skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

OR Health Expert: Vaccinations Will Make Summer Travel Safer, Easier

play audio
Play

Tuesday, May 25, 2021   

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Travel is expected to pick up this summer as vaccination rates increase and COVID-19 cases trend downward, but health experts are reminding people they still need to travel safely.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has relaxed mask rules for people who are fully vaccinated, that is, two weeks after their final shot. Masks still are required in certain places for everyone, such as on planes.

The vaccine has also been approved for children 12 and older.

Dr. Jennifer Vines, health officer for Multnomah County, said it will be much easier and safer to travel this summer for those who have been vaccinated.

"People who are fully vaccinated can travel within the United States without a lot of the testing or quarantine hassles," Vines explained. "They can also feel good that they're well protected against the variants that are currently circulating in Oregon and in the rest of the country."

Vines hopes eliminating testing and quarantine requirements will be an incentive for people to get vaccinated. Nearly 63% of Oregonians 18 and older have received at least one vaccine shot. COVID-19 cases in Oregon spiked in April but are coming back down now.

Dr. Amit Arwindekar, North American medical director for UnitedHealthcare Global, said people should be extra careful if they plan to travel internationally. He urged would-be travelers to stay on top of case rates and public health regulations at their destination. He added people should also check their health policy, noting 80% of countries worldwide still have "Do Not Travel" warnings from the U.S. State Department.

"If you get sick, if you need to be hospitalized, or even if you just need to quarantine, and they're going to keep you from getting on the plane, you should understand, 'How are you going to pay for that?" Arwindekar asked. "Is it covered under your plan? And, 'Where can you go to get safe, high-quality care in that country?'"

Arwindekar encouraged families with children younger than age 12, who are not yet approved to get the COVID-19 vaccine, to try to delay travel for now. He added while the vast majority of young children get mild cases when infected, they could spread the virus to other people.

Disclosure: United Healthcare contributes to our fund for reporting on Health Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
Many factors affect a customer's bill amount, including energy usage, weather, and the number of days in a billing period, according to Arizona Public Service. (Jason Yoder/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …


Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

Social Issues

play sound

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …


More than six in 10 Americans favor keeping the abortion pill mifepristone available in the U.S. as a prescription drug, while over a third are opposed, according to a Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

New research shows more than six in 10 abortions in the U.S. last year were medically induced, and U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto - D-NV - is …

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …

Social media platform X temporarily shutdown searches of "Taylor Swift" following the release of explicit deepfake images in early 2024. (Mdv Edwards/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…

Social Issues

play sound

A 2023 study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center concluded the number of Nebraskans with a mental health or substance abuse disorder has pr…

Environment

play sound

A farm group is helping Iowa agriculture producers find ways to reduce the amount of nitrogen they use on their crops. Excess nitrates can wind up …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021