At last night's Northampton County Council meeting, Executive Lamont McClure advised that the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in a spike of Covid-19 cases at the jail. He indicated 22 of about 500 inmates are currently infected, along with 7 of about 200 staffers and 2 vendors. "The vast majority of these people ... are unvaccinated," he remarked. "People need to get vaccinated and they need to do it now. Vaccinations save lives and they save livelihoods."
McClure noted he has offered COs who agree to a vaccine a $500 bonus. Moreover, there have been 16 vaccination clinics at the jail. But only 38% of the COs have been vaccinated."It's not enough," he said. "We need closer to 100%."
Council member Ron Heckman asked McClure whether he is considering a vaccine mandate at the jail.
Unlike a mask mandate, a vaccine mandate is pretty intrusive. I'm willing to do all kinds of things if someone asks me. But I hate being told what to do, even when it's necessary.
McClure noted that public health experts uniformly advise that there should be empathy with the vaccine hesitant. He indicated strong-arm tactics are likely to be the least effective. Moreover, the AFSCME union representing COs considers a vaccine mandate a "bargainable issue," and requested the County to provide more education to officers. So the county is now providing prison staff with CDC and state Department of Health reports concerning the vaccines.on a weekly basis.
There are also legal questions. Although the Pfizer vaccine has full FDA approval, the Moderna and J&J vaccines still have only emergency use authorization. It's unclear to me that a person can be forced to submit to a vaccine that has only been approved for emergency use. The courts will almost certainly have conflicting opinions
Assuming that this power exists or that vaccines have full approval, the next question is whether the County has the power to force its workers to submit to a vaccine. It might be able to do so at the jail, but it's really unclear to me,. The state has this kind of plenary power, but Northampton County has no plenary powers. Assuming it can make vaccines mandatory at the jail, the next question is who has this authority. I see nothing in the Home Rule Charter giving the Exec this authority, and it could be that this should come from County Council, which has the residual authority.
There are many unanswered legal questions, so I can understand why McClure is mandate hesitant to those who are vaccine hesitant. Persuasion is better. At least for now.
We know you love the guy but what is McClure talking about? Why even give a report Saying what he wants at the prison when he has no power to make it happen. The vaccine has been fully approved, they are paying people to take the damn thing and they won't. What amount of "gentle loving "percussion is going to change that. Thoughts and Prayers. The line has been drawn.
ReplyDeleteSo at prisons and Nursing Homes you have a choice keep having infections or make people get a vaccine. I thought people at the Nursing home would be fired of they don't get the shots. He said that as well.
Sometimes I swear McClure talks just to hear himself preach. He gives a report on a problem he is in charge of, complains about it and then says he will do northing. To close to an election. Great word player, you can tell he is a lawyer.
He's pro-choice when it comes to vacuuming babies from wombs. This is consistent. He should keep it that way and keep his fat fingers out of people's personal medical lives. That, and he should lose abouy 60 of those disgusting pounds. Good grief the gluttony. Fat people should niy say a word about CoViD issues. Not a word.
ReplyDeleteImmunity is not a muscle that you train and get stronger.
DeleteJust because you admire Steve Lynch’s six pack, that doesn’t mean Steve has a better immunity to the virus because he’s carrying less fat than Lamont.
Once again, Drump supporters spreading medical disinformation…
Not a Lynch or Trump supporter or voter. But I can guarantee you're fat. And you don't like hearing the truth. Get vaxed. But don't peep a word if you're one of the nation's top medical problems, you disgusting obese Karens and Chads. Top comorbidity and these pigs are telling others what to do. F you right to the cardiologist.
DeleteI’m not fat, but I wouldn’t deny you any medical assistance if you were. Just like I wouldn’t deny Narcan to an addict, or in your case, an ICU room to particularly unvaccinated “fit looking” individual. Being obese is reversible, having COVID-19 can kill you within a week, no matter how much of a healthy lifestyle you think you’re living. But continue to compare the two, because you might as well be a Drump supporter according to your line of thinking.
DeleteI suspect you always do it in the same position. Pity the little lady. You can't get off the Trump channel. Get a new thought and give your wife some excitement for once. What a terrible bore you are. Trump really owns you. He's not the president and you know you're fat. We're talking about telling people what to do or not. Nobody is talking about denying anything you one note jerk.
