Currents News Staff
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are calling for a timeout in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine. That’s because of six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot.
Currents News brought in medical expert, Dr. Robert Tiballi, infectious disease specialist from The Catholic Medical Association to discuss the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine concerns.
Currents News Staff
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are calling for a timeout in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine. That’s because of six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot.
“Right now, I would like to stress these events seem to be extremely rare,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock. “But COVID-19 vaccine safety is a top priority for the federal government.”
The cases, all in women between the ages of 18 and 48, all occurred six to 13 days after vaccination. One has died, another in critical condition. The six cases are out of nearly seven million doses of the one-shot vaccine administered in the U.S. so far.
The clotting, not seen, the government says, after Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.
“People that have vaccine appointments with the other vaccines, should continue with their appointment,” said CDC Principal Deputy Director Dr. Anne Schuchat.
A CDC advisory committee will convene wednesday, April 14, to discuss next steps.Some states already anticipated fewer Johnson & Johnson doses this week because of an unrelated production problem. Many have followed the recommendation to pause already.
The White House COVID response team says it won’t have a major impact on U.S. vaccination goals. Experts say overall, benefits of vaccination still outweigh COVID’s risks.
“I want to emphasize that the risk-benefit ratio is way in favor of benefit,” said Executive Associate Dean at Emory School of Medicine, Dr. Carlos Del Rio. “The vaccines have saved thousands of lives already.”
Those who received the J&J vaccine within the last three weeks and develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath should contact their health care provider.
A Johnson & Johnson vaccine pause after blood clots.
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Catholic students in the Diocese of Brooklyn are learning braille!
By Emily Drooby
It’s an alphabet that’s rarely taught in schools. Antonio Caruso is only in the fourth grade, but now he knows how to read and write in braille.
“We learned how to do braille,” Antonio said. “Like, we used peas and then we put them on the dots of the alphabet and it was pretty cool.”
He learned it at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy in Gravesend, Brooklyn.
The activity stems from a lesson on American icon Helen Keller, who lost her sight and hearing at a very young age.
“I learned that Helen Keller has been through a lot of obstacles, like being blind and deaf at the same time,” said student Mariam Egiazarian.
Keller went on to become an author, disability rights advocate and American icon.
A devout Christian, Keller spent more than 20 years of her life living in Forest Hills, Queens. Today, a mural in her honor stands near her home.
Keller’s inspirational life story is a staple of American education. When it comes to braille, which is nearly 200 years old, it isn’t taught in schools as often as one would think.
According to the National Braille Press, only 10 percent of blind schoolchildren learn braille in school. That makes this lesson that the Brooklyn students are undertaking, all the more unique.
Teacher Christine Latona says this lesson goes deeper than just learning braille and highlights all different kinds of communication, including the ones kids might not always think about like voice recordings or sign language.
“So many people struggle with not knowing how to communicate,” Christine said. “That is something that we really need to teach them now, just knowing that there are so many different ways of expressing yourself. It’s not just verbal anymore.”
Christine taught this lesson for six years and says she plans on teaching it for many years to come.
Currents News Staff
Rev. George Miller is the executive director of the Immigrant Advocacy Center at El Calvario United Methodist Church in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
“We’re a tiny little church,” Rev. George said. “We have a big heart though. We’ve always welcomed people, especially those that are not welcome in other places. So it’s been a refuge for people.”
As the center prepares to welcome migrants, the reverend met with New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich.
“We’re starting the process of meeting with the sorts of religious organizations, nonprofits and others who can help address those refugee needs on an on the ground basis,” the senator said, “and make sure that we have, that we’re not caught flat footed, that we have the capacity to do that in a humane and legal and efficient way.”
Senator Heinrich says unlike past years when these efforts were reimbursed, there’s now federal funding available ahead of time.
“We started working a number of months ago, to actually include funding in the American Rescue Plan,” Sen. Heinrich said, “to be able to build local capacity to meet and address the number of migrants that we typically see this time of year.”
In the past, they’ve been able to house 60 migrants at this facility. But now, because of the pandemic, that number has been reduced to just 30. Still, expenses have increased as they work to keep everyone safe and healthy.
“It just seems like when you’re doing the right thing, the money comes from somewhere,” Rev. George said.
They hope this visit contributes to work that will continue to help their shelter and others in New Mexico stay prepared.
“We hope to help with the senator to start building that Mexican infrastructure,” Rev. George added, “so we can meet these contingencies, as they come about every time.”
By Jessica Easthope
Starting Monday, April 12, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is taking applications from people who lost loved ones to COVID-19 and had the burden of expensive and unexpected funeral costs. They can get reimbursed for up to $9,000.
“It’s just gut-wrenching to realize that there are thousands of people, bodies, lying in morgues not being buried properly,” said New York Sen. Chuck Schumer. “It’s one of the many, many, many problems average people face — poor people, working people — with this COVID disaster.”
On Monday, Senator Schumer and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez held a news conference in Corona Plaza to lay out the ground rules for the program and why it matters to the immigrant-rich neighborhood.
