Tropical Storm Danny Forms
Tropical Storm Danny has formed in the Atlantic Ocean off the South Carolina coast. Danny is the fourth storm of the 2021 Hurricane Season.
Danny poses no threat to Texas.
Now is a good time to check your emergency kits and review your emergency plans. Stay informed by following HCOHSEM updates online, on social media, and by signing up for Ready Harris Alerts.
For more information on how to prepare, review our hurricane preparedness and evacuation guide.
Formas de la tormenta tropical Danny
La tormenta tropical Danny se formó en el Océano Atlántico frente a la costa de Carolina del Sur. Danny es la cuarta tormenta de la temporada de huracanes de 2021.
Danny no representa una amenaza para Texas.
Ahora es un buen momento para revisar sus kits de emergencia y revisar sus planes de emergencia. Manténgase informado siguiendo las actualizaciones de HCOHSEM en línea, en las redes sociales y registrándose en Ready Harris Alerts.
Para obtener más información sobre cómo prepararse, consulte nuestra guía de preparación y evacuación para huracanes.
MD Anderson Cancer Center announces changed to COVID-19 policy
The MD Anderson Cancer Center has made some changes to its COVID-19 policy.
According to a news release, all adult patients can bring one adult visitor or caregiver with them per day starting Monday.
Everyone will be required to pass an entry screening and must wear a face mask issued by the hospital.
“Adult patients with outpatient clinic appointments, outpatient procedures or surgeries, and patients receiving care in the Acute Cancer Care Center can bring one adult visitor who passes entry screening,” the news release read. “The patient visitor must be able and willing to wear the provided mask.”
The policy for pediatric patients was also updated, according to the release. Now, pediatric patients are allowed up to two parents or guardians. Parents or guardians should talk with their care team to learn more about pediatric patient visitation.
For safety reasons, patients with COVID-19 or possible COVID-19 will not be allowed to have visitors.
The announcement also said there will be more dining areas with additional seating available.
Source: www.click2houston.com
Governor Abbott Allocates Additional $94.6M Emergency Education Relief Funding for Texas Higher Education
“This additional funding in higher education is an investment in job opportunities, our state’s economy, and a brighter future for Texas,” said Governor Abbott. “As we move forward from the pandemic, it is critical that we continue to support higher education to ensure more Texans are trained to face dynamic and unique challenges that will set them apart from others, and make them more competitive, in their field.”
“Higher education is more important than ever to better train and prepare Texans to enter our state’s dynamic post-Covid economy. This funding will help ensure our higher ed institutions are able to equip our students quickly to take their place in the Texas workforce and ensure our global economy continues to prosper,” said Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.
“Investing in our higher education system is the single best way to bolster the workforce that Texas has become known for and accelerate our state’s economic recovery in the wake of COVID-19,” said Speaker Dade Phelan. “We know the value that a post-secondary degree, certificate, or credential can provide in one’s life, and we want that opportunity to be as widely available as possible. This strategic investment will go very far to help return our economy to its former heights and get Texas students the education they need to succeed.”
“Higher education is a crucial component of our economic recovery,” Senator Jane Nelson said. “These funds will help students achieve their academic goals and gain access to the opportunities they need to be career-ready.”
“The additional funding provided by the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief fund provides a pathway for students to acquire the necessary skill sets to pursue meaningful and productive careers and helps ensure that the Texas economy will continue to be a global leader,” said Chairman Greg Bonnen.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, federal relief funding has been instrumental in helping Texas get back on its feet. I applaud Governor Abbott for directing additional funds to programs that will help Texans get the skills they need to re-enter the workforce after this devastating public health crisis. Texas has, and will continue to have, one of the strongest economies in the world, and it is due in part to the types of educational programs this funding will support. As Vice-Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, I look forward to working with the Governor, Lieutenant Governor Patrick, and Chairwoman Nelson to further addressing the needs of Texans through the allocation of COVID relief funding,” said Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
“This funding is crucial to Texas students’ future,” said Rep Mary E Gonzalez, Ph.D. “As we continue our recovery from COVID 19, it is vital that we provide strategic investments that will support student access to higher education, but also meet the needs for a diverse and growing state like Texas.”
The federal funds come from Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) dollars that were made available through the passage of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
This next round of funding will continue to provide meaningful support to ensure Texas students have the skills they need for tomorrow’s jobs while bridging access for adults, transfer, and low-income students, and increasing capacity for high-value programs and credentials. This includes:
- $48.1 million to rapidly expand capacity for high-demand and high-value educational opportunities, including $5 million for work-based learning and apprenticeships.
