also noted that the vaccines are free of charge and that anyone over the age of 12 who has already had at least one series of vaccines can receive the booster shot.

Finally, he recommended that the population be alert to symptoms related to the disease such as cough, runny nose, sore throat and sneezing and if they have them, to stay at home. He also pointed out the importance of continuing to use masks, despite it not being mandatory.

The updated COVID-19 booster shot can be obtained by anyone over 12 years of age who has received the initial vaccination schedule, that is, the first two doses; however, it is necessary that at least two months have passed since the last dose.

People under 12 will still be able to get the original boosters to protect against COVID-19, but updated vaccines are expected to be available to this age group in the coming weeks.

Those interested in obtaining more information about the vaccine can visit the website https://covid19.ca.gov/es/vaccines/.

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