The European Union aims to vaccinate 70% of its adult population by September. But anxiety over a possible link between the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and reported blood clot cases may put that target in jeopardy.

Europe’s vaccine rollout has already been slower than expected. Meanwhile, the continent is confronting a third wave of the pandemic, fueled by variants of the virus.

European heavyweights Germany, France and Italy — all of which have seen a recent surge in coronavirus cases — were among more than a dozen countries to pause their rollout of the OxfordAstraZeneca shot while Europe’s medicines regulator, the European Medical Authority (EMA), investigated the concerns.

The EMA “has come to a clear scientific conclusion. This is a safe and effective vaccine,” executive director Emer Cooke said Thursday. She said the group did not find that the vaccine causes clotting, though it could not definitively out rule out a link to a rare blood clotting disorder.

Cooke added that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks, a message already stressed this week by both the EMA and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Cyprus and the Netherlands all announced plans to resume AstraZeneca vaccinations, with other countries expected to follow. Milan’s largest vaccine center told CNN it would overbook appointments in an attempt to make up for the shortfalls of the past few days.

But it’s unclear whether the EMA’s findings will do much to assuage public concerns after a torrid week in the EU’s vaccination campaign. Norway, Denmark and Sweden have all said they will keep AstraZeneca vaccinations on hold for now.

And vaccine hesitancy is already high in some countries, notably France, where Covid cases are surging. An online poll conducted March 15 to 16 by Elabe for BFM TV, a CNN affiliate, suggests that only 20% of the French people surveyed trust the AstraZeneca vaccine.

While the French health authority green-lit the resumption of the AstraZeneca vaccine rollout on Friday, it recommended its use only for people aged 55 and older, a document sent to CNN shows, based on the fact that “almost all” the reports of blood clots that prompted the suspension involved people under 55.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex, 55, rolled up his sleeve for an AstraZeneca shot Friday in a bid to reassure his compatriots that it was safe, as did UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

But a senior Paris hospitals official, Remi Salomon, said this week that he feared the impact of the AstraZeneca suspension on vaccine confidence in France.

“Maybe people are being overly cautious,” Salomon told BFM TV. “My fear is that we are in France where many people are vaccine hesitant, I’d almost say defiant, I fear people will not interpret this the right way.”

Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton in the UK, said the decision to hit pause on AstraZeneca could “have possibly a serious knock-on effect, in terms of vaccine confidence and vaccine hesitancy and uptake beyond that.”

“It takes a while to build up confidence in a vaccine which we [the global health community] did with rigorously conducted trials, with really good safety data, with being open and transparent about what we did and didn’t find,” he told CNN, in an interview conducted before the EMA findings were released.

“When we have widespread withdrawal of the vaccine across multiple countries, in some countries that are quite vaccine-hesitant anyway, it might take a long time to rebuild that confidence.”

There’s then a risk that people may start to favor one vaccine over another and so delay being inoculated to wait for the one they prefer, added Head, despite safety and efficacy data being pretty similar across all the vaccines approved.

“We don’t want to see that happen. I fear we will see it happen. And if people do wait for another vaccine or choose not to take up a vaccine at all, then the pandemic goes on longer than it needs to,” he said. “Obviously you will see more Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations and deaths as a result.”

‘Political football’

AstraZeneca insists its vaccine is safe and welcomed the EMA finding Thursday that its benefits outweigh the risks. The company stated Sunday that of the 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and the United Kingdom so far, blood clot incidents were “much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size.”

WHO’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety also said Friday that available data “do not suggest any overall increase in clotting conditions” following vaccination, noting that people naturally develop blood clots, and that Covid-19 infection can also cause them.

The UK stood by the vaccine throughout the furor, as did some other European nations, such as Belgium and Poland, and countries further afield, including South Korea, Malaysia and Canada. Britain’s medicines regulator on Thursday said there was no evidence that blood clots in veins were occurring “more than would be expected in the absence of vaccination” in the UK, where more than 11 million doses of AstraZeneca have been administered.

Results from the UK’s program have been encouraging so far. A single shot of the two-dose vaccine reduces the risk of hospitalization from Covid-19 by more than 80% in people aged over 80, data from Public Health England showed earlier this month.

Studies indicate that vaccination also reduces transmission of the virus, Head said. “So in a highly vaccinated population there will be less transmission. If there’s lower uptake of the vaccine, and lower availability of the vaccine, again you have more Covid-19 than you really need.”

AstraZeneca isn’t the only vaccine available in the EU, which has also authorized the BioNTech-Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, but it is a key component of the rollout.

Doses of the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, both more costly and harder to store than the AstraZeneca jab, are currently being rolled out to Europeans, but the first deliveries of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine aren’t expected to arrive until mid-April.

Meanwhile, the AstraZeneca vaccine has become a symbol of division amid the EU’s faltering rollout.

In the space of a few weeks, several EU countries have angrily rebuked the firm for failing to provide its full amount of promised doses; cast then walked back doubts about its efficacy in older people; blocked shipments of the vaccine from leaving the continent; and then halted their rollouts over blood clot concerns.

Speaking in Brussels on Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen blamed AstraZeneca for what she called a “difficult beginning” to the vaccination campaign, saying it “has unfortunately under-produced and under-delivered.”

While she then voiced her “trust” in AstraZeneca, the spectacle has been less than inspiring.

