Dec 9

To Vaccinate Or Not To Vaccinate

By AV CaptureAll|2020-12-09T11:50:58-08:00December 9th, 2020|government, Local Government, State Government, Technology Innovations, Uncategorized|0 Comments

A mere six months after identifying the SARS-CoV-2 virus as the cause of Covid-19, scientists are on the precipice of having a vaccine to fight it. Moderna and Pfizer will be rolling out vaccines that could save millions of lives. On Dec. 10, the FDA will review Pfizer’s vaccine for emergency use. A week after that, Moderna will get reviewed.

What makes that remarkable is under normal circumstances, vaccine approvals are measured in decades, not months.

Questions

The speed of vaccine approval is, in part, a reason why some Americans are unsure if they’ll receive the vaccine. The rollout has been haphazard and not traditional leaving many with questions and not a lot of answers.

One of the questions is: will businesses require employees to get vaccinated?

Will it be legal for your employer to require vaccination? University of California law professor Dorit Reiss who has spoken on legal issues surrounding vaccines since 2013 says the short answer is yes.

“Employment in the United States is usually ‘at will,’” said Reiss. “Your employer can fire you pretty much for any reason. They don’t like your shirt? They can fire you.”

This week the Department of Defense released images of what the COVID-19 vaccination record card will look like. The card will be proof of vaccination to keep in their wallets as part of Operation Warp Speed. Reiss said it will be legal for employers, businesses, or venues to ask for it.

These details, by all accounts, might not be answered until the new administration takes office in January.

Vaccine and Politics

A recent survey by MassINC, a Massachusetts polling group, found that Massachusetts residents are willing to take a COVID-19 vaccine. However, the study finds the comfort level varies across racial and socioeconomic demographics, raising further concerns about unequal immunization.

The survey of over 1,100 residents found that overall, 36% of Massachusetts residents said they will take it “as soon as possible,” and 47% plan to wait until either a few or many people have taken it. And just 7% of participants said they will never take a COVID-19 vaccine. However, questions about individuals’ preferences for when they get vaccinated revealed that Black and Latino’s respondents were less willing to do so right away.

The evolution of Americans’ decision to take the vaccine or not has been in play since Mid-August. At that point, 69% said they would get vaccinated as soon as a vaccine was available but two months later, it is was down to 58%. And there is a drop among Black Americans who say they’ll receive the vaccine as soon as it’s available.

The share of Americans who say they are likely to get a Covid-19 vaccine as soon as it’s available is dropping — and the decline is notably more pronounced among Black Americans than among white individuals, according to a new survey from STAT and The Harris Poll.

According to a new survey from STAT and The Harris Poll, 59% of white Americans indicated they would get vaccinated as soon as a vaccine is ready, a decline from 70% in mid-August. Only 43% of Black individuals said they would pursue a vaccine as soon as it was available, a sharp drop from 65% in mid-August. The poll, which surveyed 2,050 people online from Oct. 7 to 10, was weighted to ensure the sample was representative of the general U.S. population.

Overall, 58% said they would get vaccinated as soon as a vaccine was available when asked earlier this month, down considerably from 69% who said the same thing in mid-August. That change suggests growing concern that the regulatory approval process for a Covid-19 vaccine has been politicized by the Trump administration in the run-up to the presidential election.

“When we’re looking at the intersection of vaccine and politics, everything is exaggerated. It’s not just racial disparities, but health disparities,” said Rob Jekielek, managing director of The Harris Poll. “Black [individuals] are disproportionately less likely to be within 60 minutes of a primary care physician, which also means they’re less likely to get useful information and instead use a hospital emergency room as a primary mechanism for care. They’re also less likely to have insurance.”

The messaging surrounding the vaccines need to dramatically improve because of the need for more than one vaccination.

The CDC and doctors across the country recommend the double-dose shot as your best chance at protection and society getting back to normal.

Nov 11

Holiday Travel Concerns This Year

By AV CaptureAll|2020-12-09T11:49:20-08:00November 11th, 2020|government, Industry News, Local Government, State Government, Uncategorized|0 Comments

As we face the holidays and the last few months of 2020, a year most of us are happy to see go, travel is on everyone’s mind.

We are facing a strange combination of Pandemic fatigue, fear of travel, and cities with travel quarantines and gathering restrictions in place. There are still many unknowns right now as many cities are experiencing a surge of COVID-19 cases.

