Coronavirus vaccine news, updates and information for 6-25-2021

<p>This is Vaccine 411, the latest coronavirus vaccine information for June 25th, 2021.</p><p><br></p><p>We’re starting to see things move backwards. The coronavirus czar in Israel announced the indoor mask mandate will be reimposed early next week to stem the rise in cases. Yesterday was the highest daily tally in months. The country has one of the highest inoculation rates in the world, but it’s still far from the 80% figure needed to mark herd immunity.</p><p><br></p><p>German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Europe is “on thin ice” in its battle against COVID-19. EU leaders agreed vaccinations should be sped up to fight the delta variant. The European CDC projected the variant would account for 90% of all infections across the continent by the end of August.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>As if the delta variant isn’t disturbing enough, a new mutation of that variant has emerged in India that’s being labeled “delta plus.” The variant has also been found in the U.K., the U.S., Canada, Japan, Nepal, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, and Turkey. The delta plus variant has three worrying characteristics that include increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells, and the potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response.</p><p><br></p><p>San Francisco has taken a firm stand on the vaccine. All city workers will be required to be vaccinated. This policy would affect 35,000 workers and may be the first of its kind by any city or county in the U.S. Employees who refuse could be fired.</p><p><br></p><p>There’s nothing like a crisis to bring out the scammers and criminals. Former PTL Club evangelist Jim Bakker and his southwestern Missouri church will pay $156,000 restitution to settle a lawsuit accusing him of falsely claiming a health supplement called the Silver Solution could cure COVID-19. Bakker admits no wrongdoing. The Silver Solution has no known benefit in the body when ingested and can have serious side effects including turning skin blue.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>In the United States cas