“AstraZeneca has been a bit of a political football over the past few weeks. It’s been a little bit unedifying to see from a scientific perspective,” said Head. “And any delays in getting people vaccinated, any involvement of politics that might delay rollouts and transportation of the vaccines, will hinder uptake and might make it more likely that countries miss their targets.”

The AstraZeneca jab should play a “significant” part in the European Union meeting its target of vaccinating 70% of all adults by September, particularly since it is produced on a large scale in the region, said Head, but it’s hard to know how much leeway was allowed.

“If you can meet your targets then you retain public confidence in the program,” he said. “Any further negative headlines around vaccines generally or around AstraZeneca might not be good for public confidence.”

Rebuilding confidence

Even following the EMA’s conclusion that AstraZeneca is safe and effective, European governments may have a tough job rebuilding confidence in their own populations.

Germany is a case in point. Trust in the AstraZeneca vaccine was dented there from the outset, when the German vaccine commission said it should not be given to people older than 65 years, citing a lack of data. That recommendation — which came hot on the heels of erroneous reporting about the jab’s efficacy in older people in German media outlets — was revised earlier this month to remove the upper age limit.

But confidence in the shot had been building as it was more widely rolled out, particularly to younger people. As of March 16, 7.75 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine had been administered in Germany, compared with 1.76 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine and 338,000 Moderna doses, according to figures collated by Our World in Data.

But Germany’s decision Monday to follow the lead of Denmark, Norway and Iceland and others in putting AstraZeneca jabs on hold was another blow. The Health Ministry explained it took the step after seven cases of cerebral vein thrombosis were reported in connection with the AstraZeneca vaccine, three of which were fatal.

A CNN crew who visited a vaccination center at the former Berlin-Tegel Airport on Friday found it fairly empty. Of about 500 inoculations scheduled to take place that day, 137 had been conducted by around noon.

Speaking to CNN on his way in to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, Jens Bodman said: “I am not sure. I am not a doctor. But I asked my doctor and he said I should do it and I follow his instructions.”

Another recipient, Hannelore Bär, was more confident. “I have no problem with it. None at all,” she said, explaining that the few reports of possible complications did not seem “that significant” in the context of the large numbers who had been vaccinated worldwide.

In France, Health Minister Olivier Veran on Tuesday sought to reassure those who had already received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, saying they “are not in danger.”

But the damage may already have been done. The Elabe/BFM TV poll, for which 1,000 adults were surveyed online between March 15 and 16, suggests French trust is highest in the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine — but even then, only 52% have confidence in it, while 43% have confidence in the Moderna shot.

A large majority of those surveyed believe the vaccination campaign has been badly managed by the government and less than a quarter believe the target of vaccinating all adults by the end of summer will be met.

“We must resume vaccination as quickly as possible,” Michel Chassang, a French primary care physician and president of the Confederation of French Medical Trade Unions, told BFM after the EMA announcement.

“The only way to stop the circulation of this virus is precisely to make sure people are vaccinated,” he said. “It won’t be easy, we will swim against the tide, because this vaccine (has) now got bad press … and even since the start.”

Faced with a “third wave” of infections, the French government announced further restrictions Thursday in 16 areas around the country, including the greater Paris and Nice areas.

President Emmanuel Macron has resisted imposing a nationwide lockdown, preferring to rely on regional measures. He was criticized by medical experts early this year for suggesting the AstraZeneca vaccine was “quasi-ineffective” in elderly people, a comment he later rolled back.

Meanwhile, Portugal has presented a tough stance in response to anticipated reluctance to have the AstraZeneca jab. The head of its National Association of Family Health Units warned Friday that anyone who rejected an AstraZeneca vaccine would be sent to the back of the queue.

“Neither the professional nor the patient get to choose the vaccine to be administered,” Association President Diogo Urjais told Portuguese broadcaster TVI. “Patients who reject the vaccine will pass onto the last stage of vaccination, to the end of the line.”

In Italy, where new lockdown restrictions were imposed this week, Health Minister Roberto Speranza insisted Wednesday that “faith in vaccines is not dented.”

Meanwhile Spain’s Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya told CNN on Wednesday that her country’s decision to suspend use of the vaccine for a few days was all about building confidence in its citizens.

‘The damage is done’

Despite such assurances, some EU leaders could find themselves accused of playing politics over the latest crisis, at a potential cost to public health.

Nicola Magrini, head of the Italian Medicines Agency, told Italy’s La Republicca newspaper that the decision to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine “was a political choice” after several other European nations, including France and Germany, took that step.

In Belgium, which resisted the temptation to join their ranks, senior figures have been outspoken in their criticism of the move.

Leading Belgian virologist Marc van Ranst told CNN he thought the decision to suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine was wrong and had “grave consequences” for Europeans’ health. Even if reversed, “the damage is done,” he said. “People who are vaccine-hesitant will not become less vaccine-hesitant when they watch this episode.”

Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke gave an even starker warning on VRT Radio 1’s “De ochtend.”

“This waterfall of decisions, this kind of chain reaction, if that is going to repeat itself continuously in the coming months, then yes, our European vaccination campaign itself will be completely dead,” he said.

CNN’s Frederik Pleitgen, Claudia Otto, Saskya Vandoorne, Barbara Wojazer, Vasco Cotovio, Melissa Bell, James Frater, Ben Tinker, Sarah Dean, Maggie Fox, Cyril Vanier, Valentina Di Donato and Sharon Braithwaite contributed to this report.