For the week starting November 9, 2020, the number of scheduled flights worldwide was down by 46.5% compared to the week of November 11, 2019. However, some airlines are seeing an increase of flights being book and the middle seat being released to book, limiting social distancing options.

But a majority of Americans are not planning to travel this holiday season. According to Destination Analysts, a market research firm, their recent Coronavirus Travel Sentiment Index Study, a weekly survey of 1,200 Americans, found that only 28 percent expected to travel for the holidays, including both Thanksgiving and Christmas. In the same survey, 53 percent said they had traveled for the holidays last year.

Adding to the uncertainty, many of the largest cities, including most of the Northeast, still have travel quarantines in place or are planning one with the recent spike in cases. New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio has even urged residents not to travel out of state for the holidays for fear of inviting a wave of coronavirus when they return home. In San Francisco and the surrounding area, city and health officials recommend gathering outside which will help to significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. They’re advising no more than three households participate with a time limit of up to two hours per gathering.

Pandemic fatigue

Airlines have been one of the hardest-hit industries during the pandemic. Flight capacity has been steadily growing over the past month. Southwest Airlines, which has held middle seats open during the pandemic, recently announced it would make all seats available for flights beginning Dec. 1.

Still, scoring a seat without a neighbor sharing your armrest is getting harder, and travelers should prepare for more crowded planes.

In April, $25 billion in payroll grants plus a similar sum in low-interest loans went to the airline industry. Many Americans don’t think the airlines should receive any more taxpayer money. In the years before the pandemic, partly thanks to weak antitrust enforcement, airlines made massive profits. Since 2015, the four major carriers (American, Delta, United, and Southwest) had the best years the industry has ever seen.

Despite that, and the carriers desire to preserve capital for a rainy day, the big carriers paid $42 billion into stock repurchases in the hope of improving their share prices. That was more than the total of their free cash flow — the cash they generated after paying interest, taxes, and maintenance.

This hasn’t generated much sympathy for their hardships now and taxpayers aren’t keen on another bailout that would reward the carriers for egregious overcompensation and share buybacks.

American Airlines, the biggest carrier, poured nearly $13 billion into stock repurchases despite having negative free cash flow. The companies also resorted to massive borrowing, increasing their debt on average by 56% from 2014 to 2019. American’s debt soared from $18 billion to $33 billion.

Airfares for domestic flights in the second quarter dropped an average of 26% from the previous year, according to data from the Department of Transportation, released on a three-month delay and processed by airline analytics firm Cirium. That reduction came as travel demand fell as much as 97% over 2019 levels, before gradually improving to be down about 75%.

Average domestic fares at American Airlines were down 26%, while Delta cut fares 14%. United had one of the smallest reductions, down just 10% over 2019, while Southwest slashed fares by 25%.

Is the Air Better Up in the Air

Air quality inside the plane cabin has always been a concern. And now even more so. According to Airlines for America, the industry’s primary lobbying group that represents major carriers like Delta, American, United, and Southwest, “Onboard, all A4A carriers have aircraft equipped with HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filtration systems and all members comply with or exceed CDC guidance.”

This is reinforced by the International Air Transport Association, the industry’s global trade organization. “The risk of catching an infection on an aircraft is typically lower than in a shopping center or office environment,” says the spokesperson for IATA.

However, not all airplanes in U.S. fleets are HEPA-equipped, some of American Airlines’ regional aircraft, for instance, do not have the filters, so check each airline before booking.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging people to consider modifying holiday plans to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to keep friends, families, and communities healthy and safe. For more information about holiday travel from the CDC, click here

Whatever your holiday plans are, being mindful of your surroundings, wear your mask, wash your hands often, pack a lot of hand sanitizers and maintain social distancing as much as possible.

Happy Holidays from all of us at AV Capture All

Jul 2

Happy Independence Day

By AV CaptureAll|2020-07-02T13:38:27-08:00July 2nd, 2020|Live Streamng, Uncategorized|0 Comments

This Independence Day is unlike any other our country has celebrated in its 244 year history, but our joy and deep love of country are the same.

Independence Day or July 4th—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution.

From the day in 1776 that the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades, and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.

John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that Independence Day “will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival” and that the celebration should include “Pomp and Parade…Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.”

This 4th of July, however, may not resemble the celebrations in years past. As we face a health crisis that is not diminishing, and in fact in some states is getting worse, many Americans are weighing concerns for their health over going to large celebrations.