DeleteYou don’t argue much, do you? You literally said in your last post “F your right to a cardiologist” inferring you would DENY a fat person the right to see one because said fat person is asking you to get that vaccine. The two thoughts are NOT mutually exclusive. You can be fat, and still ask someone to get that vaccine because covid-19 is ravaging the health care system.
DeleteWow, I am sure many of readers will be disappointed. It seems today many believe the government has the right to force anything IT deems necessary.
ReplyDeleteDoes the County fall under the federal vaccine mandate as an employer with over 100 employees?
ReplyDeleteHe wont do it because he knows he will get lambasted by Lynch. If will mandate it as soon as the election is over, if he is still in office.
ReplyDeleteExactly....same reason he is spending millions of dollars on a corn field surrounded by warehouses....
DeleteApparently, Paul Mushnick of the Morning Call believes a good way to make Medicare and Food Stamp recipients get the jab is to starve them and/or deny medical treatment.
ReplyDelete"Does the County fall under the federal vaccine mandate as an employer with over 100 employees?"
ReplyDeleteThe mandate applies where OSHA has jurisdiction. It has no jurisdiction over state and local workers in Pa.
Why can't McClure be more like Authoritarian Joe Biden?
ReplyDelete" I thought people at the Nursing home would be fired of they don't get the shots. He said that as well."
ReplyDeleteThey are mandatory at nursing homes but that is the feds, not McClure. And I agree that any entity that provides health care must be fully vaccinated against any highly infectious disease.
10:34 - Sorry, but people with a comorbidity (like obesity) are far more likely to be negatively affected by Covid.
ReplyDeleteBeing fit doesn't make you immune, but it makes you less likely to have a case that results in death or be hospitalization.
"He wont do it because he knows he will get lambasted by Lynch."
ReplyDeleteThe way Lynch lambasted the school board? Lol.
@ 10:34....if you can't admit that healthy / fit people have much better odds to beat covid than morbidly obese people then you are the one who has been consuming and spreading misinformation. This is a pandemic of the unhealthy not the unvaccinated.
ReplyDelete"Apparently, Paul Mushnick of the Morning Call believes a good way to make Medicare and Food Stamp recipients get the jab is to starve them and/or deny medical treatment."
ReplyDeleteI've stopped reading it, thanks in large part to its vindictive, jealous and biased editor. Paul should have remained a reporter. He did an excellent job as such. His opinion pieces have had no real style or personality. He spent years honing a skill for objectivity. When he covered NC, I could never figure out where he stood. Now he's expected to tell us what he thinks and he understandably is having trouble. No knock on him, but his true talent is being wasted. He is a superior reporter and that is where he belongs.
"His opinion pieces have had no real style or personality."
ReplyDeleteBernie, Muschick is channeling Paul Carpenter. He's the MCall's angry white guy.
Actually, Lamont can outrun, outfight, outlift, outthink and outtalk Lynch, any day of the week. '
ReplyDeleteHis morning routine consists of Lehigh leaps (leaps across the Lehigh River), followed by a daily run to the courthouse. At noon, he dives from his office window into the Delaware, where he stays under until he has successfully caught his lunch. (He fancies pickerel, which he eats raw).
His cabinet members are under instruction to attack him without warning so that McClure can keep his edge. Dertinger and Barron, whom you may have seen being tossed off the county roof, have ended up in the hospital a few times. So far only Missy Rudas has successful caught McClure off guard., This is understandable bc she is primarily a divorce lawyer.
Highly educated, McClure considers all possibilities before acting. His overriding concern is what is best for the county. Lynch, a college drop out, only thinks about what will get him the most attention or sell the most T-shirts.
Tough as they both may think they are, I'm tougher. I'm as mean as cat shit too. I'm so miserable that I gave Covid to Covid.
"Bernie, Muschick is channeling Paul Carpenter. He's the MCall's angry white guy."
ReplyDeleteYou could be right, lol. He needs to be himself asnd let his own personality shine. Don't get me wrong. I have very high regard for Paul professional and consider him an excellent reporter and writer. When he covered the courthouse, I never could figure whose side he was on. He and Joe Nixon were both like that. He learned to bury his internal thinking so that pretty much all you got were the facts, and they were right down the middle. When acting as an investigative report, his personality sometimes creeps through, but rarely.
