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Redwood City Unites and Speaks Out Against Hate

Pamela Cruz

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2021.11.14

Redwood City Unites and Speaks Out Against Hate

The city of Redwood City has decided to unite and raise its voice against an emotion that only generates social pain when it is taken to its maximum expression: "hate."

Thus, in a call to local civic action to stop hate and implicit bias that are a dangerous threat to the safety and civility of our neighborhoods, towns and cities, from Sunday, November 14 to Saturday, November 20, the United Against Hate Week will be held in the city.

The initiative, which emerged from a United Against Hate poster campaign created by Bay Area Cities, came in response to white supremacist protests in Berkeley and San Francisco in 2017.

“Too many communities continue to suffer from acts of discrimination, hate crimes and microaggressions. We stand in unwavering solidarity with all those who have suffered at the hands of senseless violence and hate. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. And as leaders and members of our community, we must come together and say together, Enough!” said Redwood City Mayor Diane Howard.

For her part, Redwood City Vice Mayor Giselle Hale said that this campaign is about saying “Enough!” and being united against hate.

In that sense, she shared that, recently, a friend of hers of Asian origin was attacked by a customer, who, while picking up an order, decided to attack her by telling her to return to her country, despite the fact that she was born in the US, and "is the owner of a third-generation restaurant that has served her community for decades."

This situation had "huge" implications on her mental health, and made her feel like she did not belong in this community.

"When we see things like this we have two options: to be spectators or to act. We can speak up and say that we will no longer tolerate these situations and that we can defend others in their moment of vulnerability," he stressed.

Brianna Evans, Redwood City’s first Equity and Inclusion Officer, explained in a video that as part of the city government, she helped fulfill its core guiding principle of equity, established by the City Council in 2020.

“Redwood City is committed to putting equity first. We call for a collective reset to ensure that city policies genuinely serve everyone in our community regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, income, citizenship status, or any other identity. We all deserve a safe and opportunity-filled community.”

In this way Redwood City stands united against hate, and invites you to attend one of the following events:

Teddy Bear Tea – Tea with Teddy Bears

Sunday, November 14 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the downtown library, located at 1044 Middlefield Road, with tickets available from November 1 at the same location.

There, families with children ages 4-8 from Redwood City and North Fair Oaks are invited to an afternoon of community fellowship to kick off United Against Hate Week. This event is sponsored by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and presented by RCPL CARES and Redwood City Together.

Identifying and interrupting microaggressions

This workshop will provide you with the opportunity to develop or deepen your awareness of what microaggressions are and how we unknowingly commit them during interactions with others, and will provide tangible communication techniques to interrupt microaggressions in the moment.

The event will be held virtually on Wednesday, November 17 at 5:00 p.m. through the Zoom platform, for which it is necessary to register by giving click here.

Transgender Day of Remembrance Virtual Event

This virtual gathering is an opportunity to provide a space for community mourning, reflection, and healing for all the transgender lives lost in the U.S. to hate.

Presented by the San Mateo County LGBTQ Commission, the San Mateo County Pride Center, and the Redwood City Public Library, the event will take place on Friday, November 19 at 5:00 p.m., via Zoom for which registration is required. register, however, it can also be seen on the channel Redwood City Public Library YouTube.

Sequoia High School Dream Club Virtual Dinner

The 12th Annual Sequoia High School Dream Club Fundraising Dinner will be held virtually on Friday, November 19 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets ranging from $20 to $50 are required for admission and can be purchased online. by clicking here.

As a symbol of your solidarity, you can also display a United Against Hate Week poster, which are available for pick up at all Redwood City Public Library locations, or you can download them to print. here.

You might be interested in: Redwood City announces measures against homelessness and to improve access to the sea

Top Hispanic gamers prefer the iPhone

Peninsula 360 Press

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2021.11.13

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Cristian Carlos. Peninsula 360 Press P360P.

Apple reinvented the phone in 2007, when marketing genius Steve Jobs introduced it at the MacWorld event in California, USA.

The trending US city is the birthplace of the flagship device that still tops more expensive smartphones like the $1,800 Sony Xperia Pro I.

The Scene gamer It is characterized by the cutting-edge technology they use for their broadcasts, with Twitch being the leading company in real-time content streaming –streaming– dedicated to the genre. There, you can watch live broadcasts by video game content creators, where they talk about the specifications their computers have, which are not visible to the eye.

Meanwhile, you can see the preferred microphone model for gamers, as well as hearing aids.

However, something that draws attention and is consistent with the Hispanic majority comes when it comes to playing video games on mobile phones.

