Coronavirus vaccine and Delta variant updates for 8-09-2021

<p>This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for August 9th, 2021.</p><p><br></p><p>Hospitalizations are reaching all-time highs, especially in parts of the South. Some patients and their doctors are struggling to find hospitals that will take them, even if it’s out of state. Louisiana set a new record for hospitalizations last week. Florida's hospitalizations recently jumped 13% above the previous peak and 60% of the state’s hospitals expect a "critical staffing shortage" by this week. Houston's United Memorial Medical Center says, "We have no beds. Over the last 12 hours, we’ve lost more patients than in the last 5-6 weeks."</p><p><br></p><p>Among the problems in Florida, pediatric hospitals have become “completely overwhelmed” with young patients battling COVID. Yesterday, Florida reported having the highest number of children — 172 — hospitalized. Sharp rises in admissions involving kids have also been recorded in other states like Arkansas.</p><p><br></p><p>The head of the U.S.’ second-largest teachers union made her position clear yesterday; vaccines should be required for educators before they go back to the classroom. Randi Weingarten of the American Federation of Teachers said mandates are necessary because kids can’t get vaccinated and are getting COVID.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Evidence out of Israel indicates even boosters won’t stop breakthrough infections. 14 of its citizens got COVID despite having been inoculated with a third vaccine dose. Two are sick enough to have been hospitalized. Some 420,000 Israelis have been administered a third booster shot so far in a drive that began last week.</p><p><br></p><p>What happens when there’ve been so many coronavirus variants we run out of Greek letters? Well if we’re still here as a species, the World Health Organization is considering using constellations like Gemini and Aries. So far, we’ve used 11 of the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet so as not to offend or stigmatize countries of discovery. No word yet on if people who claim