As new coronavirus cases soar, many state and city celebration plans are being canceled, but there are still ways to celebrate the Fourth of July while social distancing. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued guidelines for gatherings, click here to learn more. Here are addition guidelines from the CDC

Each state is issuing its own guidelines so be sure to check your state’s website. But most states are asking citizens to stay home and skip the party. If you plan to visit a National park, the National Park Service said it “strongly” encourages social distancing and the use of face coverings, but added that officials would “not take actions against individuals who do not wear cloth face coverings or adhere to the guidance.”

Whatever your plans are, AV Capture All wishes you and your family a happy and safe Independence Day.

May 6

Love and Weddings in the Time of Health Crisis

By AV CaptureAll|2020-05-06T11:27:37-08:00May 6th, 2020|City Clerks, Industry News, Live Streamng, Technology Innovations, Uncategorized|0 Comments

You might never think about a government agency or department until you need it, and when you need it during a health crisis that has caused a shutdown government, things can get complicated.

You never think about a marriage license until you need one. Needing a marriage license during the time of COVID19 has been another twist in how we’re adjusting our lives. And interestingly enough, Court clerks are reporting a spike in applications for marriage licenses, despite the COVID-19 restrictions and closed courthouses.

More People Are Applying For Marriage Licenses
Despite The Pandemic

Does experiencing a health pandemic make you adjust priorities and reevaluate your life? When it comes to getting married that seems to be the case. During the first weeks of the pandemic, courthouses actually saw a spike in marriages, and nationally the trend has held steady.

In Alexandria, Va., they issued almost 30% more marriage licenses in February and March than the same time last year. And in Little Rock, AR, they saw a huge spike in marriage licenses the week of St. Patrick’s Day, with more couples coming in than did the week of Valentine’s Day. And despite being closed to the public, the licensing office continues to issue marriage licenses through a plexiglass window.

Disruption and isolation have a way of encouraging us to electively re-evaluate our lives – and that can be a positive affirmation in the middle of a disconcerting time.

Researchers found that when we’re exposed to an uncertainty that feels like it is threatening our future people are eager to affirm their relationships.

Dr. Susan David, a Harvard psychologist and host of a new Ted podcast series on coping emotionally with the pandemic, living through a crisis can be genuinely formative.

“People who’ve gone through trauma or struggle in the way that we are experiencing now, that struggle can simultaneously be distressing, and there is enormous growth and power that can come from it,” she says.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to allow state residents to obtain marriage licenses remotely due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The state will also recognize marriages performed over a video call as long as both members of the couple are present and there is at least one witness to the live ceremony.

For local governments, keeping life moving is their priority even in the middle of a health crisis. Every state and city are finding ways to keep their citizen’s life moving forward too. At AV Capture All, our priority is to make it as easy as possible for local governments to keep their business of the people moving forward. Our Live Streaming solutions and platform allow staff and citizens who cannot attend the city meeting’s in-person to view online from home.

Mar 31

Tips to stay motivated working from home

By AV CaptureAll|2020-04-01T16:56:04-08:00March 31st, 2020|Industry News, Uncategorized|0 Comments

For most of us, working from home for a long period of time is disconcerting. We are creatures of habit and we like routines. We know when we have to leave the house in time to be able to stop at the local coffee house and get to work on time.

Working from home throws all that into chaos, and then add on the reason why we’re all working from home with unpredictable days, stress and isolation. All of this makes it hard to get your job done and stay focused.

Here are some tips:

Keep a regular schedule. This is key! Go to bed at the same time and set your alarm. Staying on the same schedule is grounding and offers a feeling of normalcy

Before you go to bed, write a “to-do list” for the next day. This helps you focus in the morning and allows you time to plan the rest of your day and not feel overwhelmed by what comes up.

Don’t turn on the TV. The TV can be a drain on your energy and mentally. Turn on music if that helps with motivation.

Set a time for breaks and lunch and try to stick to it.

Limit chores during work hours. Once you start doing a load of laundry or vacuum, you might be tempted to do more and before you know it’s 4pm. If you have errands, do them “during lunch” like you would at work.

Buy the office supplies you need to feel productive and organized.

Stay in touch co-workers. If you have Slack or other comm tools, use them to stay connected. Schedule weekly meetings on Zoom or Uber, share work products and ideas. Feeling connected with co-workers is key to staying engaged.

Organize your work area at the end of day. Starting the day with an organized work space gives you time in the morning to start the day running.

Share your tips and hacks!