Unfortunately, what made him so great as a reporter is precisely what has hurt him as a columnist. You need a personality, whether it is Bill "I'm a nice guy" White or Paul "Don't tell me to wear a helmet" Carpenter. He's having a hard time being himself.
But I stopped reading that paper a few months ago. Dropped my subscription, which never worked anyway. I could hang in there, but after reading a few emails in which Mike Miorelli personally insulted me, I realized he is a vindictive and petty little man who is steering the newspaper in the wrong direction.
12:10, Not sure what point you are trying to make other than your hatred of fatties. Sounds like you could use a lesson or two or three in empathy.
ReplyDeleteOf course McClure isn't going to take a stand, his election is weeks away. Sadly, I will no longer cast a vote for executive due to Sandra McClure being appointed to the DJ vacancy left by the death of Pat Broscious. For McClure to say there was no conflict-of-interest is a laugh, as his own party, people he and his wife rub shoulders with, put Sandy in her position. A blatant political favor.
ReplyDeleteIs his wife supposed to forget she is her own person? The office she is running for - MDJ - is in a completely separate branch of government. As an attorney, she is qualified to fill the vacancy created by the unfortunate death of Pat Broscius. Several candidates put their names forward, including Bill Blake, Connie Nelson and Altieri. Nelson and Blake are both also qualified and I would have preferred to see the nomination go to either of them bc this will hurt McClure. He will lose votes from people like you. I think your real objection is not a conflict of interest - there is none - but an understandable objection to one family having this much power. Having said that, we live in a world in which women should be able to do what they want and not just be silent decorations who stand at their husband's side. If she were running for county council, I'd have a real problem. But she's not. She is an attorney and is seeking an office to which she is suited and which she has sought before. She is infinitely preferable to the troublemaker nominated by Republicans.
ReplyDelete4:35 pm: Why are you making this about gender? I don’t believe anyone is claiming she should be a “decoration.” Besides, the 1950s are no more. I don’t live in the township, but I agree this seems like favoritism.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Didn’t you blast her when she ran in the past?
To the mutant bringing up abortion: screw you. You state that government should stay out of a
ReplyDeletepersons medical decisions yet you pass laws taking away a womans right to choose. Republicans are also limiting voter rights in an attempt to turn minority voters away from the polls. You make comment about peoples weight. I bet you don't know how tall you are because you are always on your knees looking up at Donald trump. I hate people like you.
Can't we all just get along?
Delete": Why are you making this about gender?"
ReplyDeleteBecause it is. You apparently think the wives of elected officials should themselves remain barefoot and in the kitchen while their male betters manage to make a mess of things. The office McClure's wife is seeking has absolutely nothing to do with county government and presents no conflict. She should have just as much right as anyone else to run for MDJ.
"P.S. Didn’t you blast her when she ran in the past?"
No. Although I supported Pat, I noted then that McClure "has the right temperament for the job."
"Exactly....same reason he is spending millions of dollars on a corn field surrounded by warehouses...."
ReplyDeleteWow! This property is adjacent to both the Nor-Bath Trail as well as a county-owned park. It will prevent that land from being gobbled up for development. It is an excellent expenditure of open space funding overwhelmingly approved by the taxpayer and is the best weapon we have against overdevelopment and maintaining some semblance of our once rural character. It's nice to know that the Lynch mob supports warehouses, tractor trailer traffic, the ruination of our country roads and opposes open space. Please get that message out there on as many flyers as you can so people can know what you really want to do.
A vaccine-hesitant person can delay, be reluctant but still accept, or refuse some.
ReplyDeleteMcClure is an autocrat who holds the county's council in disdain. He treats them almost as bad as the employees. Of course they love him.
ReplyDeleteWhat's a CO? Does Northampton County still have prison guards at the jailhouses?
ReplyDeleteJust watch the tape of the recent Hearing held by the FDA. That will clear-up a few things.
ReplyDelete....common sense seems to dictate that ALL should be vaccinated for the safety and health of those employed by the County....offering $500 bribes to those who won’t is not an answer....offering funeral costs to them might work...
ReplyDeleteLawyers are not doctors or scientists, but as leaders can offer up a do or die scenario to gain compliance from those who don’t.....plain and simple: excluding the legal drool,
Take the shot, keep your life, your job, or accept responsibility for your losses
Those who support the Anti-Vax movement should start a web-site to combat the "Sorryantivaxxer" website which shows vids and articles of anti-vaxers who either died, are seriously ill, or are shown begging for the vaccine on their deathbed and states.