And every model – starting with the iPhone 4S, launched in 2011 – is capable of AirPlay mirroring, which allows you to mirror the iPhone screen in high definition as well as its audio either by cable or wirelessly.

Personalities from the world of streaming in Spain such as Vegeta777, Willyrex, Rubius, Alexby11, Aroyitt and Auronplay have been seen on camera using a recent generation iPhone.

For the streamers The reliability of a device dedicated to playing live and showing them to your followers is important. A failure on the phone – such as an application crashing or a lack of internet – could mean hundreds, if not thousands of people abandoning the broadcast in the middle of the live broadcast, which in turn translates into fewer paid subscriptions and fewer donations obtained.

Recently, the gamer Mexican, ElMariana, playing “Call of Duty” in its mobile edition on an iPhone XS –launched in 2018–, declared: “Yes, I asked for another phone, I bought the new iPhone, the iPhone 13 (…), I bought it because, in truth, it was a necessity because it is what I do”, and it is not surprising, since only on Twitch, said broadcast was seen by more than 457 thousand people.

Not only the gamers They prefer the iPhone for its reliability in live streaming, Apple's new processor for mobile devices, the A15 Bionic chip found in the new generation of iPhone has a performance of 3.23 GHz and, according to Apple, has 50% better computational processing than the competition and up to 30% better in graphics. And is that, in the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max models, five graphics processing cores are included, capable of moving the iPhone screen up to 120 Hz.

The iPhone recognizes Xbox and PlayStation wireless controllers like the DualShock 4 and the new DualSense on the PlayStation 5 without extensive user setup, making it perfect for gaming on the go.

Apple says the A15 Bionic chip – the brains of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max – is “the world’s fastest chip in a smartphone,” and notes that when developing the new device’s display and the team responsible for developing the iPhone’s software, iOS, “determined where speed would be best used and looked at ways to optimize refresh rates to help save battery life.”

Finally, it should be mentioned that the first versions of applications such as PUBG: New State, by KRAFTON Inc., and Awaken: The Age of Chaos, by DianDian Interactive Holding, which are on the waiting list and can be pre-ordered before their launch, are coming to the iPhone; however, the battle between Apple and Epic Games has caused iOS users to lose access to the Fortnite video game by incorporating a payment method that went against the rules established by the App Store.

Honduran elections a test of democracy in a failed state

Latin America

Peninsula 360 Press

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2021.11.13

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Honduran elections a test of democracy in a failed state

Peter Schurmann. Ethnic Media Services

Yoritos, located about 200 km north of the capital, made headlines two years ago when residents successfully united to expel a mining company that had attempted to set up operations in the region.Photo: **Peter Schurmann**

TEGUCIGALPA – His face streaked with tears, a teenager hides at the entrance of a building, staring beyond the yellow police tape that secures the area. Inside, a group of indigenous Hondurans are gathered after traveling to the capital to denounce what they say is “the government’s continued theft of their ancestral lands.”

“I’m sorry about all this,” the security guard says, gesturing at the scene around him: “this is Honduras.”

In this context of extreme poverty and social violence, Hondurans will vote for their president on November 28. For many, the upcoming elections offer the best, and perhaps the last, opportunity to improve the deplorable situation in their country.

“These elections are an opportunity to recover the democratic process and confront the multiple crises we are experiencing,” says Gustavo Irias, executive director of CESPAD, a nonprofit that advocates for marginalized communities. “This is an opportunity for Honduras to recover its sense of nationhood.”

That notion was shattered in 2009 when the Honduran military overthrew former President Manuel Zelaya in a move in which the United States is believed to have played a fairly active role. Since then, Honduras has remained under the control of the right-wing National Party, currently led by President Juan Orlando Hernández, who is ending his second term under a cloud of suspicion over possible links to drug trafficking.

VIctor Mayorga, 79, a resident of Tegucigalpa, says he will not vote in the upcoming elections. “I believe in democracy, but in Honduras it is broken. It has been broken since the coup [in 2009].” **Photo: Peter Schurmann**

Candidates seeking to replace him include National Party front-runner and current Tegucigalpa mayor Nasry Asfura — “Papi” as he is known — and the Libre Party’s Xiomara Castro, wife of ousted former president Zelaya, who has vowed to rein in the excesses of free-market policies adopted by her opponent while forging closer ties with China.

Corruption and poverty are endemic in the Central American country. According to the World Bank, since 2019, 15 percent of Hondurans live on less than 2 dollars per day, conditions likely worsened by Covid-19 and the impact of two hurricanes last year, which led to more than half of its inhabitants falling below the poverty line in 2020.