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SMITHVILLE – North Heartland Community Church, 4800 NW 88th St., Kansas City, will hold a candlelight vigil to honor Kolby Ruff, a sophomore swimmer in Smithville who is currently suffering a traumatic brain injury following a two vehicle accident Christmas has come.

The vigil will be held on Sunday, March 21st at 7 p.m. near Smithville Dam on Smith’s Fork Campground. The service takes about half an hour. Kozak Cares then offers cocoa and cookies. GT Tow Service and Corkill Media are also helping to run the event.

His mother Yvonne Ruff continues to update her son’s status in a private Facebook group.

Yvonne said the family had received a lot of help and support from their church and ward. The family received letters “almost every day” from people saying they were praying for Kolby.

“People turn to us almost every day to share their survival stories, and all of that love, support, and concern help us.”

Kolby has taken steps to enable types of rehab over the past three months. He recently did a push-up after starting from a resting position on two medicine balls.

Yvonne said that even with activities like sitting in a chaise longue to get more time out of bed and being in an upright position, she has seen improvements that Kolby needed less support in such situations.

She said the family’s insurance company hadn’t accepted a motion to move Kolby from Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City to a more specialized rehab facility like Madonna Medical Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.

“We are grateful that Children’s Mercy Kolby is helping with various therapies,” said Yvonne. “However, brain injuries are not her specialty and we hope to have him on a rehab program soon.”

For more information on supporting the Ruff family, visit the Kolby Ruff – Kolby Strong Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/242606267062571.

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TAMPA, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 7: Patrick Mahomes # 15 of the Kansas City Chiefs walks off the field during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on February 7, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Patrick Smith / Getty Images)

Braves have clear standards in Freddie Freeman’s extension talks by John Buhler

The Chiefs use the NFL Free Agency to overtake their offensive line. Has Kansas City done enough to keep Patrick Mahomes going this off-season?

No Chiefs fan can accuse his front office of playing it safe in the free hand. Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz have sent a clear signal that Kansas City is ready to rebuild their offensive line. It was always very important for Andy Reid and his coaching staff to find a replacement in the free agency.

Honor the Chiefs for making the right decision for Fisher. His injured Achilles is putting his entire 2021 season at risk. It made no sense for Kansas City to pay him big bucks and hope for a speedy recovery. Cutting it is considered to be the organization’s best free agent decision yet.

The decision to let Schwartz go was nowhere near as clear-cut. Back surgery limited him to just six games a season ago, but he hadn’t missed a start in his career before. The fact that he plans to be ready when the training camp rolls around makes this deal questionable from the Chiefs perspective as well. They benefit from the doubt that they have better access to his medical records than anyone else, but that decision could have plagued Kansas City if they can’t find a quality device to replace Schwartz by the beginning of the first week.

The biggest proactive move the Chiefs have taken to date in the free agency is to land Joe Thuney on a massive $ 80 million five-year deal. That’s not spectacular value for the talented security guard, but it’s a solid oversubscription by Brett Veach and his staff. Giving Mahomes a clean pocket is a requirement for Kansas City’s offense, and Thuney’s interior pass blockage will give the Chiefs a nice boost.

Kansas City Chiefs 2021 Free Agency Grade

Kansas City’s offseason grades are slightly degraded for playing on Kyle Long. Giving him a $ 5 million one-year deal isn’t crazy, but there must be concerns that he’s a year away from football. At least the Chiefs shouldn’t give him a starting role without serious competition in the training camp.

Any Chiefs fans who panicked after seeing Fisher and Schwartz injured should feel much better about the status of the squad by now. Kansas City has done a solid job of freely using the limited resources at their disposal. Give the Chiefs a B-for their work so far.

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KANSAS CITY, MO. – There were many bandaged smiling people near the GEHA field at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday as Jackson County wrapped up its first mega-vaccination event.

It was planned to vaccinate around 6,000 people at this event. Instead, according to organizers, they exceeded this target by about a thousand people who secure appointments.

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Here was the system: a number of vehicles stop and the people in the vehicles who have appointments get the shot. Then they stay a few minutes and wait to see if there is any negative reaction. Then people set off.

“I saw someone cry, she was so grateful that she got the vaccine. Somebody else didn’t know it was just a shot and they said, ‘This is great! ‘”Said Dr. Stefani Ellison, Truman Medical Center ambulance.

Dr. Ellison helped coordinate the approximately 30 medical students at the event who were trained for vaccination. As she spoke to FOX4 News, she thought about the past 12 months.

“We really didn’t get a break. And then we had to learn very quickly. Most of what I do, I’m used to working with evidence-based medicine and knowing exactly what to expect. That was really tough, “said Dr. Ellison.

“We have now canceled three cruises. I don’t know if this is in our future or not, but we will change and do something wonderful together as a family, ”said Dr. Ellison.

“I think the most exciting thing for me is that my parents live here and get vaccinated. And now we’re going to have dinner with them. I went out for lunch with my mom. So I just take the time to be grateful for the simple things, ”Ellison said.

The ease of getting an appointment at the event also motivated people who, until recently, were on the fence about the vaccine.

“She recently experienced a hospital procedure so we both thought this was probably a good idea. Me as the caregiver, ”said Tom Ferguson, referring to his wife, who had also received the vaccine.

