I regret to say that I don’t think that Senator Cassidy has the intestinal fortitude ‘to first do no harm’ that his Hippocratic oath as a doctor demands that he do as Chairman of his US Senate Committee on Health. He should be calling HHS Secretary RFK, Jr. before his Committee and disabuse him of JFK,Jr’s statements that COVID vaccines are ineffective to prevent the transmission of the COVID virus amongst the general population. Senator Cassidy knows that he must take a strong stand against Secretary Kennedy’s current position on limiting the COVID vaccine to only 65years and older people. Senator Cassidy is cognizant that if he takes this kind of stand against Secretary JFK, Jr. he will be ostracized by his Republican colleagues and will have his chances of being re-elected as US Senator in 2026 further eroded. It seems that the Senator needs to decide to do the right thing in this matter of life. Is he ready to show some intestinal fortitude? I hope so but I don’t think so.
I am struck by this statement: "I’m in Baton Rouge right now, and it’s easier for most people here to buy an AR-15 than to get a COVID shot." I knew that but it is still capable of shocking me. I would hope that our Senator, at least, call Trump and offer an opinion even if privately. One way or another, his coward's way out should be shouted out during the campaign loudly and clearly, and excuses dismissed.
I’ve known Bill Cassidy for many years. He has a conscience and is a fine physician. I’m praying he will stand up for what he knows, deep in his soul, is the right thing to do. This is your chance Dr. Cassidy to be the healer and the hero.
Cassidy has always been a less-than-stellar elected official. Maybe he WAS a good doctor, and should have remained in a field where he did good work. I doubt he will stand up to trump and really do something about Kennedy's destruction of our public health system. Tepidly suggesting to RFK to postpone the vax advisory committee meeting - seriously?!
And Bernie Sanders' op-ed in today's NY Times saying Kennedy should resign is another one spitting in the wind. I'm sure Kennedy is quaking in his boots over that. He's not going to resign and trump isn't going to fire him. A cabinet member can be impeached by the House of Representatives, then tried and convicted by the Senate, but only for treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Imposing a death sentence on untold numbers of Americans by withholding lifesaving vaccines and cancelling important medical research are not considered actual criminal offenses. So expecting Congress to do anything about Kennedy is just wishful thinking.
We the People want proper medical care for anyone who chooses it - including vaccines. But the bottom line is that We the People don't have a say, have no recourse, and are basically screwed.
Perhaps a million people in the streets to protest might get some attention. But honestly, republicans just don't give a rat's rear what we think.
Gavin Newsom has given the most full-throated call to action I've heard so far. As unpleasant as the prospect of a popular revolt is, I'm afraid that's what it's going to take if this cruel and incompetent regime isn't stopped very, very soon. Americans have taken our blessings too much for granted for too long. It's not going to be easy to keep this Republic any longer. It's likely to be hard and painful.
I do not understand why Cassidy thinks he has any chance of surviving the primary as the situation stands. Possibly if he believed an about face on Kennedy would win him the support of we NOPTY voters .......?
They allowed me to schedule it, so I’m not sure what will happen when I show up. Maybe I’ll call my doc and ask him to call in a script just to be sure.
Bob, do you have a prescription for your COVID shot? If not, you won't get it. When I checked Walgreens yesterday, they said they are not giving COVID shots at all until the new formula comes out in October. When my husband called them today, Walgreens said the new state law won't let them give the shot without a prescription. And it's not available at all until October. I'm in Baton Rouge.
They allowed me to schedule it, so I’m not sure what will happen when I show up. Maybe I’ll call my doc and ask him to call in a script just to be sure.
My Walgreen's wouldn't schedule an appointment. The website told me to contact my PCP for a prescription. After I did that, I got a text from Walgreen's telling me my appointment was Nov. 6. The prescription was for flu also. The flu shot is recommended in September. We'd all better do our best to stay healthy for the next couple of months. I've written all three congressmen multiple times. Based on their responses so far, I feel like I'm wasting my time.
My husband just checked the Walgreens website for scheduling the appointment and after your information is submitted a small notice appears that says the vaccine is available now but you need a prescription "in your state". Maybe this didn't pop up when you scheduled your appointment or you didn't notice it. Good luck!