Such conditions are fueling a mass exodus of migrants from the country. According to data from June 2021 presented in a June report by the Migration Policy Institute, 168,546 Hondurans were detained by immigration officials in the United States and Mexico, with the report noting that 1 in 5 want to leave their country for reasons ranging from food insecurity to unemployment and fear of insecurity.

But for some citizens of the capital, the upcoming elections offer little hope of improvement.

“Nothing is going to change,” says Victor Manuel Mayorga, a civil servant who says he has been unable to retire because the government has stolen state pension funds. At 79, Mayorga is part of a small minority of older people in a country where the average age is just 24.

Sitting in the city’s central square talking about football with friends, he laments the lack of education and healthcare, and accuses officials of all political persuasions of abandoning the country. “I believe in democracy, but in Honduras it is destroyed. It has been broken since the coup.”

Rixi Moncada is a lawyer and part of the three-person rotating presidency of the newly created National Electoral Council (CNE), which is responsible for delivering the final vote count. “The only opportunity for the country to build a democratic foundation is through the next elections.” Photo: **Peter Schurmann**

Still, not everyone is so desperate.

Cesar Nahun Aquino, 44, is a car mechanic in the town of Yoritos, located about 200 km north of the capital. This small town made headlines two years ago because residents successfully united to expel a mining company that had tried to set up operations in the region.

A member of the Tolupán indigenous community, Aquino ran a transport company in San Pedro Sula before the Covid-19 pandemic, which he says wiped out his business. He is now back in his hometown, a largely agricultural region known for coffee, avocados and cattle ranching.

“We’re asking for the basics, getting rid of corrupt elections, transparency, reviving the local economy so it benefits the people in the community,” says Aquino, a supporter of local mayoral candidate Freddy Murio, an undocumented migrant who spent 12 years working in construction in New York before returning to his hometown two years ago. “We have to start with our municipality before we can start changing the country.”

Back in the capital, officials acknowledge that no election will resolve the challenges facing Honduras. But they stress that protecting the integrity of the vote and ensuring the democratic process in November are key to repairing the ongoing damage caused by the 2009 coup.

“The only opportunity for the country to build a democratic foundation is through the next elections,” says Rixi Moncada, a lawyer and one of three people who, with rotating positions, form part of the recently created National Electoral Council (CNE).

The CNE, the entity responsible for delivering the final count once the polls close, was created in the wake of widespread irregularities and violence that marked the 2017 election. Along with the National Registry of Persons and the Clean Politics Unit, it is charged with monitoring campaign financing in a country where drug money and politics are rife. intrinsically united, These three institutions are responsible for ensuring the integrity of the elections.

Moncada, a former member of Zelaya's government, admits that it is not an easy task.

“Nobody is prepared for the criminality,” he says, referring to the ongoing political violence that he sees as an extension of the 2009 coup, including the recent assassination of mayoral candidate and member of the opposition Libre Party, Nery Reyes, who was killed in early this month. No one has yet been arrested for her murder.

“We are prepared for the process.”

Glasgow Accord: Weak, say environmentalists

Andrea Hernandez

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2021.11.13

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Glasgow Accord: Weak, say environmentalists

Although COP26 was due to end on Friday 13 November, the summit published a new draft of the Glasgow agreement on Saturday, but it has been described as insufficient, as the proposed measures may not be able to achieve the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C in accordance with the 2015 Paris agreement.

The first two drafts were not well received by environmentalists, who stressed that countries' greatest efforts should be directed toward eliminating fossil fuels and ending offsets used by large energy companies.

“…Offsets stifle ambition and give polluters a way to avoid genuine, substantial and timely emissions reductions. It’s like saying you’re going on a diet, but you keep eating cake while paying someone else to eat lettuce,” said Jennifer Morgan, Executive Director of Greenpeace International.

This third installment has been slightly better received by environmentalists, who have described it as “weak” but point out that it is essential for the transition to clean energy.

Another of the most important points discussed in England is the subsidy by developed countries to the poorest ones. Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of England, called on rich countries to contribute more money to move developing countries away from the use of fossil fuels.

It is worth noting that in the 2009 agreement, developed nations committed to something similar, and proposed $100 billion dollars annually by 2020. This commitment was not fulfilled and now appears insufficient.

China and the US pledge to take action on climate change

One of the most surprising alliances that this summit has produced is that between the United States and China, two of the biggest polluters, which announced a pact to take action to curb the effects of global warming.

The president of the Asian nation declared last Thursday the great need to work together since the sum of both nations represents 40 percent of global carbon emissions.

In the document, both countries commit to reducing methane emissions and to holding regular meetings to address the most pressing issues of the environmental crisis. The United States plans to be carbon neutral by 2050, while China aims for a net-zero goal by 2060.