ReplyDeleteThey could call it "FreedomAntivaxxer". They could show anti-vax people seriously ill from Covid on their deathbeds saying: "It was worth my life (and/or the lives of my family) not to give into the horrible suppression of the government not to get the vaccine!"
Yea, that's the ticket. I'm sure their would be tens of vids available of such "patriots".
Maybe could even sell a shirt or 2.
Didn't the FDA vote the booster shot down yesterday because there isn't enough data? Just Wait is the new theme song for the antivaxers on YouTube instead of the facci ouchy.
ReplyDeleteNo. Learn how to read. This is how misinformation starts
ReplyDeleteIs it rue Zirinski went crazy on Peg Ferraro in the county parking lot? Apparently the some dens ere mad at her comments about McClure? Yes? No? Your tight with his squad.
ReplyDeleteLamont is morbidly obese per DOH guidelines and really shouldn't be telling others about good health practices. He clearly understands this and how ridiculous any health edicts issued by him would be viewed. Obesity is our number one health concern - by far. Obese people should quietly put down their eating utensils, lose weight to healthy levels, so not to burden society with their repulsive lack of self control, and shut up about anyone else's health until they do these things.
ReplyDeleteIt's time for a national health conversation that goes beyond CoViD..
19.5 BMI, BP is 118/78, weight is 145 on a 5'9" frame, walk three miles per day, fully vaxed, wear a mask in all public places. I'm 63. We've lost sight of the most important issue we face - and one of the best ways to die from CoViD. Fat people should shut up and potentially lose some of their rights until they slim to healthy levels. The burden on the rest of us is crushing. Pun sharply intended. It's time to get serious and stern with the obese.
Get serious and stern with the obese! Shut up ya fatties or we're gonna take your rights away! That's some funny shit right there!
DeleteAm unaware of any dispute but will ask
ReplyDelete6.17
ReplyDelete" It's time for a national health conversation that goes beyond CoViD."
Well starting up a t-4 like program would have the same logic.
As to the crushing burden--should health care dollars be spent on the very elderly?
After all how much do they produce for others.
Should there be an age limit on providing healthcare?
I am amazed at some of the comments. It is further evidence of the dangers of capitalists medicine. If we want to quantify health coverage based on who "someone thinks is cost effective we might as well be autnotomes. Obesity is a problem with many causes. It is that nations chief health problem. No one should be body shamed but the foolishness noting that it is body shaming to mention it is childish and dismissive of realty.
ReplyDeleteIf you look at politicians some should try to lead by example. There are a few people running that make obesity seem normal and bristle at the mention of it. That in and of itself is irresponsible.
Still 6:17 makes points that have little meaning except in a vacuum. One of the many reasons are pure Capitalist system will eventually destroy itself.
1:44 AM - No, we all can’t get along. Our government thrives on conflict. Maybe, you’ve noticed. We are being pushed toward totalitarian government control of our lives. NOT GOOD.
ReplyDeleteTotalitarian control? You mean like when the government tells you what you can, and can't, do with your uterus?
ReplyDeleteAmerican conservatives are the world wide champions of contradictions...
DeleteTruly pathetic that it’s lost on them.
@ 9/19/2021 0412
ReplyDeleteZrinski is easily unhinged and I would not be surprised she did. More so, don't even try to confront her on it as there would be some "plausible" explanation to dismiss what anyone saw, heard or witnessed. Keep in mind during her perjury she attempted to blame the judge and then blamed her attorney, she accepted nothing by way of accountability.
annon at 2:56, Zirinski is craszzy. People know that. Other than her hard core hypnotized Feminists'-Eco warriors realize she is not wound top tight. Heard about how Peg, an 80 something lady was berated at the county. That is terrible. If you watch the meeting video it is supposedly because she called out McClure for a proposed tax cut. Mrs. Ferraro thinks the money should be used for better wages at Gracedale. So Zirinski is a McClure groupie that does what she is told, Apparently Peg thinks McClure is doing for an election year boost. She is probably right. Still no reason to verbally assault her after their meeting.
ReplyDeleteIt was Kevin Lott, not Tara Zrinski, who attacked Peg Ferraro.
ReplyDelete