My H says that Louisiana law is that pharmacists can’t administer vaccines without a prescription unless they are approved by both the FDA and the CDC. Up until now all versions of the Covid vaccine have been approved by both. What’s arriving in pharmacies now is the 25-26 winter version of the Covid vaccine. It has received FDA approval, but is awaiting CDC approval. That’s on the agenda for the ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) meeting in September. Usually ACIP recommends approval to the CDC and then the CDC approves the vaccine. Until the 25-26 COVID vaccine gets CDC approval, Louisiana pharmacies can’t give the shot without a prescription. I don’t think Walgreens still has any of the prior vaccine in stock, as far as I can tell, and the new version has only just arrived, or it will arrive next week.
It’s my understanding that part of the fight Monarez had with RFK Jr was him demanding that she, the CDC, agree to everything ACIP decides in September. Normally, the CDC director takes their recommendations and can select whether to accept all of them, some of them, or none of them. Monarez refused to agree to accept all of them in advance of knowing what they were, so RFK Jr told her to resign or be fired. There was other stuff too.
I think Monarez was afraid that ACIP would recommend things she didn’t like, and she didn’t want to give up her prerogative to not accept their advice. So maybe they would refuse to approve the new Covid vaccine in spite of FDA approval. The CDC director could reject that advice and approve the vaccine anyway. Right now there are 15 or 16 states that require a prescription for the new vaccine. They probably have similar laws.
I called my local CVS. They are awaiting shipment and expect to have it. For eligible people under new restrictions, a prescription from your doctor will be required.
I have given up on believing that any Republican who wants to hold office is capable of not following the orders of il Poochie. Or that any one he has put in place is anything but a tool. Kennedy is an exception; he’s been allowed to pursue his own agenda and tear apart decades of progress to return us to bloodletting and leaches
I regret to say that I don’t think that Senator Cassidy has the intestinal fortitude ‘to first do no harm’ that his Hippocratic oath as a doctor demands that he do as Chairman of his US Senate Committee on Health. He should be calling HHS Secretary RFK, Jr. before his Committee and disabuse him of JFK,Jr’s statements that COVID vaccines are ineffective to prevent the transmission of the COVID virus amongst the general population. Senator Cassidy knows that he must take a strong stand against Secretary Kennedy’s current position on limiting the COVID vaccine to only 65years and older people. Senator Cassidy is cognizant that if he takes this kind of stand against Secretary JFK, Jr. he will be ostracized by his Republican colleagues and will have his chances of being re-elected as US Senator in 2026 further eroded. It seems that the Senator needs to decide to do the right thing in this matter of life. Is he ready to show some intestinal fortitude? I hope so but I don’t think so.
I am struck by this statement: "I’m in Baton Rouge right now, and it’s easier for most people here to buy an AR-15 than to get a COVID shot." I knew that but it is still capable of shocking me. I would hope that our Senator, at least, call Trump and offer an opinion even if privately. One way or another, his coward's way out should be shouted out during the campaign loudly and clearly, and excuses dismissed.
I’ve known Bill Cassidy for many years. He has a conscience and is a fine physician. I’m praying he will stand up for what he knows, deep in his soul, is the right thing to do. This is your chance Dr. Cassidy to be the healer and the hero.
Cassidy has always been a less-than-stellar elected official. Maybe he WAS a good doctor, and should have remained in a field where he did good work. I doubt he will stand up to trump and really do something about Kennedy's destruction of our public health system. Tepidly suggesting to RFK to postpone the vax advisory committee meeting - seriously?!
And Bernie Sanders' op-ed in today's NY Times saying Kennedy should resign is another one spitting in the wind. I'm sure Kennedy is quaking in his boots over that. He's not going to resign and trump isn't going to fire him. A cabinet member can be impeached by the House of Representatives, then tried and convicted by the Senate, but only for treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Imposing a death sentence on untold numbers of Americans by withholding lifesaving vaccines and cancelling important medical research are not considered actual criminal offenses. So expecting Congress to do anything about Kennedy is just wishful thinking.
