7 Things: Push for vaccine mandate ban to be added to Alabama’s special session, vaccines less effective at stopping Delta variant, teachers suing over work during the pandemic and more …

7. Borders with Mexico and Canada are opening, even though the southern border is clearly open

• While it’s already appeared that the southern border has been open under President Joe Biden, it’s now official that the United States’ borders with Mexico and Canada will reopen to fully vaccinated individuals. For now, only those traveling non-essentially are required to be fully vaccinated, but it’s expected that even those on essential travel, such as truck drivers, will be required to be fully vaccinated early in 2022.
• According to new Border Patrol documents that have been leaked, there have been around 160,000 illegal immigrants released in the country at the southern border since March, and about 70,000 of those were released since August 6. Around 32,000 people were released into the country with temporary status to work legally.

6. Apparently, some vaccine requirements are OK for some Alabama businesses

• The four-day film festival in Fairhope has announced that this year they will be requiring those who attend to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, but this decision was quickly rescinded after Fairhope resident Stephanie Durnin complained to city officials.
• Durnin requested the city’s decision to sponsor the festival to be changed if the vaccine requirement wasn’t removed, and the Fairhope City Council said they weren’t aware of the requirement. Many events have been using a loophole in the law to require vaccines.

5. Biden is “helping” McAuliffe campaign in Virginia

• It’s been made clear through recent polling data that President Joe Biden isn’t particularly popular, but he’s gone to Virginia to help former Governor Terry McAuliffe campaign against Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin. 
• McAuliffe is barely holding the lead over Youngkin, and he recently went viral for comments about parents needing to stay out of public education. While Biden is expected to campaign for McAuliffe, White House press secretary Jen Psaki recently said that no travel plans had been finalized.

4. The debt crisis is a national security threat

• A short-term extension of the debt ceiling has passed both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, but U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) has said that the national debt needs to be handled as it poses a risk to national security. It doesn’t seem like it will ever be handled.
• Palmer pointed out that the “U.S. debt is at 125% of our GDP (Gross Domestic Product). This means that our debt is now 25% larger than the entire U.S. economy,” and went on to say, “The reckless disregard for our debt crisis has become a national security threat, and it’s undermining the security and well-being of the current and future generations.” Palmer wants more focus on “growing our economy, ensuring our energy security, creating jobs, and finding every reasonable way to reduce our debt, which has become a major threat to the future of all Americans.”

3. Tuscaloosa teachers are suing over workload

• In Tuscaloosa County, four teachers have filed a lawsuit against the school district claiming that they were overworked and underpaid throughout the coronavirus pandemic, particularly in 2020. When the schools started virtual learning, teacher Michelle Beasley said that teachers had to “perform significantly more teaching duties than for which they were hired and are compensated.”
• There is still a shortage of teachers throughout Alabama, and many districts are trying to quickly hire more. Beasley said Tuscaloosa didn’t provide flexibility in teachers’ schedules or workload, which was done in many parts of the state.

2. The vaccine is becoming less effective

• A study has been released by the New York State Department of Health (DOH) alleging that the coronavirus vaccine has become somewhat less effective due to the Delta variant cases and fewer people wearing masks. The study included over 8.8 million adults in New York.
• According to the study, the vaccine is still highly effective against preventing death and severe cases of the coronavirus, but there was some decline in preventing hospitalization and mild cases. The study has been used to reinforce the suggestion that booster shots are necessary for everyone.

1. State Rep. Sorrell sees movement for vaccine mandate ban in special session

• For a serious attempt at a vaccination mandate ban in Alabama to be made, Governor Kay Ivey will have to allow legislators to discuss it in the upcoming special session for redistricting that could start in two weeks. This is the last chance they will have to do it while it actually matters. Jobs are being lost every day to these mandates.
• State Representative Andrew Sorrell (R-Muscle Shoals) says lawmakers are pushing for this option. He publicly called on the governor to move to allow the legislature to discuss the matter and intimated that there have been discussions between legislative leaders and Ivey’s office. Sorrell wants the legislature to have a chance to ban the mask mandates in local schools and forbid employers from mandating vaccines, as well.