Cans left over from this event are not considered wasted. Instead, they will be returned to Jackson County / Truman Medical Center care and quickly reassigned to other appointments, said Dr. Mark Steele, Executive Chief Medical Officer, Truman Medical Center.

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It wasn’t long after Duke was withdrawn from the ACC tournament due to COVID-19 issues and ended his season 10 days ago. Then Virginia left the same event and Kansas drove back to Lawrence instead of staying in Kansas City and playing the Big 12 quarterfinals for the public to speak of the wisdom of playing those championships near March Madness.

Duke would not make it through the NCAAs without finishing this event and either achieving considerable success or perhaps even winning the automatic qualifying position that was given to his champion. But UVa and KU were inducted into the 68 group on Selection Sunday, and each of them played their first-round games six days later.

One team that didn’t: that of the conference, which reconfigured its schedule so that its tournament could take place a week early.

MORE MARCH FURIOUS: Live scores | Updated bracket | Television program

The Atlantic 10 announced a plan in mid-January to move their tournament from Brooklyn to two arenas in Richmond, Virginia. She then decided to postpone the schedule for much of the event, with the rounds being played through the semifinals, which will run from March 3-6, a period previously slated to be the last week of the regular season. The championship game has been moved to March 14th on League member Dayton’s campus, just a short bus ride from the location of the 2021 NCAA tournament in Indianapolis. After St. Bonaventure defeated the VCU in that game and received the league’s automatic bid, the VCU had a 19-7 record and was selected as the general contestant and was awarded the number 10.

According to a sports department release, the VCU had several positive COVID-19 tests on its program in the past few days. The Rams learned at 6:25 p.m. (CET) Saturday from NCAA Vice President Dan Gavitt and Chairman of the Men’s Basketball Committee, Mitch Barnhart, that their game with Oregon, the seventh seed, would not go on. In consultation with the Marion County (Ind.) Health Department, Sports Director Ed McLaughlin said concerns about multiple tests being run over a short period of time led the committee to declare the game uncompetitive and promote the Ducks to the second round .

A year ago, the Rams finished 18-13 and finished eighth in the A-10. Her season ended like so many others, and the conference tournament was canceled when the opportunity to steal an automatic bid was most haunting. In the case of the VCU, however, it was more dramatic.

“We’ve seen it twice now. Last year we were knocked off the floor just before we were supposed to play UMass, and now we have someone else who was so swept away from us,” McLaughlin told reporters on a call late Saturday. “It’s hard for our student athletes. It’s hard for our coaches who have worked so hard and done everything we asked them to do from the perspective of the COVID protocol.

“I want to make sure it’s clear: this is not something that our team broke protocol and did the wrong thing. We don’t know how that happened.

“It’s brutal. That’s the only way I can describe it. I’m heartbroken for our student-athletes. I’m heartbroken for our coaches.”

VCU was hoping to play the game as the NCAA has stated that any team with five eligible players could be available for the competition. The school learned of the multiple positive tests in the past 24 hours and engaged in the contact tracing process believing the Rams could potentially be brought to justice.

Rams trainer Mike Rhoades told reporters he tried to make it a motivational element by walking down the hall on the team floor at JW Marriott and explaining that the Rams were “like a wounded animal” and therefore more dangerous.

“The boys wanted to play,” said Rhoades. “There was a part of me that kept saying it was going to happen. It just can’t happen two years in a row.

“Heartbreaking. This is what you dream of as a college player and coach. It’s just a heartbreaking moment in her young life to take it away like this.

“It’s not what you sign up for, is it? Nobody. But last year we’re talking about two basketball games. There have been over 500,000 deaths in this country from this virus. As devastated as we are over a basketball game.” – Two of them, right? – A lot of people are worse off than we are. “

Rhoades told the story of speaking to former Rams star Justin Tillman, who now plays professionally in Israel and lost both parents to COVID, almost a year ago.

“That was a lot harder than the one I just had,” said Rhoades.

He said he would not question the medical authorities who made that decision.

The NCAA went out of their way to protect themselves from the virus as vigorously as possible in order to end the tournament. Hence, the steps taken over the past week have caused some participants to complain: the isolation of every player, coach and staff who have their own room, hotel food is delivered to every floor to avoid getting to the Meals gathered.

The experience of the VCU shows that all the second considerations about how the season should take place, whether conference tournaments should be played – the spread of the virus was too unpredictable for such decisions to be infallible. The Rams haven’t had a single problem, not a shutdown, over the course of their preseason or regular season. Until the worst time.

“I just shake my head when I look at it. We got all things right,” said McLaughlin. “I wouldn’t do anything differently than us.

“I don’t know if it’s bad luck or what it is. It’s just awful, more than anything. But I don’t think we’d change anything.”

Just the end if that was possible.

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Der Umschlag, den Natalie Rodriguez in der Hand hielt, würde ihre Zukunft bestimmen. Sie musste es nur öffnen.

Ihr Vater Jorge, der an ihrer Seite stand, zählte eins, zwei, drei.

“Ich gehe nach San Diego”, sagte sie mit überraschender Ruhe und Applaus brach aus. Die Tränen flossen und sie wurde bei der Zeremonie am Freitag am Spieltag an der MU School of Medicine in Umarmungen ihrer Familie ertränkt.