Despite China's promises, it should be noted that it refused to sign the document in which more than 100 nations commit to reducing methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030.

You may be interested in: Climate crisis poses existential threat, but there is a silver lining: Biden

Salmonella Outbreak Due to Citterio Salami Sticks

Pamela Cruz

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2021.11.12

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Salmonella Outbreak Due to Citterio Salami Sticks

Do not eat, sell or serve Citterio brand premium Italian-style salami sticks, which have been recalled after California health officials found salmonella bacteria in the products, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agency responsible for developing and implementing actions for disease prevention and control, among other issues, said California officials found salmonella in two unopened packages of Citterio brand Italian-style premium salami sticks.

She said that among the 23 people interviewed about the foods they ate before becoming ill, 22 - 96 percent - reported having eaten or perhaps having eaten it.

In light of this, researchers are continuing to work to determine whether other products may actually be contaminated.

So far, the CDC has found 31 people sick with salmonella from the product - all of them in California - and six of them have had to be hospitalized.

What the consumer should do

CDC calls for Do NOT eat Citterio brand premium Italian style salami sticks. recalled. And if you have the product at home, you should throw them away or return them to the store.

Wash items and containers that may have touched the removed product with hot, soapy water or in a dishwasher.

And call your health care provider if you have any of the serious symptoms of salmonellosis, such as diarrhea and fever higher than 102° F (38° C); diarrhea for more than 3 days that doesn't get better with blood; vomiting so much that you can't keep liquids down; and signs of dehydration, such as: not urinating enough, dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy when you stand up.

What points of sale should do

For all establishments that have this product, the CDC calls on them NOT to sell or serve it, and they have already been removed from the market.

They also ask that items and surfaces that may have been in contact with the product, if applicable, be washed and disinfected.

Symptoms of Salmonella

Most people infected with salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, while symptoms usually begin 6 hours to 6 days after ingesting the bacteria.

Most people recover without treatment after 4 to 7 days, however, some people, especially children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years of age or older, and people with weakened immune systems, may experience more severe illness that requires medical treatment or hospitalization.

For more information about salmonellosis, you can consult the CDC's Q&A page on this disease.

On Nov. 10, the Euro Foods chain in Freeland, Penn., began recalling approximately 119,091 pounds of the salami in question, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.

FSIS issued a public health alert for salami stick products on October 29, 2021, however the product continues to be marketed. Following this alert, FSIS observed the product available at a retail store, and two samples of Citterio salami sticks previously collected by the California Department of Public Health tested positive for Salmonella.

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Equality, a right denied to Native Americans: Biden

Pamela Cruz

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2021.11.12

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Equality, a right denied to Native Americans: Biden

November, National Native American Heritage Month

Joe Biden speaks out on inequality to Native Americans

The United States of America is founded on one idea: we are all created equal and deserve equal treatment, equal dignity and equal opportunity throughout our lives, President Joseph Biden said, yet, he said, that promise has been denied to Native Americans who have lived on this land since time immemorial.

Marking National Native American Heritage Month, the president noted that despite a painful history marked by unjust federal policies of assimilation and termination, American Indian and Alaska Native peoples have persevered.

“During National Native American Heritage Month, we celebrate the countless contributions of indigenous peoples past and present, honor the influence they have had on the advancement of our nation, and recommit ourselves to upholding treaty trust and responsibilities, strengthening tribal sovereignty, and promoting tribal self,” she stressed.

In a statement released by the White House, Biden explained that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated pre-existing inequalities faced by tribal nations, as at the beginning of the pandemic, reported cases in the Native American community were more than 3 times the rate of white Americans; and in some states, Native American lives were lost at a rate 5 times higher than the proportion of the population.

“Even as they shouldered a disproportionate burden throughout the pandemic, tribal nations have been models of resilience, resolve, and patriotism, implementing key mitigation strategies like testing and prioritizing vaccination of tribal communities at high rates to save lives.”

Biden said the country cannot live up to the promise upon which it was founded while inequalities affecting Native Americans persist.

“My Administration is committed to advancing equity and opportunity for all American Indian and Alaska Native people and to helping tribal nations overcome the challenges they have faced due to the pandemic, climate change, and lack of sufficient infrastructure in a way that reflects their unique political relationship.”

In that regard, he noted that the American Rescue Plan represented the most significant funding legislation for the Indian Nation in the country's history, with $20 billion in direct funding to help tribal governments combat and emerge from the COVID-19 Crisis.

He said his administration is pushing for strong tribal involvement to help build a clean energy future, implement clean water and high-speed internet in every home, and invest in Native American families, businesses, jobs and communities.

