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While we’re talking about defunding federal agencies, don’t forget the CDC

Restoring trust in our institutions begins with accountability, and it's about time the CDC gets its first dose of it.

Norwegian cruises ends COVID-19 vaccination requirement, loosens testing rules



Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings will no longer require customers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and will loosen its testing rules beginning in September, the company announced Monday.

Beginning on Sept. 3, vaccinated guests aged 12 and older will no longer have to abide by any pre-cruise COVID-19 related protocols. Unvaccinated guests will be permitted to embark once they have provided a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to departure, the company said.

Children under 12 will have no testing or vaccination requirements.

“Our long-awaited revisions to our testing and vaccination requirements bring us closer in line with the rest of society, which has learned to adapt and live with COVID-19, and makes it simpler and easier for our loyal guests to cruise on our three best-in-class brands," Norwegian president and CEO Frank Del Rio said in a statement.

"Health and safety is our top priority and we will continue to modify our robust SailSAFE program as the public health environment evolves. The relaxation of protocols coupled with continued easing of travel restrictions and the reopening to cruise in more ports around the globe are meaningfully positive for our business as it reduces friction, expands the addressable cruise market, brings variety to itineraries and provides additional catalysts on the road to recovery,” Del Rio added.

Norwegian's current "Sail Safe" protocols require all customers 12 and older, as well as crew, to be fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure in order to board the ship. Children under age 12 who are unvaccinated are permitted to board, but remain subject to local protocols or travel restrictions at the visiting destinations at time of sailing.

The company's decision to loosen COVID-19 travel requirements comes as competing cruise lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean have also announced changes to their health and safety protocols.

Carnival Cruise Line said last month it will no longer require pre-cruise testing for vaccinated guests on voyages that are five nights or fewer. Royal Caribbean likewise dropped its testing requirement for vaccinated guests on certain voyages.

However, Norwegian is the first cruise line to drop its vaccine requirement.

On July 18, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended its COVID-19 program for U.S. cruise ships, issuing new guidance days later advising companies to determine their own health and safety standards. The CDC continues to recommend that all individuals get tested for COVID-19 no more than three days before a cruise, regardless of vaccination status.

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My college mandated boosters and can’t give a good reason why

Like many academic institutions, the University of Mary Washington announced that all students would be required to receive a Covid booster.

Reporter confronts Psaki with two easy questions about COVID testing plan, but she refuses to answer them multiple times



White House press secretary Jen Psaki became visibly frustrated Tuesday when a reporter confronted her about a story that claimed the Biden administration rejected a plan to mass-produce and distribute at-home COVID-19 tests.

What is the background?

Vanity Fair reported just days before Christmas that experts approached the Biden administration in October with a plan to mass-produce and distribute at-home COVID tests ahead of the holiday season. But the plan was ultimately rejected, the report claimed.

President Joe Biden later denied his administration had rejected the plan, as medical experts criticized his administration for not increasing testing capacity. Still, Biden announced last week the government had purchased an additional 500 million COVID tests — for a total 1 billion tests — and on Tuesday soft-launched a government website to begin distribution of the tests.

Senate Democrats have even criticized Biden for his failure to adequately enact a plan to expand COVID test access.

What happened with Psaki?

During the White House press briefing, New York Post reporter Steven Neslon asked Psaki two softball questions about the Vanity Fair report: Who participated in the October meeting, and was Biden informed of the plan before it was allegedly rejected?

But Psaki did not answer either question. Instead, she blamed market forces for no early testing distribution plan and mentioned what Biden has done since then.

"The issue at the time, which was a very small part of the conversation, was that the market had not expanded enough to, at that moment in time, be able to launch the website we’re launching tomorrow," she said. "And the president, you know, used the Defense Production Act, invested $3 billion to expand it, quadrupled the size of our testing capacity, and now we’ve ordered 1 billion doses. So, we see that as— our COVID team and the members who participated saw that as a very constructive meeting, a good meeting, a lot of which we’ve worked to implement."

Nelson, sensing Psaki's question-dodging, responded by asking Psaki how Biden can "shut down the virus" like he promised if he is not being briefed on new ideas to improve the government's pandemic response. Nelson then asked his original two questions again.

"How can President Biden shut down the virus if he’s, you know, not being briefed on these ideas? I mean, that’s my question," Nelson responded. "So, I’m wondering: Who were the advisers, and was President Biden briefed on this idea at the time?"

Psaki claimed she answered the questions, but again blamed market capacity and cited Biden's investment in the DPA.

Nelson then tried again, but Psaki had none of it.

"I hear what you’re saying, but that’s not the question I asked. The question I asked was: Which —" Nelson said before being cut off.

"Do you have another question? I think I’ve answered your question," Psaki said. "Again, I’ve answered your question. If you have another one, I’m happy to answer it. Otherwise, I’m going to move on to the next person."

Jen Psaki won\u2019t say which administration officials attended a meeting on a proposal to provide free rapid tests for the winter surge or if Biden was briefed on the plan.pic.twitter.com/LdgnR6rzUg
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1642528705

Dr. Fauci admits CDC may once again update COVID isolation guidelines after receiving 'pushback'



Dr. Anthony Fauci explained Sunday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering amending revised COVID-19 isolation guidelines after pushback from critics who said the updated recommendations were not sufficient.

