COVID-19 vaccine

Today on “Off Mic” with guest host Post-Tribune columnist Jerry Davich we’ll take a look at the broader picture behind all the “We’re Hiring” signs at local businesses, with insights from an economics professor at IUN about the ongoing "great reassessment of work,” as it’s called.

We’ll also hear from a Gary pastor who says he went through hell after contracting COVID-19 – “the worst 17 days of his life” – and how he now feels compelled to spread the gospel about vaccinations for the deadly virus.

As vaccine rollout continues, some researchers say the country has hit a plateau in the number of people being vaccinated. Finding time off work to get vaccinated can be a barrier for many. 

Gov. Eric Holcomb isn’t a fan of the state using monetary incentives to push more people to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Eli Lilly is joining other pharmaceutical companies working to fight the surge of COVID-19 cases in India. The country has reported almost 4,000 deaths Wednesday and is averaging over 300,000 new cases a day. 

More than 2 million Hoosiers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, a little more than four months into the state’s rollout. The Indiana Department of Health announced the milestone Wednesday.

HAMMOND - The city of Hammond is incentivizing its employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine.  Enrolling in the program is voluntary and results in three days off for those who participate and complete the requirements.

The "Times" reports the program applies to any employee who has already received the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine.  Employees who have not been vaccinated have until August 1st to get the shots.

Employees must provide a completed vaccine card and signed affidavit affirming the documentation is true to qualify. The COVID-19 vaccine must be authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the complete number of doses must be administered.   

A city of Hammond supervisor or department head must approve the personal days an employee decides to take off and can't cost the city overtime to make up any personnel shortage caused by the participant's absence.

Those who don't wish to participate in the program won't lose anything and will still have their regular personal and vacation days.

The COVID-19 personal days for city of Hammond employees will expire December 31st, 2022.
 

On this edition of the podcast you’ll hear the latest on the sentencing of Ex-Portage clerk-treasurer Chris Stidham, a mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis was the latest in a recent string of mass shootings across the United States, federal officials called for a pause on Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, and Chris Nolte has a conversation with Barbara Quandt NFIB/Indiana State Director…All of that, and more, on this edition of “Lakeshore Update”…

Despite more than 1.4 million Hoosiers fully vaccinated, the state is seeing an increase in cases and hospitalizations. That’s because the state is in a race against more infectious variants. 

The Indiana Department of Health announced Tuesday it is pausing use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after national guidance to do so. The state is working to supply vaccination sites with other vaccines. 

GARY- A mass vaccination site is being placed in Gary by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the State of Indiana.  U.S. Congressman Frank Mrvan and City of Gary Mayor Jerome Prince both commented on the initiative on Monday expressing their excitement.

Prince says the mass vaccination site will be a game-changer as we continue to fight this historic pandemic.  He thanked Congressman Mrvan, the State of Indiana, the city's federal partners and the Gary Community School Corporation for providing space at Roosevelt High School.

Hoosiers in northwest Indiana – and across northern Indiana – will soon have access to more COVID-19 vaccination opportunities. 

President Joe Biden has opened up federal COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to K-12 teachers and child care workers, with many in Indiana already making plans to get their shot at federal pharmacy program sites.

Indiana has provided the first dose of COVID-19 vaccines to 1,000,321 Hoosiers, in just more than two months – with nearly 569,000 Hoosiers fully vaccinated. The Indiana Department of Health announced the milestone Monday.

Hoosiers 55 and older can now register for appointments to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The Indiana Department of Health announced the expansion Tuesday.

Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly is partnering with health care systems around the state to increase access and affordability around its COVID-19 antibody treatment. The company is working with the state of Indiana and health systems and has established three new infusion centers for its COVID-19 antibody therapy to treat those at high risk.