Earlier this year, to further elevate Native American voices, the administration relaunched the White House Council on Native American Affairs.

During National Native American Heritage Month, we also honor our Native American veterans and service members who have bravely served and continue to serve in our Armed Forces, including the brave Native American Code Talkers in World War I and World War II.

Separately, the president also recognized Native Americans who have served in the country's military, who, for more than 200 years, he said, "have defended our country during every major conflict and continue to serve at a higher rate than any other ethnic group in the nation."

"Because of their selflessness, every generation of Americans receives the precious gift of freedom, and we owe each of them and their families a debt of gratitude for their sacrifice and dedication."

“Native American roots run deep in this land – a homeland loved, nurtured, strengthened, and fought for with honor and conviction. This month and every month, we honor the precious, strong, and enduring cultures and contributions of all Native Americans and recommit to fulfilling the full promise of our Nation together,” he concluded.

You might be interested in: Minority Community Leaders Who Made Their Mark on American Activism

Honduran women raise their voices in the face of hate campaign

Pamela Cruz

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2021.11.11

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Honduran women raise their voices in the face of hate campaign

Diversas organizaciones hondureñas han condenado públicamente al Partido Nacional de Honduras (PNH) por promover e incitar el odio hacia las mujeres de cara a las próximas elecciones generales que se llevarán a cabo el 28 de noviembre en ese país.

La plataforma Somos muchas por la libertad y vida de las mujeres hondureñas ha señalado al partido político por referirse a mujeres y niñas que enfrentan embarazos no deseados y al utilizar su dolor como herramienta en esta campaña política.

«Estas acciones aumentan el estigma hacia las mujeres en general, y en particular a las mujeres que han interrumpido su embarazo», señaló la plataforma a través de un comunicado.

A su vez, recordó que, en un país con altos niveles de violencia como Honduras, en donde en los últimos 12 años más de 5 mil mujeres han sido asesinadas, en donde las casas refugio son insuficientes, en donde cada 3 horas se denuncia una violación sexual y más de 20 mil niñas se convierten en madres cada año, «campañas de este tipo tienen consecuencias fatales para la integridad de niñas y mujeres».

En ese sentido, el grupo dijo sentirse preocupado por las consecuencias de esta campaña altamente violenta hacia las mujeres a tan pocos días de las elecciones, en un contexto de polarización y conflictividad social.

«Hacemos responsable al Partido Nacional de ataques o agresiones en contra de candidatas, organizaciones de mujeres y defensoras, fundamentadas en esta campaña de odio», dijeron luego de que en manifestaciones de dicho partido se atacara a Xiomara Castro, candidata presidencial por la Alianza, al dibujarla portando un arma punzocortante en contra de una gestante, dando a entender que es una asesina, pues estas imágenes están acompañadas de las leyendas «Si a la vida, No a Xiomara» #YONOSOYASESINO.

Ante ello, la plataforma lanzó el 9 de noviembre una alerta internacional, que, de acuerdo con el grupo, en menos de 24 horas ya contaba con el respaldo de más de 140 organizaciones de 18 países, que estarán monitoreando de cerca la situación de las mujeres hondureñas camino a las elecciones.

Además, precisó, han instado a la presidencia del Consejo Nacional Electoral a implementar las acciones administrativas pertinentes contra el PNH, «las organizaciones presentes estamos considerando acciones jurídicas a nivel nacional, y comunicaciones directas con diversas relatorías del Sistema de Naciones Unidas, Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, organizaciones internacionales y cuerpo diplomático presente en el país».

«Frente a las acciones de odio, nos organizamos para defender la dignidad de todas, toditas las mujeres y niñas de Honduras», precisaron.

De acuerdo con el Centro de Estudios para la Democracia en Honduras (CESPAD), campañas de odio utilizando como insignia el PNH, durante la marcha «en contra del aborto y las ideologías extrañas», que dirigió el candidato a alcalde por el Distrito Central, David Chávez, se han intensificado desde el mes de octubre.

Asimismo, detallaron que esta campaña ha tenido como protagonistas a líderes del partido nacional, como el exministro de la presidencia y actual candidato a diputado por el Partido Nacional, Ebal Díaz, quien en muchas ocasiones ha incentivado, con videos en sus perfiles de Facebook y Twitter, el odio y ataque a las mujeres y sus libertades.

De acuerdo con la plataforma Somos Muchas, estas campañas también desinforman, ya que en Honduras el aborto es penalizado, incluyendo las tres causales por las que luchan desde hace años: cuando ocurre una violación, por la malformación grave del feto, y cuando la vida de la madre se encuentra en riesgo.