- $28.5 million to accelerate enrollments, support high-potential students, and provide financial aid for critical student populations.
- $10 million to establish the My Texas Future program to provide curated one-stop advising resources to help traditional Texas students and adult learners to connect with higher education opportunities across the state.
- $4 million to expand outreach and engagement of adult learners to meet workforce demands of the state and its employers.
- $4 million to bolster Tri-Agency data information security and accessibility.
“As we transition from pandemic response to economic recovery, a key dilemma our state faces is the significant gap between the skills and credentials many Texans possess, and the needs of employers today and into the future,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Harrison Keller. “This dilemma requires strategic solutions and Texas higher education will play a pivotal role in empowering our state’s talent pipeline. We’re grateful for the leadership and support of Governor Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Patrick, Speaker Phelan, and the entire Texas Legislature.”
The Governor’s investment in higher education will help ensure more Texans are qualified for available jobs while providing the necessary aid and supports for critical student populations. This strategic backing of Texas’ students and its workforce will continue to accelerate the state’s economic recovery, improving the lives of Texans.
Source: gov.texas.gov
At Local Production Forum, WHO and partners highlight key steps to improve access to health technologies
The first WHO World Local Production Forum ended today after five days of discussions centered on promoting quality and sustainable local production to improve access to medicines and other health technologies.
- Delegates from over 100 countries, international partners, civil society groups, industry associations, and major investors joined WHO, WTO, UNIDO, UNICEF, and UNCTAD to highlight the challenges facing local production and the steps required to address them, as well as the range of opportunities for the sector.
Looking ahead, the Forum will provide a platform to drive forward efforts to support and enhance local production of health products in low- and middle-income countries.
Forum conclusions, recommendations, and next steps
Increasing manufacturing capacity for global security – The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of local manufacturing as a key component of pandemic response by reducing reliance on global markets and imported products.
Vaccine production was a central theme at the Forum, as were the role of new technologies and the generation of flexible manufacturing strategies to develop sustained production capacity in low- and middle-income countries.
Technology transfer and licensing were seen as key to scaling up production. Sharing intellectual property and know-how will be essential, along with the facilitation of voluntary licensing and effective technology transfer. It will also be vital to create a favorable environment for technology transfer. Key elements will include good governance; a skilled workforce; good access to market information and careful assessment of local capacity to receive and absorb the transferred technology.
Governments’ role is key in creating an enabling political environment and a supportive business ecosystem. Such efforts must be coordinated with relevant stakeholders at national, regional, and global levels.
National regulators and local manufacturers can drive quality-compliant local production and facilitate faster access to health technologies during pandemics and beyond. To do that, they need continued training, support, and resources.
Low access to capital is a key limiting factor for local manufacturers in low- and middle-income countries. The greater interest expressed by key development banks and other financial institutions towards investing in the sector indicates improvement in this area, whilst the need to develop strong investment cases, including demonstration of a long-term economically viable business case, were highlighted as key components of successful manufacturing projects.
A mechanism to stimulate industry engagement was recommended for strengthened collaboration with and among industry bodies with the aim of transferring priority technologies to low- and middle-income countries.
A strategic advisory group should be established by WHO in collaboration with Member States and partners to address current and future global challenges and trends in local production and technology transfer.
The next Forum will be held in The Netherlands as announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, Hugo De Jonge. The Local Production Forum is now established as a long-term mechanism to promote dialogue and decision-making to strengthen local manufacturing capacity and move towards the shared goal of universal access to health technologies.
Source: www.who.int
WHO releases first-ever global guidance for country validation of viral hepatitis B and C elimination
New WHO Guidance for country validation of viral hepatitis B and C elimination is released during a joint EASL-CDC-ECDC and WHO symposium “Viral Hepatitis Elimination – Assessing the progress in 2021” at the EASL International Liver Congress 2021. This represents the first-ever global guidance for countries seeking to validate the elimination of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection as a public health problem.
In 2016, the WHO Global Health Sector Strategy (GHSS) on viral hepatitis provided the initial roadmap for the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health problem by 2030 – a 90% reduction in incidence and a 65% reduction in mortality by 2030, compared with a 2015 baseline. This new guidance provides a framework for countries to measure their efforts in reducing both new infections of hepatitis B and C and deaths from liver cirrhosis and cancer alongside reaching high coverage (>90%) of program interventions to ultimately confirm attainment of elimination. These include preventative interventions, such as hepatitis B infant and birth dose vaccination, blood and injection safety and harm reduction, as well as HBV/HCV, testing and treatment, and must be maintained for 2 years. This interim guidance aims to promote a standardized public health approach for viral hepatitis elimination and recognizes regional and country context and burden of viral hepatitis B and C.