Die Familie Rodriguez betet gemeinsam vor der Zeremonie am Spieltag am Freitag im Patientenzentrierten Pflege-Lernzentrum. Natalie Rodriguez, die älteste Tochter der Familie, hat ein Programm in San Diego absolviert und wird im Mai die MU School of Medicine abschließen.

Hillary Tan / Missourian

Der Spieltag ist die Tradition der medizinischen Ausbildung, in der Kandidaten für einen Aufenthalt im ganzen Land mit einem Schulungsprogramm „abgestimmt“ werden und herausfinden, wo sie die nächsten drei bis sieben Jahre ihres Lebens verbringen werden. Der 33-jährige Rodriguez wurde mit der medizinischen Fakultät der Universität von San Diego zusammengebracht, um eine Ausbildung zum Kinderarzt zu erhalten.

Es war ein Match, das prädestiniert schien, als Rodriguez gerade 4 Jahre alt war, in ihrem Haus in Arequipa, Südperu.

“Ich möchte wie sie sein”

Die jüngste Schwester von Rodriguez, Alex, war gerade auf der Welt angekommen. Sie war verfrüht und krank.

“Alex wurde im Haus geboren”, erinnerte sich Rodriguez. “Ich erinnere mich, Eimer mit Blut gesehen zu haben.”

Aber am nächsten Morgen war dort – mit ein paar Haaren auf dem Kopf – ihre kleine Schwester, eingewickelt in eine Decke.

“Ich konnte nicht glauben, dass ich sie wirklich berührte”, sagte Rodriguez. „Und ich dachte:‚ Ich werde dich beschützen. Ich werde dafür sorgen, dass dir nichts passiert. ‘”

Natalie Rodriguez, Mitte, öffnet den Umschlag mit ihrem Programmspiel, während ihre Familie am Freitag im Lernzentrum für patientenzentrierte Pflege applaudiert. Rodriguez wurde mit der Medizinischen Fakultät der Universität von San Diego verglichen, wo sie eine Ausbildung zur Kinderärztin machen wird.

Hillary Tan / Missourian

Alex brauchte Pflege und Aufmerksamkeit. Missionare einer benachbarten Kirche brachten amerikanische Ärzte zu ihr. Zusammen halfen sie, das Baby gesund zu pflegen.

„Ich erinnere mich, wie ich sie gesehen und gedacht habe:‚ Oh, wow, ich möchte wie sie sein! ‘“Die vierjährige Rodriguez sagte ihrer Mutter Danniella, sie würde Ärztin werden, wenn sie groß ist.

Aber sie hatte noch einen langen Weg vor sich. Als ältestes von drei Mädchen und „Mamas kleine Helferin“ war sie durch ihre unmittelbaren Umstände eingeschränkt – die Familie Rodriguez musste sich irgendwie ernähren und für sich selbst sorgen.

“Ich weiß absolut, wie es sich anfühlt, zu verhungern”, sagte Rodriguez. Sie erinnert sich, wie sie einen Lebensmittelschrank geöffnet hat, um nur einen kleinen Riegel mit gehärtetem Gelee darin zu finden. Sie wusste, dass die Familie an diesem Tag nichts anderes haben würde.

Kurz gesagt, in ihren frühesten Jahren hatte sie die Gelegenheit, die Grundschule zu besuchen.

“Ich mochte die Tatsache, dass mir jemand etwas beibrachte”, sagte sie. Sie machte alle ihre Hausaufgaben, auch wenn es bedeutete, nach Einbruch der Dunkelheit bei Kerzenlicht zu lesen. Im ländlichen Peru gab es keinen Strom.

Natalie Rodriguez, links, spielt mit den Haaren von Schwester Alejandra Rodriguez, während sie sich nach der Zeremonie am Spieltag am Freitag im Patient Centered Care Learning Center unterhalten. Alejandra Rodriguez ist die jüngste der drei Schwestern der Familie.

Hillary Tan / Missourian

Der Fleiß brachte Rodriguez einen Ruf als Nerd bei ihren Cousins ​​ein.

“(Aber) meine Oma würde mir sagen, dass ich ein gutes Kind war!” Sagte Rodriguez lachend.

Die Schule dauerte nicht lange, da Bücher und Uniformen für die drei Schwestern weit über die Mittel der Familie hinausgingen. Stattdessen verbrachte Rodriguez mehr Zeit zu Hause und rührte einen riesigen Topf Sojabohnen um, um etwas Milch für ihre Schwestern zu bekommen.

Rodriguez hat auch gute Erinnerungen, wie Laufen und Spielen mit ihren beiden Schwestern, auch wenn ihre Mutter nicht immer mit ihren Spielereien zufrieden war.

Sie ist dankbar, einige lebendige „fotografische Erinnerungen“ zu haben, da sie keine tatsächlichen Bilder oder Videos aus ihrer Kindheit hat.

Einige Erinnerungen sind schwerer zu verarbeiten. Irgendwann fand Rodriguez ihre Mutter im Haus weinen.

„Gott, vergib mir“, sagte Daniella Rodriguez auf Spanisch. “Es tut mir so leid, dass ich dich Mädchen auf die Welt gebracht habe, wenn ich nicht auf dich aufpassen kann.”

Rodriguez war nicht einmal 7 Jahre alt.