Según la Ley Electoral de Honduras, en el artículo 115, inciso cinco, está prohibido: «Utilizar cualquier expresión que denigre u ofenda a las personas, instituciones públicas o privadas, así como a otras organizaciones políticas, sus movimientos internos y candidatos; por tanto, les es prohibido difundir, a través de cualquier medio, mensajes que lesionen la imagen, el buen nombre, el honor y la intimidad personal y familiar, en suma la dignidad de toda persona».

La interpretación de este artículo, por parte de las mujeres, es que estas campañas desprestigian a la mujer y sus libertades, destacó el CESPAD.

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More than 900,000 children vaccinated against COVID-19 on day one

Pamela Cruz

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2021.11.10

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More than 900,000 children vaccinated against COVID-19 on day one

Jeff Zients, coordinador de la administración federal para la respuesta a la pandemia, señaló esta mañana que aunque el programa de vacunación contra COVID-19 a menores de entre 5 y 11 años acaba de iniciar esta semana, al término de este miércoles más de 900 mil infantes habrán recibido su primera dosis de la vacuna.

Al día de hoy, ya hay 700 mil citas adicionales en el calendario de las farmacias locales, lo que incluye consultorios de pediatras y médicos de familia, farmacias, hospitales infantiles, centros de salud comunitarios, clínicas de salud rurales y clínicas escolares.

«Los padres y las familias de todo el país respiran con alivio. Y sólo estamos empezando. Seguiremos trabajando con los gobernadores, los líderes locales, los proveedores de atención sanitaria y otros para seguir avanzando», subrayó a través de una conferencia telefónica.

Zients informó que, en todo el país, 114 hospitales infantiles ofrecen la vacunación y hacen partícipes a sus comunidades, además de que muchos de ellos organizan eventos de vacunación para toda la familia con pegatinas, mascotas y animales de peluche.

El funcionario destacó que, además del nuevo programa para niños de 5 a 11 años, el gobierno sigue centrado en el programa para personas no vacunadas. Ante ello, precisó que sólo en los últimos siete días, se ha registrado una media de 300 mil primeras vacunas al día; lo que significa el total de siete días más alto en casi un mes.

«La verdad es que los requisitos de vacunación están funcionando. De hecho, los requisitos de vacunación han ayudado a reducir el número de estadounidenses mayores de 12 años no vacunados en casi un 40 por ciento, de unos 100 millones a finales de julio a menos de 60 millones ahora», subrayó.

En ese mismo sentido, destacó que los requisitos de vacunación consiguen que más personas se vacunen, fortalecen la economía y «ayuda a continuar en nuestro camino para salir de la pandemia».

Booster vaccines

Sobre las vacunas de refuerzo, Jeff Zients informó que, en total, más de 25 millones de estadounidenses se han puesto en marcha para obtener la protección mejorada de un refuerzo de Pfizer, Moderna o J&J.

«En la última semana, hemos administrado más de 9 millones de vacunas en total. Es el mayor total en una semana desde antes del verano, hace cinco meses», destacó.

«Está claro que nuestros esfuerzos para ayudar a los padres a vacunar a sus hijos, a los que no están vacunados y para hacer llegar los refuerzos a los estadounidenses que reúnen los requisitos, están impulsando un progreso significativo en nuestra batalla contra la pandemia», agregó.

COVID-19 tests

El funcionario señaló que el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de EE. UU. (HHS, por sus siglas en inglés) está invirtiendo 650 millones de dólares del Plan de Rescate Americano para proporcionar a los fabricantes de pruebas de diagnóstico en los puntos de atención, compromisos de compra por adelantado para que estos fabricantes puedan aumentar su producción.

Agregó que dicha acción se basa en la inversión de 3 mil millones de dólares para aumentar la producción de pruebas caseras -cuatro nuevas pruebas caseras de venta libre autorizadas por la FDA desde principios de octubre-, así como en otras acciones de la FDA y los NIH que aumentarán las opciones de pruebas y reducirán los precios para los consumidores.

Equitable response

La encuesta más reciente de la Kaiser Family Foundation mostró que el 73 por ciento de los adultos afroamericanos, 72 por ciento de los adultos blancos y el 70 por ciento de los adultos hispanos se habían vacunado por lo menos por primera vez a mediados de octubre.

«Sabemos que tenemos más trabajo que hacer, pero este es un progreso que podemos aprovechar».

