Many kids missing measles vaccine
The World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said measles immunization has dropped significantly since the pandemic began, resulting in a record high of nearly 40 million children missing a vaccine dose last year.
In a report issued this month, the WHO and the CDC said millions of children were now susceptible to measles, among the world’s most contagious diseases. In 2021, officials said there were about 9 million measles infections and 128,000 deaths worldwide.
The WHO and CDC said continued drops in vaccination, weak disease surveillance and delayed response plans due to COVID-19, in addition to ongoing outbreaks in more than 20 countries, mean that “measles is an imminent threat in every region of the world.”
Scientists say that at least 95% of a population needs to be immunized to protect against epidemics; the WHO and the CDC reported that about 81% of children received their first dose of measles vaccine, while 71% got their second dose, marking the lowest global coverage rates of the first measles dose since 2008.
“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.
Measles is mostly spread through direct contact or in the air, and causes symptoms including fever, muscle pain and a skin rash on the face and upper neck. Most measles-related deaths are caused by complications, including swelling of the brain and dehydration. The WHO says serious complications are most serious in children under 5 and adults over 30.
In July, the United Nations said 25 million children have missed out on routine immunizations against diseases including diphtheria, largely because the coronavirus disrupted routine health services or triggered vaccine misinformation.
College controversy erupts over course
The University of Chicago released a statement after a class called The Problem of Whiteness caused an uproar on social media earlier this month.
U. of C. sophomore Daniel Schmidt shared a Tweet decrying the class with over 31,000 followers on social media.
“Since I began college a year ago, I’ve documented all the anti-white hatred I’ve seen on campus,” he wrote on Nov. 1. “Without a doubt, this is the most egregious example.”
“A crucial aspect of academic freedom is the ability of instructors to design courses and curricula, including those that foster debate and may lead to disagreement,” Amanda Woodward, dean of the social sciences division at the U. of C., said in a statement.
The Critical Race and Ethnic Studies seminar, which was set to be taught by cultural anthropologist Rebecca Journey in the winter semester, “examines the problem of whiteness through an anthropological lens, drawing from classic and contemporary works of critical race theory,” according to the course description.
In a Twitter thread, Schmidt shared Journey’s email.
The Maroon, the student newspaper at the university, reported that Journey postponed the class till the spring semester after receiving at least 80 objectionable emails.
The class, she said, will be taught with the same title, description and content in the spring.
Cops say teacher sexually assaulted 10
A music teacher accused of sexually assaulting at least 10 students at a California school was arrested, police said.
On Nov. 7, San Jose police were called to the Adelante Dual Language Academy to investigate a teacher reportedly having “inappropriate contact with several minors at the school,” according to a Nov. 22 news release from the San Jose Police Department.
Israel Santiago, a music teacher at the school in San Jose, is accused of sexually assaulting at least 10 students in the band room, according to the release. He was arrested Monday. “The children reported feeling extremely uncomfortable,” according to a news release from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
“This individual has not been present on any district property since Nov. 1 and they were directed by the District to not have any contact with students, faculty, or other district employees,” Alum Rock School District Superintendent Hilaria Bauer said.
The 43-year-old teacher was arrested after detectives presented the case to the DA’s office, police said.
Off-duty NYPD cop involved in shooting
The FBI is investigating an NYPD detective involved in an off-duty shooting in Queens, the Daily News has learned.
NYPD Detective Saul Delacruz was suspended without pay on Tuesday, police officials confirmed.
On Nov. 8 Delacruz was involved in an off-duty shooting outside of Brookville Park in Queens near 232nd Street and Lansing Avenue.
Delacruz told investigators that he was off duty and driving home when he saw someone with what appeared to be a gun around 2:15 a.m.
When he pulled over and got out of his car the unidentified man opened fire at him, cops were initially told. Delacruz returned fire but no one was hit during the firefight. The gunman ran off but dropped his firearm, cops said.
The federal probe was launched as investigators questioned Delacruz’s account and are trying to determine if he actually knows the man he shot at, a source said.
A high-ranking NYPD source said the FBI is spearheading the investigation and searched Delacruz’s work locker.
“There is zero tolerance in the NYPD for corruption or criminal activity of any kind by any member of the service,” an NYPD spokesman said. “The investigation is active and ongoing at this time.”
The eight-year NYPD veteran is a Field Intelligence Officer.
EPA: Pa. Bay plan falls short of goals
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rejected a plan from Pennsylvania environmental officials aimed at cutting pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.
Pennsylvania’s third attempt at getting approval for a Watershed Improvement Plan, as part of an ongoing multistate partnership to reduce pollution flowing into the bay, has been rejected by federal environmental officials who said the plan did not “fully demonstrate” how the commonwealth will meet its 2025 goals.
In a statement issued on Monday, the EPA said the state was still falling short of its target goals despite increased funding for pollution-reduction projects in the most recent state budget.
“… Plans for federal infrastructure funding, additional existing state programs that could result in reductions, and ongoing efforts to innovate verification, tracking, and … those changes did not result in any significant increase in proposed implementation,” the evaluation reads. “Pennsylvania has not provided a final plan that demonstrates a sufficient acceleration of implementation to meet its 2025 target.”