Der blaue Koffer

Rodriguez ‘Vater war der erste, der in die USA auswanderte. Es folgte eine Stille. Die Familie erhielt eine Zeit lang keine Mitteilung von ihm, nachdem er gegangen war.

Die Familie überstand Krankheit und Not, und Rodriguez begann zu befürchten, dass sie nie wieder von ihrem Vater hören würden.

“Aber er hatte uns nicht vergessen”, sagte sie. Tatsächlich hatte er hart gearbeitet, um sie in die USA zu bringen. Der Prozess dauerte ungefähr zwei Jahre.

Rodriguez erinnert sich, wie die ganze Familie zum Haus eines Nachbarn ging, um auf den entscheidenden Anruf zu warten. “Wir haben dort am Telefon gewartet, und er hat angerufen, und er hat ja gesagt, wir müssen uns vorbereiten und gehen.”

Alejandra Rodriguez (links) und Paula Rodriguez schreiben auf ein Schild, auf dem Natalie Rodriguez am Freitag im Patientenzentrierten Pflege-Lernzentrum für ein Residenzprogramm untergebracht wurde. Die Familie Rodriguez wanderte aus Peru in die USA aus und ließ sich schließlich in Kansas City nieder.

Hillary Tan / Missourian

Ihre Kleidung und ihr Besitz passen in einen einzigen blauen Koffer. Die Familie ließ sich 1995 in Oklahoma City nieder. Eine ihrer ersten Erinnerungen ist das Spielen mit ihren Schwestern im Schnee. Sie hatten es noch nie gesehen und versuchten, die weiße Masse mit Küchenutensilien zu greifen.

“Ein Nachbar hat uns gesehen und gelacht”, sagte Rodriguez liebevoll. “Er hat nicht erklärt, was wir tun mussten.”

Mit der Zeit begann sich Rodriguez zu schämen.

“Es war eine andere Art von Armut (in den USA)”, sagte sie. “Ich erkannte, dass wir eine Einwandererfamilie waren.”

In ihrer Wohnung fehlten Möbel, beide Eltern arbeiteten in schlecht bezahlten Jobs und die Mädchen trugen gespendete Kleidung, die ihnen oft zu groß war.

„Plötzlich schämst du dich sehr dafür, wer du bist. Und du willst nicht, dass die Leute es wissen “, sagte Rodriguez.

Aber schließlich konnte sie ihr Studium fortsetzen.

Ein Lehrer, ein Berater

Die Rodriguez-Schwestern sprachen kein Englisch. In der Schule wurde Rodriguez in eine Englisch-Lernklasse eingewiesen, in der nur zwei Lehrer versuchten, 30 Schüler unterschiedlichen Alters und sprachlichen Hintergrunds zu behandeln. In regulären Klassen fiel Rodriguez zurück.

Natalie Rodriguez, Mitte, teilt einen festlichen Drink mit ihren Schwestern und einer Gruppe enger Freunde von der medizinischen Fakultät am Freitag bei der Logboat Brewing Company. Die meisten Freunde trafen sich in ihrer ersten Laborsitzung an der medizinischen Fakultät und blieben seitdem eng miteinander verbunden.

Hillary Tan / Missourian

Eines Tages beschloss sie, sich im Badezimmer zu verstecken, damit sie nicht zum Englischunterricht gehen musste. Stattdessen kehrte sie in ihr normales Klassenzimmer zurück, zeigte auf ihren Schreibtisch und sagte der Lehrerin so gut sie konnte, dass sie bleiben würde.

Ein spanischsprachiger Berater musste herausfinden, was los war. Rodriguez wollte in ihrer regulären Klasse bleiben und versuchen aufzuholen. Ihre Lehrerin, Frau Bronk, hatte keine Einwände.

Sie ist immer noch dankbar, inspirierende, unterstützende Menschen in ihrem Leben getroffen zu haben, wie Frau Bronk, die „so freundlich und verständnisvoll war. Sie hatte ein Gespräch mit einer 7-Jährigen darüber, wie sie bleiben will. “

Letztendlich hat sich Rodriguez gut geschlagen und seinen Abschluss gemacht. Sie wusste, wohin sie als nächstes gehen wollte – Medizinschule. Keine andere Karriere war ihr jemals in den Sinn gekommen.

Aber es sollte nicht sein. Rodriguez versuchte zu lernen, auf Tische zu warten und auf ihre Schwestern im Teenageralter aufzupassen, und sie konnte einfach nicht alles tun. Sie zog sich vom College zurück. Aber bevor sie es tat, versprach sie ihrer akademischen Beraterin Connie Beachler, dass sie nicht aufgeben würde.

“Sie hat mir gesagt, dass die Reise für mich noch nicht vorbei ist”, sagte Rodriguez. Die beiden sind in Kontakt geblieben. Ihr Berater wäre eine der ersten Personen, mit denen sie ihre Ergebnisse am Spieltag teilen würde.

“Ich war begeistert von ihr”, sagte Beachler, als er die Nachrichten hörte. „Sie wird geliebt werden, wohin sie auch geht. Und sie wird eine hervorragende Kinderärztin sein. “

14 Jahre arbeiten, sparen

Rodriguez arbeitete weiterhin als Kellnerin, wie sie es seit ihrem 15. Lebensjahr getan hatte, als sie buchstäblich gegen die Hintertür eines Sonic klopfte und einen Manager zwang, ihren Referenzbrief hinter dem Glas zu betrachten.