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Nearly all U.S. adults exposed to myths and fake news about COVID

Pamela Cruz

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2021.11.10

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Nearly all U.S. adults exposed to myths and fake news about COVID

Desinformación es mucho más común entre adultos no vacunados y republicanos

La desinformación sobre temas de atención médica no es nada nuevo, pero las redes sociales, la polarización de las fuentes de noticias y el ritmo del desarrollo científico sobre COVID-19 han contribuido a crear un entorno que facilita información ambigua, mala interpretación y desinformación deliberada para difundir.

According to a new report del monitor de vacunas contra COVID-19 de Kaiser Family Foundation, más de tres cuartas partes (78 por ciento) de los adultos estadounidenses creen o no están seguros de al menos una de las ocho declaraciones falsas que ha desmentido la organización sobre la pandemia o las vacunas COVID-19.

Mientras que los adultos no vacunados y los republicanos son los más propensos a tener conceptos erróneos, destaca el documento.

Asimismo, señala que casi dos tercios (64 por ciento) de los adultos no vacunados creen o no están seguros de al menos la mitad de las ocho declaraciones falsas, más de tres veces la proporción de adultos vacunados (19 por ciento).

En tanto que casi la mitad (46 por ciento) de los republicanos cree o no está seguro acerca de al menos la mitad de las declaraciones, tres veces la proporción de demócratas (14 por ciento).

Los hallazgos destacan un desafío importante para los esfuerzos por comunicar con precisión la ciencia en rápida evolución sobre la pandemia cuando la información falsa y ambigua puede propagarse rápidamente, ya sea de manera inadvertida o deliberada, a través de las redes sociales, fuentes de noticias polarizadas y otros medios.

El nuevo informe evalúa la conciencia y la creencia del público en una serie de «mitos» sobre la enfermedad y las vacunas para prevenirla.

Los conceptos erróneos incluyen:

La mayoría (60 por ciento) de los adultos dicen que han escuchado que el gobierno está exagerando el número de muertes por COVID-19 al contar las muertes debidas a otros factores, de ellos el 38 por ciento creen que es cierto, o no están seguros de si es verdadero o falso el 22 por ciento.
Cuatro de cada 10 (39 por ciento) dicen que han escuchado que las mujeres embarazadas no deben recibir la vacuna COVID-19 y creen que es cierto (17 por ciento) o no están seguras (22 por ciento).
35 por ciento de los adultos ha escuchado que el gobierno esconde intencionalmente el número de muertes relacionadas con la vacuna COVID-19, y de ellas, 18 por ciento cree que es verdad y 17 por ciento que es mentira
Tres de cada 10 (31 por ciento) dicen haber escuchado que la vacuna causa infertilidad y lo creen el 8 por ciento o no están seguros de si es verdad el 23 por ciento.
28 percent of American adults have heard that Ivermectin is a safe and effective drug for treating COVID-19, half believe this to be true and half do not.
La encuesta reveló que 24 por ciento de los adultos ha escuchado que se puede obtener COVID-19 de la vacuna. El 14 por ciento considera que es verdad y 10 por ciento que no lo es.
24 percent of adults have heard that the COVID-19 vaccine contains a microchip, 7 percent believe this to be true while 17 percent believe it to be a lie.
Dos de cada 10 personas (21 por ciento) han escuchado que las vacunas contra COVID-19 cambian el ADN; de ellas, 8 por ciento cree que tal afirmación es cierta y 13 por ciento, mentira.

Los autores del documento también detallaron que muchas personas creen o no están seguras acerca de varias de las ocho declaraciones falsas, incluido alrededor de un tercio que creen o no están seguras acerca de al menos la mitad de ellas.

Tipo de fuentes de información y conceptos erróneos

El análisis revela que las fuentes de noticias confiables de las personas están correlacionadas con su creencia en la desinformación de COVID-19. Al menos un tercio de quienes confían en la información de cadenas como CNN, MSNBC, noticias de la red, NPR y las noticias de la televisión local no creen en ninguna de las ocho declaraciones falsas.

Una mayor proporción de quienes confían en la información de COVID-19 de las principales fuentes de noticias conservadoras creen que hay desinformación, con casi 4 de cada 10 de los que confían en Fox News (36 por ciento) y One America News (37 por ciento), y casi la mitad (46 por ciento) de aquellos que confían en Newsmax, dicen que creen o no están seguros acerca de al menos la mitad de las ocho declaraciones falsas.

Subrayando la autoselección que ahora ocurre en las fuentes de noticias en las que la gente confía, los demócratas confían en la información de COVID-19 de la red (72 por ciento) y de la televisión local, el 66 por ciento; CNN, 65 por ciento; MSNBC, 56 por ciento y NPR ‒51 por ciento‒. Las fuentes de noticias más confiables de los republicanos para la información de COVID-19 son Fox News con el 49 por ciento; noticias locales el 34 por ciento; de la red, 25 por ciento y Newsmax, 22 por ciento.

