Coronavirus vaccine and Delta variant updates for 11-08-2021

<p>This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for November 8th, 2021.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Things have gotten stricter in Los Angeles. One of the strictest vaccine mandates has gone into effect today. Proof of vaccination is required for entry into a wide variety of businesses. Restaurants, malls, theaters – both live and movie, nail places, hair places, gyms, yoga studios, museums, convention centers, and the list goes on. First offense gets a business a warning, but fines could later run from $1,000 to $5,000.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The US is pushing forward with a new air travel policy that will make many foreign would-be visitors ineligible to enter the country. Today, fully vaccinated foreign travelers can enter. But here’s the problem. The vaccines have to have been among those authorized by the FDA or that got an emergency use listing from the World Health Organization. Anyone who got, for example, Russia’s Sputnik vaccine, used in 70 countries worldwide, are out of luck.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>More support for the old trope that you’re likely to get sick while in a hospital. Federal and state records show that more than 10,000 patients were diagnosed with COVID in a U.S. hospital last year after they were admitted for something else. Plus, about 21% of the patients who got COVID in the hospital from April to September last year died, compared to only 8% of other Medicare patients who died in the hospital during that time of non-COVID issues.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Amazingly, Tonga has recorded its first COVID case. In late October, a fully vaccinated passenger from a Christchurch repatriation flight tested positive while in hotel quarantine. Tonga’s enforced quarantine for anyone entering the country since early 2020. All of Tonga is now in lockdown for at least seven days with a curfew. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The vaccine debate has officially reached peak silliness. A purely fictional costumed kids’ character, Big Bird, was vaccinated, which of course cannot be true. He tweeted, "My wing is feeling a