The CDC updated quarantine guidelines last week for people who test positive for COVID. If asymptomatic, the updated guidelines recommend isolating only five days, while wearing a face mask when around other people for an additional five days. Previously, the agency's guidelines recommended 10 days of isolation.

The amended guidelines applied to all asymptomatic people, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.

What did Fauci say?

During two separate interviews on Sunday, Fauci admitted the CDC is considering updating the new guidelines to include a testing requirement after receiving pushback.

"You're right there has been some concern about why we don't ask people at that five-day period to get tested," Fauci told host George Stephanopoulos on ABC News' "This Week."

"That is something that is now under consideration," Fauci explained. "The CDC is very well aware that there has been some pushback about that. Looking at it again, there may be an option in that, that testing could be a part of that, and I think we're going to be hearing more about that in the next day or so from the CDC."

Dr. Anthony Fauci tells @GStephanopoulos that the CDC is considering amending the isolation guidance for asymptomatic patients to include testing. \n\n\u201cThe CDC is very well aware that there has been some pushback about that.\u201d https://abcn.ws/3EGwRkM\u00a0pic.twitter.com/P1WkSNrdFS
— This Week (@This Week) 1641134737

During another interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Fauci made nearly identical remarks.

"I myself feel that that's a reasonable thing to do," he said. "I believe that the CDC soon will be coming out with more clarification of that, since it obviously has generated a number of questions about, at that five-day period, should you or should you not be testing people?"

Anything else?

Fauci's remarks suggesting that a testing requirement makes good sense seemingly contradicts what CDC Director Rochelle Walenksy said just last week when defending the absence of a testing requirement in the updated guidelines.

At a press conference, Walensky explained that PCR tests can remain positive for up to 12 weeks after infection.

"Many are asking why do we not require a test at the end of the five days of isolation for those who are infected. We know that PCR testing would not be helpful in this setting, as people can remain PCR positive for up to 12 weeks after infection and long after they are transmissible and infectious," Walensky said.

"We also don’t know that antigen tests give a good indication of transmissibility at this stage of infection. On the other hand, we know that after five days, people are much less likely to transmit the virus and that masking further reduces that risk. And this is why people need to mask for five days after their five days of isolation," she continued.

'President Biden seems confused': CNN reporter admits



Even a CNN reporter is admitting that President Joe Biden "seems confused."

Biden gave an interview to ABC's "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir last week. During the interview, Muir asked the 79-year-old Biden, "If you look out across the country, you see it everywhere, these long lines, people waiting for hours outside in the cold, just to get tested, to be reassured before they spend time with their family. If you go to the pharmacy, we hear this over and over again, empty shelves, no test kits. Is that a failure?"

"I don't think it's a failure," Biden responded. "I think it's – you could argue that we should have known a year ago, six months ago, two months ago, a month ago."

"I wish I had thought about ordering a half-billion pills two months ago before COVID hit here," Biden said, mixing up the word "pills" when he meant "tests."

Biden is talking about the reported 10 million courses of Pfizer's COVID-19 antiviral oral drug Paxlovid that the U.S. government bought from the pharmaceutical giant for $5.29 billion. On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization for the new antiviral pill to treat people with symptomatic COVID-19.

Biden to @DavidMuir on testing shortages. "Nothing's been good enough, but look where we are" since last Xmas.\nSays he "wish I had thought about ordering half a billion pills [he meant tests] two months ago"pic.twitter.com/a9zIJJrPaF
— Alex Thompson (@Alex Thompson) 1640216649

CNN correspondent Jeff Zeleny highlighted the gaffe during an appearance on the "Situation Room" TV program.

"Repeatedly throughout this interview with David Muir, which was recorded this afternoon, President Biden seems confused and was confusing the half a billion tests that they’ve ordered with a half a billion pills," Zeleny stated. "And, of course, pills were in the news today with the Pfizer approval of the antiviral, so he corrected himself, but that was one thing that stuck out to me."

Zeleny also blasted the Biden administration for "not accepting any responsibility at all for this lack of testing."

"But then simply this administration, and the president leading the charge here, really not accepting any responsibility at all for this lack of testing," Zeleny told host Wolf Blitzer. "We’ve seen these images across the country, long lines, just the inability to get tests. And yes, omicron came on very quickly here, but it has been almost a month since Thanksgiving where they knew this was coming."

President Biden promised to distribute 500 million free at-home rapid tests to Americans next month, but as Zeleny notes, "There is no sense from this administration those will be sent out early in January as the president suggested in this interview."

CNN\u2019s Jeff Zeleny says Joe Biden is \u201cnot accepting any responsibility for this lack of testing.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere is no sense from this administration [tests] will be sent out early in January as the president suggested."pic.twitter.com/S9C0MpfjqN
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1640234730

President Biden has made a multitude of gaffes during his time in office, including at the G7 summit, confusing Iraq with Iran, mixing up Chris Wallace with Chuck Todd, confusing Donald Trump with Barack Obama, confusing Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer with his own Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, mixing up the United Nations with the United States, mixing up Syria with Lebanon, and repeatedly saying Vice President Kamala Harris is the "president of the United States."