We the People want proper medical care for anyone who chooses it - including vaccines. But the bottom line is that We the People don't have a say, have no recourse, and are basically screwed.
Perhaps a million people in the streets to protest might get some attention. But honestly, republicans just don't give a rat's rear what we think.
Gavin Newsom has given the most full-throated call to action I've heard so far. As unpleasant as the prospect of a popular revolt is, I'm afraid that's what it's going to take if this cruel and incompetent regime isn't stopped very, very soon. Americans have taken our blessings too much for granted for too long. It's not going to be easy to keep this Republic any longer. It's likely to be hard and painful.
Calling him on Tuesday
Thanks. Will put on my Tuesday to-do list. Something broke through Cassidy’s shell of denial.
I do not understand why Cassidy thinks he has any chance of surviving the primary as the situation stands. Possibly if he believed an about face on Kennedy would win him the support of we NOPTY voters .......?
I know that divorcing Trump will be hard for Dr. Bill. So I'm suggesting that he practice by divorcing RFK first!
They allowed me to schedule it, so I’m not sure what will happen when I show up. Maybe I’ll call my doc and ask him to call in a script just to be sure.
Sorry. Posted reply to wrong thread!!
Bob, do you have a prescription for your COVID shot? If not, you won't get it. When I checked Walgreens yesterday, they said they are not giving COVID shots at all until the new formula comes out in October. When my husband called them today, Walgreens said the new state law won't let them give the shot without a prescription. And it's not available at all until October. I'm in Baton Rouge.
They allowed me to schedule it, so I’m not sure what will happen when I show up. Maybe I’ll call my doc and ask him to call in a script just to be sure.
My Walgreen's wouldn't schedule an appointment. The website told me to contact my PCP for a prescription. After I did that, I got a text from Walgreen's telling me my appointment was Nov. 6. The prescription was for flu also. The flu shot is recommended in September. We'd all better do our best to stay healthy for the next couple of months. I've written all three congressmen multiple times. Based on their responses so far, I feel like I'm wasting my time.
My husband just checked the Walgreens website for scheduling the appointment and after your information is submitted a small notice appears that says the vaccine is available now but you need a prescription "in your state". Maybe this didn't pop up when you scheduled your appointment or you didn't notice it. Good luck!
Thank you for the heads up. I just messaged my doctor about this.
My H says that Louisiana law is that pharmacists can’t administer vaccines without a prescription unless they are approved by both the FDA and the CDC. Up until now all versions of the Covid vaccine have been approved by both. What’s arriving in pharmacies now is the 25-26 winter version of the Covid vaccine. It has received FDA approval, but is awaiting CDC approval. That’s on the agenda for the ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) meeting in September. Usually ACIP recommends approval to the CDC and then the CDC approves the vaccine. Until the 25-26 COVID vaccine gets CDC approval, Louisiana pharmacies can’t give the shot without a prescription. I don’t think Walgreens still has any of the prior vaccine in stock, as far as I can tell, and the new version has only just arrived, or it will arrive next week.
It’s my understanding that part of the fight Monarez had with RFK Jr was him demanding that she, the CDC, agree to everything ACIP decides in September. Normally, the CDC director takes their recommendations and can select whether to accept all of them, some of them, or none of them. Monarez refused to agree to accept all of them in advance of knowing what they were, so RFK Jr told her to resign or be fired. There was other stuff too.
I think Monarez was afraid that ACIP would recommend things she didn’t like, and she didn’t want to give up her prerogative to not accept their advice. So maybe they would refuse to approve the new Covid vaccine in spite of FDA approval. The CDC director could reject that advice and approve the vaccine anyway. Right now there are 15 or 16 states that require a prescription for the new vaccine. They probably have similar laws.
Good background. Thank you!!
I called my local CVS. They are awaiting shipment and expect to have it. For eligible people under new restrictions, a prescription from your doctor will be required.
I have given up on believing that any Republican who wants to hold office is capable of not following the orders of il Poochie. Or that any one he has put in place is anything but a tool. Kennedy is an exception; he’s been allowed to pursue his own agenda and tear apart decades of progress to return us to bloodletting and leaches