Countries are encouraged to pursue the elimination of both viral hepatitis B and C together, however they may choose to apply separately for one of four certification options:
- Option A: elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HBV (as part of triple elimination of HIV, syphilis, and HBV, or HIV/HBV).
- Option B: HCV as a public health problem;
- Option C: HBV as a public health problem (including HBV EMTCT); and
- Option D: Elimination of both HBV and HCV together as a public health problem.
The guidance also provides countries with a range of options for how to measure the targets depending on available surveillance data and capacity, as well as a checklist of other considerations to assess their progress towards elimination. These include assessing the quality of strategic information, laboratory processes, diagnostics and medicines, and health-care programs, as well as adherence to the principles of equity, human rights, and community engagement.
WHO already has an integrated approach to the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B pioneered jointly by the Pan American Health Organization, and the Regional Office for the Western Pacific Region. WHO also has strategies and targets for the elimination or eradication of 30 other diseases. Where possible, the process for validation of elimination of viral hepatitis can be aligned. with these other disease elimination efforts to promote system efficiencies.
“This guidance is intended to motivate countries to take rapid and appropriate action toward viral hepatitis elimination. It is also important that the validation process is country-led and driven. There are important differences across countries in their hepatitis B and C epidemics, and they will need to adapt the process and national targets to their context and affected populations,” said Dr Meg Doherty, Director of WHO’s Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes.
“The guidance is a valuable practical tool for countries seeking to achieve elimination of hepatitis B and C. The epidemiology and progress toward elimination vary by country, and this document provides the flexibility for countries to adapt it to their context” said Dr Carolyn Wester, Director, Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“To overcome the barriers to achieving viral hepatitis elimination, we must improve people’s access to treatment and care. To this end, all actors involved, including patient organizations, must work together and deliver care at the community level. In 2019, the major hepatology societies agreed that there is an urgent need to simplify viral hepatitis testing and linkage to care and today this remains a priority. Only by decentralizing viral hepatitis services to local level care and task-sharing care with primary care clinicians and other health care practitioners, we can achieve our goal,” said Maria Buti, Chair of EU Policy and Public Health, European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).
Source: www.who.int
5 Fort Bend County residents diagnosed with Delta variant of COVID-19
Five Fort Bend County residents were confirmed with the Delta variant of the coronavirus on Wednesday, county health authorities said.
Fort Bend County Health and Human Services authorities said three of these people had received only one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and one had not been vaccinated at all prior to the start of symptoms. The vaccination status of the fifth person has not been determined. Although symptoms were present, no one was hospitalized.
Health authorities noted that The Centers for Disease Control has recently reclassified the Delta variant from a variant of interest to a variant of concern. Variants of concern have increased evidence of transmissibility and severe illness.
“These cases underscore the importance of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, especially with the Delta variant becoming more prevalent in the U.S.,” Dr. Jacquelyn Minter, director of FBCHHS, said via a news release on Thursday. “Current research shows that two doses of the mRNA vaccines are over 80 percent effective against the Delta variant. The best protection that we have against this disease is to be fully vaccinated. If you are not fully vaccinated, we encourage you to wear your mask and to maintain a physical distance from others while in public.”
FBCHHS is asking everyone to use this information as a reminder to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccines are readily available at no cost throughout Fort Bend and surrounding counties. Full protection is present two weeks after the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two weeks after a single dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
As an encouragement for residents to get their COVID-19 vaccine, the Sugar Land Skeeters organization has provided free tickets for those persons who get their vaccine from an FBCHHS vaccination site or event this weekend.
Source: www.click2houston.com
BANDA LA EJECUTIVA PRESENTA “ERA DE ESPERARSE”
Banda La Ejecutiva, una de las bandas más jóvenes del género de banda sinaloense y que en muy poco tiempo ha logrado posicionarse como una de las bandas favoritas del público, vuelve a lanzar un nuevo tema titulado “Era de Esperarse”.
“Era de Esperarse” es una balada de desamor que narra la historia de quien esperaba ver a su expareja volver a buscarlo después de una mala relación, rogando por perdón y volver a la relación que tenían.
La banda retomó sus presentaciones en vivo hace un par de semanas y estarán presentándose nuevamente en varias partes de la república mexicana.
How the Miami-Dade condo collapsed
A 12-story condo building along the beachfront in Surfside, Fla., partially collapsed early Thursday morning, killing at least four people and injuring at least 10 more. More than 150 others remained unaccounted for on Friday, as rescuers tried to tunnel into the rubble.
Investigators say it is too early to know what caused the building’s collapse. A Washington Post examination of videos, photos and audio shows the building collapsed in less than 30 seconds.