Auf einer Visitenkarte steht “Dr. Natalie Rodriguez” während einer Dinnerparty für enge Freunde und Bekannte am Freitag im Club at Old Hawthorne. Natalie Rodriguez hatte das Ehrenzeichen auf ihrer Karte nicht erwartet und war darüber aufgeregt.

Hillary Tan / Missourian

In der Zwischenzeit wurde ihre Schwester Paula Zahnärztin und Alex Buchhalterin. Ihr Vater ging wieder zur Schule und arbeitet jetzt in der Informatik. Ihre Mutter hat auch stetig gearbeitet.

Schließlich bewarb sich Rodriguez erneut an der medizinischen Fakultät, wurde an der MU aufgenommen und zog nach Columbia. Es war ihr erstes Mal, dass sie von ihrer Familie getrennt lebte, die sich zu diesem Zeitpunkt in Kansas City niedergelassen hatte.

In Kolumbien fand Rodriguez endlich Zeit zum Nachdenken. Was wollte sie mit ihrer Karriere machen? Sie wollte anderen helfen und sich für sie einsetzen, so wie es einige Leute für sie getan hatten.

Rodriguez hatte die Gelegenheit, mit einer Missionsklinik in Chichicastenango, Guatemala, zusammenzuarbeiten. Sie war so aufgeregt, als sie die E-Mail zum ersten Mal erhielt, dass sie versehentlich auf „alle“ antwortete und sich allen auf der Liste vorstellte.

Guatemala erinnerte sie an Peru. Sie erinnerte sich noch einmal an ihre kleinen Schwestern, ihre Mutter und einen Ort, der „von Armut und einer ungerechten Regierung geplagt war“. Aber ihre Reisen nach Chichicastenango und Treffen mit örtlichen Ärzten, die die unterversorgte Klinik leiteten, zeigten Rodriguez, dass sie auf dem richtigen Weg war.

“Ich erkannte, dass ich gut ausgebildet sein muss, um an unterversorgten Orten mit geringen Finanzen zu arbeiten, wenn ich ethische Sorgfalt walten lassen will”, sagte sie.

Spieltag

Die Familie Rodriguez kam am Freitag zusammen an der MU School of Medicine an – stolze Eltern, ein bisschen schüchtern gegenüber der Presse, und die drei jungen Frauen, die niemals mit etwas anderem als Schwestern verwechselt werden würden.

Bevor Rodriguez den Brief öffnete, nahm sich die Familie einen Moment Zeit, um zu beten.

Nach dem großen Moment kam pure Freude.

“Ich bin dankbar, diesen Moment mit meiner Familie zu verbringen”, sagte Rodriguez, nachdem er von ihrem Praktikum erfahren hatte. “Ich möchte sie nur stolz machen.”

Ihre Familie hätte nicht stolzer sein können.

“Als die Welt ihr so ​​ziemlich ‘Nein’ sagte, sagte sie ‘Ja'”, sagte Alexandra Rodriguez, die jüngste der Schwestern.

Paula Rodriguez war aufgeregt, ihre Schwester auf dem Weg zu ihrem Ziel zu sehen.

Jorge Rodriguez dachte an sie als Kind.

“Sie war in der Schule, als sie darüber nachdachte”, sagte er. „Sie war ein sehr willensstarkes Kind. Aber ich denke, sie hat das sehr gut aufgenommen (Richtung). “

Natalie Rodriguez widersetzt sich der Idee, dass sie eine Inspiration ist. Stattdessen glaubt sie, dass es in der Geschichte ihrer Familie wirklich darum geht, Menschen, die sich bemühen, wissen zu lassen, dass sie nicht allein sind.

Enge Freunde von Natalie Rodriguez treffen sich zu einem Abendessen, um ihr Trainingsprogramm am Freitag im Club at Old Hawthorne zu feiern. Während des Abendessens sprach ihr Vater, Jorge Rodriguez, ein Gebet, um sich für die Möglichkeiten zu bedanken, die Natalie Rodriguez erhalten hatte und wie sehr sie der Gesellschaft weiterhin helfen würde.

Hillary Tan / Missourian

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Miami Beach has been put under curfew and a state of emergency after police fired pepperballs to disperse the crowd of revelers who broke coronavirus safety guidelines over the weekend.

Outdoor restaurant seating has been suspended and the streets closed in parts of the city, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the US for the annual “spring break”.

Despite the curfew, hundreds of people flocked to the streets of Miami Beach late Saturday night, prompting police to take aggressive action to break up the crowd.

“Honestly, I’m concerned that behavior is getting better and better for us,” said Richard Clements, Miami Beach police chief, at a press conference on Saturday. “All we are focusing on now is public safety.”

The riots came as Florida overtook 2 million Covid-19 cases.

Raul Aguila, interim city manager of the popular Florida resort, issued the curfew after police expressed “significant concerns” about larger than expected crowds during the spring break, including intermittent street brawls and property destruction.

Police arrest a man while enforcing an 8 p.m. curfew imposed by local authorities on Miami Beach Reuters

The city ordered a 8:00 p.m. curfew in a designated “high-impact zone” of the busiest streets, including popular Ocean Drive, a number of bars, clubs and restaurants.

Ocean Drive was closed to pedestrian and vehicle traffic, with the exception of residents, hotel guests, and employees of local businesses.