“This community did not benefit from a lot of the relief efforts we had last year,” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez said. “This is one of the first programs that will allow mixed-status and undocumented families to get some semblance of relief after feeding this country, cleaning our schools, serving and holding this community up.”
According to the program, people can get reimbursed for expenses during every stage of the funeral process: from transportation to identifying a loved-one’s remains to the purchasing of a burial plot.
They’re required to provide a copy of a death certificate showing the primary or contributing cause of death was COVID-19, as well as proof of funeral expenses like receipts and contracts dated Jan. 20, 2020 and after. People can be reimbursed for expenses from that date until Dec. 31 of 2020.
As for current COVID-19 related deaths, people can get the help as they need it.
“Those now who can’t afford a funeral can get the money to pay for it now and on into the future,” Sen. Schumer said.
Lawmakers say this program won’t undo the damage done by the pandemic but it will help New Yorkers most in need.
“It also speaks to our capacity and power to organize,” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez said. “When we get knocked down and terrible things happen, we can organize and build community power and get families the justice they deserve.”
Father Manuel de Jesus Rodriguez, the pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Corona, Queens, had at least 100 parishioners die of COVID-19. He says his predominantly undocumented parish is in desperate need of the program.
“This initiative is certainly a blessing and we welcome it with open arms,” Father Manuel said. “Because this is a direct support and direct benefit that these families will be taking advantage of and it would be helping them to move forward. Many of them are still jobless and this will be so helpful.”
Unemployment rates in Queens and Brooklyn are both hovering around 13 percent. Elected officials encourage everyone to gather their paperwork and make the call to FEMA.
COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number
Applications begin on April 12, 2021
844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585
Hours of Operation:
Monday – Friday
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time
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The Tablet fundraiser — it’s the last week to help Catholic schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
By Emily Drooby
Flipping through the pages of The Tablet newspaper is something 20 more people will be doing thanks to seventh-grade student, Kiley Quinn.
That’s because Kiley is selling subscriptions for “The Tablet’s COVID Relief Fundraiser” where schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn compete to sell the most subscriptions or renewals to the paper.
Students like Kiley earn money for their school and for themselves. The month-long competition ends on April 16.
“I definitely, immediately wanted to get involved because it was a good thing for the school and also for me too,” Kiley said. “It’s like, you’re getting something.”
Since Kiley has passed the three-order milestone, she is making $10 a subscription. For every subscription sold, $5 also goes to her school, Good Shepherd Catholic Academy. That means 75 percent of the $20 subscription is going back to the school.
“Once I graduate, I won’t be here and I’m going to miss it,” Kiley said. “They’ve been good to me. My teachers are great. I want to give back to my school.”
The top-selling school and the top-selling student will get a $3,000 bonus.
No matter the outcome, The Tablet’s John Alexander says that everyone is still a winner.
“We thought that this was a way for students to earn money to help their schools coming out of a very difficult time,” John said, “and to help themselves.”
The pandemic halted many of the normal school fundraisers. Good Shepherd Catholic Academy Principal John O’Brien says this fundraiser will help improve school programs. The opportunity also helps kids learn more about The Tablet.
“There’s always lots to do,” he said, “but definitely what it will do, is it will go towards improving programs for the students. Whether its new resources, or improvements to our building. Maybe even opportunities to celebrate the school year.”
Good Shepherd had a unique first-hand experience with the power of the media this year. Even though the school was in a COVID hotspot, despite the school itself not having cases, they were forced to close by the city.
“The Tablet was a great voice advocating for Catholic education,” the principal explained, “since last March and certainly this fall, we were shut down.”
The competition is fierce: Good Shepherd is up against 51 other diocesan schools. Heading into the program’s last week, one thing is for sure, even though only one school can officially win — every single dollar raised is a victory.
By Currents News Staff
For the second consecutive year, Pope Francis visited the church of Divine Mercy in Rome, April 11. Here he celebrated Mass in commemoration of Divine Mercy Sunday, which was established by John Paul II.
The church holds an image of Jesus as He appeared to Saint Faustina Kowalska. It was during these visions that the Polish nun came to better understand the Mercy of God.
Pope Francis stated that Christians who do not accept God’s mercy and who are not merciful to others live their faith half-heartedly.
“This is the starting-point of our Christian journey,” the Holy Father said. “But if we trust in our own abilities, in the efficiency of our structures and projects, we will not go far. Only if we accept the love of God, will we be able to offer something new to the world.”
The pontiff recalled how in His first apparitions after the resurrection, Jesus freed the disciples of their remorse. With His message to them he did not take away their problems, but he gave them hope.
“As far as God is concerned, no one is useless, discredited or a castaway,” Pope Francis said. “Today, Jesus also tells us, ‘Peace be with you! You are precious in my eyes. Peace be with you! You are important to me. Peace be with you! You have a mission. No one can take your place. You are irreplaceable. And I believe in you.'”
Due to restrictions from the pandemic, few people were admitted to the Mass. Among them were prisoners from different jails in Rome, patients from a nearby hospital, and other pilgrims.
These were whom the Holy Father chose to spend his day with.
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