Effective Care Demands Paid Family & Medical Leave for Mainers

Without a statewide paid family and medical leave program, taking time off from work to care for a loved one in need means giving up a paycheck for many workers in Maine.

Alicia Barnes was one of those workers. When her son was hospitalized, she had to choose between being present for him during medical procedures or earning a paycheck to pay for his treatment.

“I felt bad that I couldn’t just be with my son during his tests, and I’m on a work call because I can’t afford to lose four hours of pay,” Alicia recalls.

Maine currently offers an unpaid Family & Medical Leave program, but in a state where many working families struggle to cover a surprise $400 expense, using it isn’t necessarily an option.

Sign here if you agree: Maine needs Paid Family & Medical Leave.

This year, Maine passed legislation establishing a commission that will craft an implementation plan for a statewide Paid Family & Medical Leave program by studying similar programs in other states. Introduced by Senator Mattie Daughtry, the commission will be made up of experts and everyday Mainers, including veterans, parents, and small business owners.

Maine will join nine other states and Washington, D.C. in providing paid family and medical leave. The commission’s legislation will ensure that no Mainer will need to choose between a paycheck or taking care of themselves or their loved ones.

Mainers for Working Families applauds Sen. Daughtry, Gov. Janet Mills, and our representatives in Augusta for their leadership and commitment to improving the lives of working Mainers. We look forward to seeing the commission’s efforts in action in the near future.

Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Dangerous?

There’s been a lot of speculation about the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson since their release last year. We’re breaking down some of the most common beliefs surrounding the vaccines.

These vaccines were developed so much faster than usual. Are they really safe?

Yes. The global scientific community came together very quickly to share research and other resources that helped to speed up our response to the pandemic. Additionally, Pfizer and Moderna had already spent years working on a coronavirus vaccine and the mRNA technology used in their vaccines, so it was available as soon as development on COVID-19 vaccines started.

Source: New Jersey Department of Health

As far as certification goes, developers managed to complete every step in the testing process by conducting some on an overlapping schedule, and many individuals were more than willing to help in the search for a solution.

Sources: Johns Hopkins Medicine, Boston University, American Association of Family Physicians

Can the COVID-19 vaccine cause infertility?

No. There is absolutely no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine causes infertility or miscarriages. In fact, the CDC now recommends that pregnant women get vaccinated.

This rumor originally started when a German epidemiologist suggested that the coronavirus’s spiked protein slightly resembled a spiked protein found in the placenta during pregnancy, which might make the body of a vaccinated woman reject the placenta and terminate a pregnancy. In reality, these two proteins are not genetically similar enough for the body to make that mistake.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Boston University, WebMD

Does the vaccine contain a microchip?

No. First of all, if you’re worried about being tracked by a microchip, you should probably ditch every electronic device and social media account you own, because that’s a far easier way to gather data and keep tabs on you.

Second, there’s no such thing as a vaccine “microchip.” This rumor grew out of a misrepresentation of digital vaccine certificates proposed by Bill Gates, which don’t yet exist. Not once did Gates even mention microchips.

Sources: American Association of Family Physicians, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Boston University, Mayo Clinic

Can the vaccine alter my DNA?

No. The mRNA vaccines used by Pfizer and Moderna do not impact the nucleus of a person’s cells, where DNA lives. Instead, it tells the cells to produce an immune-boosting protein, then quickly breaks down.

Sources: American Association of Family Physicians, Johns Hopkins Medicine, CDC, Mayo Clinic

Doesn’t the vaccine cause some really nasty side effects?

Severe side effects (none of which are life-threatening) are exceedingly rare. The most common side effects are injection site pain and redness, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, nausea, and temporarily feeling lousy. These are fairly common side effects from any vaccine and prove that your immune system is responding appropriately. You can relieve some of these side effects by drinking lots of fluids, dressing light, applying a cold washcloth to the injection site, exercising the arm where you received your vaccine, and taking over-the-counter medications. Trust us, the effects of COVID-19 are so much worse than anything the vaccine could do to you.

