Tag: coronvirus

Posted on

News Round-Up: June 14, 2021

France has lifted its ban on blood donations by gay and/or bisexual men which has been in place since the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

A young man donates blood (image via Depositphotos) Some news items you might have missed: • The Advocate: Sexually active gay men who have had the same sexual partner for the previous three months will now be able to donate blood, platelets, and plasma in the U.K. after new eligibility criteria go into force on World Blood Donor Day. • OUT: The Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League suspended defensive lineman Chris Larsen after learning of his potential involvement in a hate crime that left the victim with a broken nose, cheekbone and orbital bone shattered, a splint required for his hip bone and a concussion. • Pride.com: American Idol alum David Archuleta has come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in a new post on Instagram. “I like to keep to myself but also thought this was important to share because I know so many other people from religious upbringings feel the same way,” the 30-year-old wrote. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQB0FNtlLrs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link • Wall Street Journal: A new Covid-19 vaccine from Novavax was found to be 90.4% effective at preventing symptomatic disease in adults in a large clinical trial involving nearly 30,000 participants. Those results could move the shot a step closer to global use. • The Daily Beast: Number crunchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in Seattle studied COVID-19 stats from all over the world, charted the trends and concluded that as many as 9.7 million people could die by late September. If the trend line continues, COVID-19 could kill 20 million by 2023, according to IHME’s model. • Politico: Out Democrat Matt Putorti is launching a campaign against Trump cultist Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), aiming to knock out one of the Republican Party’s rising stars and a newly minted member of House leadership. Putorti is a 37-year-old attorney from Upstate New York focused on LGBTQ+ equality, reducing gun violence, and immigration.

Posted on

Diner Posts ‘Surcharge’ For Having To Explain Face Mask Rule

Legends Diner in Denton, Texas, says it will charge customers $50 if they don't wear a face mask

Legends Diner in Denton, Texas, says it will charge customers $50 if they don't wear a face mask From the Dallas Morning News:

Customers at Legends Diner in Denton are met with a new pink sign on the door when they visit the breakfast spot: “Our new surcharge,” the sign says: “$50 if I have to explain why masks are mandatory” and “$75 if I have to hear why you disagree…”

Co-owners Wayne and Kat LaCombe are asking their customers and employees to continue to wear masks even though the mask mandate lifted in Texas on March 10.

“I just can’t afford to get the virus. We’d have to shut our business down,” said Wayne LaCombe, a 41-year resident of Denton. His wife, Kat, is a retired nurse. She is now the chef and co-owner of Legends, and she makes what her husband says is “the best patty melt in town.”

Lacombe says the sign is meant to be humorous, but adds the bulk of his customers are over 60-years-old and the restaurant wants “to stay safe for them.”

Posted on

Ernst: Obama ‘Failed’ On Ebola, Trump Is ‘Stepping Forward’ On COVID-19

CNN’s Dana Bash interviews Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst (R)
During an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union this morning, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst (R), who criticized President Obama in 2014 for exhibiting what she called “failed leadership” on Ebola, was asked by CNN’s Dana Bash if Donald Trump is exhibiting “failed leadership” on the coronavirus health threat. Note: There were only 11 confirmed cases of Ebola reported in the U.S. and 2 Americans died from the virus six years ago. At this writing, the number of American deaths from COVID-19 is just under $130,000. Ernst’s response to the question: “I think the president is stepping forward.”