Pocos adultos dicen que confían en las fuentes de las redes sociales para obtener información sobre COVID-19, como YouTube con el 13 por ciento; Facebook , 9 por ciento; Twitter, 6 por ciento. e Instagram, 5 por ciento.

El grupo más influido por la información que ven en estas plataformas puede ser más grande que la parte que dice que confía en la información que ven allí, ya que las encuestas de KFF han encontrado anteriormente que la proporción de adultos que obtienen información sobre las vacunas COVID-19 de las redes sociales es casi tan grande como el porcentaje de personas que obtienen información de las noticias por cable, redes y televisión local.

Diseñada y analizada por investigadores de opinión pública de KFF, la encuesta KFF Vaccine Monitor se llevó a cabo del 14 al 24 de octubre entre una muestra de encuesta telefónica aleatoria representativa a nivel nacional de mil 519 adultos.

Las entrevistas se realizaron en inglés y español por teléfono fijo (168) y teléfono celular (mil 351).

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Choose Local: Application to support local commerce in San Mateo

Pamela Cruz

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2021.11.10

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Choose Local: Application to support local commerce in San Mateo

As the holiday season begins, San Mateo County and seven cities have called on shoppers to support local small businesses while launching a mobile app Choose Local San Mateo County which rewards customer loyalty with points for discounts at participating locations.

The “Choose Local San Mateo County” program is a way for both buyers and businesses to benefit while helping with the post-pandemic economic recovery.

“COVID-19 has decimated too many small businesses in San Mateo County,” said Board Chairman David J. Canepa.

“Supporting small businesses drives our economic recovery. As residents plan their holiday shopping or return to their activities, we encourage them to visit local businesses, many of which are minority- and women-owned, and participate in our collective economic recovery ahead,” the local official added.

The mobile application Choose Local San Mateo County It's easy to use and allows shoppers to automatically earn rewards at hundreds of participating local businesses, including restaurants, cafes, spas, boutiques, yoga studios and more.

The initial launch includes participating businesses from seven pilot areas: Daly City, Half Moon Bay/Coastside, Millbrae, Redwood City and North Fair Oaks, San Carlos, San Mateo and South San Francisco, with plans to expand to additional cities soon.

To date, more than 334 businesses are participating in the Choose Local San Mateo County program, with new businesses joining daily, the county said in a statement.

It is worth noting that each point is worth one dollar, which can then be redeemed as cash discounts at select businesses. All rewards are reimbursed by San Mateo County through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds at no cost to small businesses or consumers.

“Local businesses are the foundation of a thriving community,” said County Administrator Mike Callagy. “As the epicenter of innovation, San Mateo County and our city partners are bringing the latest technologies to the hardest hit sector of our economy: small businesses. Simply put, we will not have an equitable recovery without an emphasis on small business recovery.”

In this ongoing effort to support local businesses, San Mateo County partnered with Colu Technologies to develop the Choose Local San Mateo County app.

While many cities have launched similar initiatives, San Mateo County is the first jurisdiction to take a regional, countywide approach to economic recovery and leverage mobile app technology.

“Money spent locally will stay local and support a business that has survived the pandemic,” said Rosanne Foust, president and CEO of the San Mateo County Economic Development Association (SAMCEDA).

“When consumers choose local retailers, studios or restaurants, they are also supporting the employees, suppliers, landlords, delivery drivers and many others who depend on that business to succeed in San Mateo County. Choosing local businesses is participating in our county’s economic recovery,” he stressed.

Choose Local San Mateo County is the latest initiative spearheaded by San Mateo County to drive economic recovery in response to COVID-19. This work builds on previous initiatives to distribute more than $217.7 billion in COVID-19 relief funds to provide emergency support for small businesses, rental assistance, food support, child care and nonprofits, technology access, and assistance for immigrants; along with ongoing workforce development efforts to train and place workers in available jobs.

How Choose Local San Mateo County works:

Download Choose Local for free from Google Play or the Apple Store and securely link your credit cards, debit cards or prepaid debit cards to your account. The first 700 users to download and link a card will receive 10 SMC points!

Join rewards offers and start shopping and dining locally, automatically earning SMC points through eligible purchases made with your linked cards at local businesses.

Redeem SMC points for cash discounts when you redeem at local businesses. Each SMC point is worth one dollar.

Encourage your favorite businesses to join Choose Local San Mateo County by registering hereFor more information about Choose Local San Mateo County, please visit: www.chooselocalsmc.com.

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