Sources: Johns Hopkins Medicine, CDC, Mayo Clinic

I’ve already had COVID-19 and recovered from it. Do I really need the vaccine?

Yes. Studies have shown that once you’ve recovered from the coronavirus, the antibodies in your system only last a few months at most. In other words, you can get COVID-19 again. Vaccines are the only way to ensure longer-lasting protection.

Sources: Nature Communications, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Boston University

People who were vaccinated are still getting COVID. Why should I bother?

There’s no such thing as a 100% effective vaccine. Sadly, that medical miracle remains out of reach at the moment.

That said, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are more than 90 percent effective at preventing COVID (J&J is about 66 percent effective). By contrast, flu vaccines are only 40 to 60 percent effective. And vaccinated people who do contract the coronavirus are far less likely to be hospitalized than those who are unvaccinated.

Sources: Mayo Clinic, CDC, Boston University

Can I still get the vaccine if I’m allergic to eggs or latex?

Yes. None of the vaccines contain eggs or latex.

Sources: Mayo Clinic, Allergic Living, Allergy & Asthma Network

If you’re like us and want to see this pandemic end sometime soon, do yourself, your family, and your community a favor: get vaccinated. Vaccines are free and available to all people ages 12 and up.

To schedule an appointment, you can call the vaccine hotline at 1-888-445-4111. The hotline is live Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or Saturday-Sunday: 8 a.m.- 2 p.m.

You can find your nearest vaccination site online and sign up by calling the individual site. Click here to find a comprehensive list of vaccine clinics in Maine.

Facing the Delta Variant in Maine

This week, Governor Mills celebrated 80 percent of Maine adults receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. But the rise of the Delta variant across the country has brought about rapid changes in COVID-19 protocols in Maine. Read on to learn how this new wave may affect you and your family.

What do I need to know about the Delta variant?

The Delta variant, which originated in India at the end of 2020, differs from the original COVID-19 strain and other variants in a number of ways:

• It is more than twice as contagious as the initial COVID-19 virus. According to the CDC, every infected individual has the potential to infect up to five other people.
  

• It causes more severe illness in unvaccinated people. Among unvaccinated individuals, the Delta variant has been shown to result in more hospitalizations than the original coronavirus strain.
  

• You can still contract the Delta variant if you’re vaccinated. Although breakthrough infections are exceedingly rare (less than a 1 in 1400 chance), they’re not impossible. That said, vaccinated patients appear to have milder symptoms and are far less likely to require hospitalization.

What is Maine doing to combat rising cases?

Maine has updated its COVID-19 protocols in accordance with CDC guidelines. This means that people in substantial high-risk counties are advised to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. As of August 12, this affects almost all Maine counties.

Additionally, as we prepare for back-to-school season, the CDC recommends that all teachers, staff, and students in K-12 schools wear face coverings, regardless of vaccination status or community transmission level.

You can learn more at maine.gov/covid19/.

What else can I do to protect myself and stop the spread of the Delta variant?

• Get vaccinated! This is the most important thing you can do to combat the spread of the Delta variant and bring the pandemic to an end. Vaccines are free and available to all people ages 12 and up.
  

  • To schedule an appointment, you can call the vaccine hotline at 1-888-445-4111. The hotline is live on Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or Saturday-Sunday: 8 a.m.- 2 p.m.
    

  • You can find your nearest vaccination site online and sign up by calling the individual site. Click here to find a comprehensive list of vaccine clinics in Maine.
    

  • Still unsure about getting the vaccine? Don’t worry, it’s safe and effective for nearly everyone ages 12 and up. The CDC, Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and the World Health Organization (WHO) have addressed some of the most common myths surrounding the virus and the vaccine’s effects.
    

• Wear a mask indoors, even if you’re vaccinated: You read that right. Research has found that vaccinated individuals with breakthrough infections can carry and spread as much virus as unvaccinated people, so masking indoors can help us to prevent additional cases. And don’t forget social distancing!
  

As case numbers rise substantially, we must do our part to combat this new wave of infections and keep Mainers safe and healthy. Please see our COVID-19 Resources page for additional information.