Located at the corner of Collins Avenue and 88th Street, Champlain Towers South contained 136 condo residences. Completed in 1981, the building boasted luxury amenities and beachfront access.
A video filmed roughly 300 feet away captures the moment of collapse. First published on Twitter by journalist Andy Slater, the video appears to show the northern section of the building fold onto itself first, quickly followed by the ocean-facing eastern tower.
A security camera video from resident Rosie Santana’s unit shows debris beginning to fall from above. The video feed cuts just over 13 seconds later when audio suggests the building begins to collapse.
Within 30 seconds, nearly half of the building had collapsed, and plumes of smoke enveloped the vast majority of the remaining structure. Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Ray Jadallah told reporters that 55 units in the building were affected.
Shortly before 1:30 a.m., a dispatcher on an emergency response channel reported a “building collapse” and a “garage collapse” at the same address and said that all units were responding. Rescue crews from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue rushed to the scene just after 1:30 a.m., joining first responders from other agencies, Jadallah told reporters.
In radio feeds, unsettling descriptions of the scene came through as first responders began to arrive. One warned arriving vehicles to park at a light near the incident site. “We need a containment area. This building does not look stable.” Responders noted survivors were stuck on their balconies because there was no exit route through the building’s interior. An official who identified himself as “76” compared the scene to the aftermath of the 9/11 attack. “The building’s gone. There are
no elevators. This, this is nothing, I mean. It almost resembles the Trade Center.”
Emergency responders climbed piles of rubble that in some places appeared to be more than six feet high, as furniture and air-conditioning units dangled above them from the edge of the building.
Actor Jamal Akakpo had been staying in a hotel next to Champlain Towers South. He posted videos from the scene showing emergency responders and a pile of rubble. One man who claimed to be in the building when it started to collapse said the event “felt like an earthquake.”
More than 12 hours later, the scene continued to smolder as rescuers searched for missing people. In a video shared by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, firefighters waded through the flooded parking garage beneath the towers searching for survivors.
Source: www.washingtonpost.com
RRC Begins Implementing Legislative Bill to Bring Rate Relief to Customers of State’s Natural Gas Utilities
AUSTIN – Thanks to prudent action by the Texas Legislature, relief is on the way for customers of the state’s gas utilities who were facing potentially high gas bills resulting from Winter Storm Uri.
On June 16, Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1520, which directs the RRC and the Texas Public Finance Authority to work together to issue customer rate-relief bonds, the proceeds of which gas utilities would use to pay for the extraordinary cost of natural gas due to high demand during February’s winter storm.
The bonds would provide rate relief to customers by allowing gas utilities to recover the extraordinary cost of gas through customer bills over a longer time period, rather than potentially through a single billing statement. The bill provides financial relief to gas utilities that choose to apply for the bonds by providing for a low-cost source of financing to fulfill outstanding obligations to natural gas suppliers.
A gas utility that chooses to participate in the process would submit information and documentation to the RRC regarding its extraordinary costs to procure natural gas during Winter Storm Uri. The agency would review the application and, if the agency determines that issuing bonds is cost-effective, direct the Texas Public Finance Authority to issue bonds. The RRC sent gas utilities a Notice to Operators providing further information related to the bill.
“Throughout my time at the Railroad Commission of Texas and especially in the aftermath of Winter Storm Uri, consumer protection has been a priority,” said Chairman Christi Craddick. “I am grateful to the Legislature for passing this important bill and look forward to working with my colleagues and agency staff to ensure that we prevent any undue burden on natural gas customers who might have experienced extraordinarily high gas bills otherwise.”
“High demand for energy during the storm caused gas prices to rise and utilities incurred extraordinary gas costs to procure the supply needed to maintain service,” said Commissioner Wayne Christian. “HB 1520 allows for the high cost of gas from the storm to be securitized, utilizing the creditworthiness of our state to lower interest rates. This will ensure our constituents do not receive large, unexpected bills from their natural gas utility provider in the wake of Winter Storm Uri.”
“I commend the members of the Texas Legislature for getting this across the goal line,” said Commissioner Jim Wright. “Winter Storm Uri was an unprecedented event, and Texans should not have to shoulder the cost alone. Securitization will allow gas utilities to remain afloat while lessening the burden on their customers.”
House Bill 1520 was authored by Representative Chris Paddie and sponsored by Senator Kelly Hancock.
Gas supply was uninterrupted for a vast majority of Texas residents during Winter Storm Uri: 99.5 percent of customers connected to natural gas maintained service during the storm.
Source: www.rrc.texas.gov