Coronavirus vaccine and Delta variant updates for 11-04-2021

<p>This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 4th, 2021.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A new policy for the U.S. puts the burden of vaccination on employers. A temporary emergency rule mandates that businesses that employ 100 or more people make their employees get vaccinated or test them regularly. It’s the first time a federal standard deemed a respiratory virus an occupational hazard outside of health care. Some unknowns remain, such as how employers are supposed to enforce the mandate.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>There’s concern from England’s deputy chief medical officer that too many people think the pandemic is over. He says there are hard months to come in the winter. He pointed out the current increasing numbers of deaths showed infections are penetrating into older age groups.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Colorado is experiencing its worst COVID surge in a year, so its hospitals have been given permission to turn patients away. Many of those hospitals report being at over 90% capacity. From October 3 to yesterday, the state has seen an almost 50% increase in virus hospitalizations. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>So many reasons you don’t want to be in charge of a COVID response. In the Philippines, the President said local government officials will be punished if they fall behind their targets for vaccinations. He didn’t say exactly what that punishment would be but did say there’s no reason with supplies in hand vaccinations can’t be ramped up. The Philippines has fully immunized only a little over a third of its population.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A COVID related scandal in the NFL. Green Bay Quarterback Aaron Rodgers tested positive and will miss one, maybe two games. The scandal part is he had said he’d been immunized, but apparently that didn’t mean he’d been vaccinated. Rodgers pursued homeopathic treatment to raise his antibody levels and sought an exemption from COVID-19 protocols, which was denied. Critics are saying he’s been less than transparent about his vaccination status. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In the U