Police arrest a man as they enforce an 8 p.m. curfew imposed by local authorities in Miami Beach. © Reuters

All outdoor meals were suspended in the high impact zone while takeaway orders had to be suspended at midnight.

Bar and restaurant owners told local media they feared the new order could reverse the profits they made from the crowds during the spring break in order to recover from the pandemic.

Police blocked most of the traffic on three causeways linking Miami Beach with the rest of the Miami metropolitan area to keep new visitors out.

Aguila told the Miami Herald that he recommends maintaining emergency measures through April 12 or the end of the spring break.

The Miami Beach curfew came days after Florida governor Ron DeSantis suggested that the state further relax Covid-19 restrictions.

Florida’s Department of Health announced 5,105 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, bringing the total number of coronaviruses since the pandemic started to 2,004,362.

Another 64 deaths were recorded, resulting in 33,337 deaths. Among the deceased were 32,713 residents and 624 non-residents.

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KANSAS CITY, MO. – A 20-year-old man from Blue Springs was charged with murder on a shooting Tuesday on a QuikTrip in Independence.

The Jackson County Attorney’s Office charged Anthony Pasquale with the second degree murder and armed crime in the death of Xavier Plotner.

Pasquale allegedly confronted Plotner on Tuesday just before 8 p.m. in the supermarket on the southwest corner of US 24 near the interchange with Missouri 291 at a gas pump.

Pasquale was at a gas pump when Plotner arrived in a separate vehicle. Then he got something out of his vehicle before going to Plotner’s vehicle.

After Pasquale walked over to the other vehicle, Plotner got out of his vehicle and began hitting Pasquale, who then, after reviewing the surveillance video, pulled a gun and pointed it at Plotner.

After being shot in the chest, Plotner “runs frantically towards the store” and collapses in front of the entrance to the store. According to court records, arriving rescue workers pronounced him dead.

Police identified Pasquale as a suspect based on the pump’s transaction history and a review of the surveillance video that tied him to the vehicle.

The vehicle was found later Tuesday evening, but Pasquale was no longer behind the wheel.

The driver was taken into custody for questioning.

A person of interest to the case, identified only as Pasquale’s cousin, later told officials that Pasquale arrived at his home in a panic with tears in his eyes and asked for a change of clothes.

His cousin arrived at the residence in a separate car after Pasquale called to explain what happened on the QuikTrip.

A cousin agreed to drive Pasquale’s vehicle to his friend’s house in Grain Valley. Another family member followed in a separate vehicle, which also included Pasquale as a passenger.

The second vehicle was also pulled Tuesday night, but the patrol officer was unable to reach a supervisor to confirm whether the driver or Pasquale was wanted in connection with the murder. Both were released and went on to see Pasquale’s girlfriend.

Based on the interview with his cousin, after a search, police found Pasquale’s clothes, which matched the clothes of the shooter in the QuikTrip surveillance video, after a search of the cousin’s house.

During an interview with police, Pasquale’s girlfriend said she called him when he was run over Tuesday night. She admitted that he shot Plotner and said he was going to jail.

She said Plotner bragged about Pasquale stepping on a friend named Jaden’s head, who “was killed in Blue Springs some time ago,” and said Plotner threatened to kill Pasquale, according to a possible cause.

The friend asked Pasquale to report, which he did in the company of his father and a lawyer on Wednesday after an arrest warrant was issued against him.

The prosecution has filed for a $ 150,000 bond.

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In countries that use the crime prevention hotline in Greater Kansas City, anonymous tips can be posted at 816-474-TIPS (8477). Submit the tip online or using the free mobile app at P3Tips.com.

Annual murder details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the 41 Action News Homicide Tracker, which launched in 2015. Read the 41 Action News Mug Shot Policy.

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KANSAS CITY, MO – Eight medical marijuana dispensaries in Missouri, including three in the Kansas City area, will begin selling vape pens and cartridges on Friday. Customers have been asking for them for a while, even though they have different opinions about how safe they are.

The potential dangers of vaping nicotine and black market THC have already been investigated. The CDC has not updated any reports of lung injuries related to vaping products since the COVID-19 pandemic began. However, as of February 2020, 2,800 popcorn lung cases and 68 hospital deaths were reported.

When it comes to vaping medical marijuana there are benefits, but for some, the jury still isn’t there.

Mike Busby uses medical marijuana to treat pain and anxiety.

Medical marijuana is legal in Missouri, but it is proving difficult to rent space for pharmacies

“I tried all of the flowers, the food and the drinks,” he said and picked up the product on Thursday.

But since pharmacies opened late last year, he’s been asking about vape pens and cartridges, which many think are more convenient and faster.

“This is our number 1 by far,” said John Mueller, CEO of Greenlight.

On Thursday evening, medical marijuana vape pens were delivered to Greenlight pharmacies in Kansas City, Independence, and Harrisonville. It’s the first time it’s available in this state as it took time for cultivators to extract the cladding material into a distillate form that could be vaporized.

“It’s an exciting day for the industry,” said Müller and opened the first box.

The founder of Green Health Docs, which certifies medical marijuana users in 15 states, says he receives constant questions from patients about vaping. Around 40 percent mainly evaporate in the end.

“We don’t really know the long-term side effects of vaping,” said Dr. Anand Dugar.

According to Dugar, the biggest problems with vaping and its possible effects on your lungs stem from preservatives in black market products.

“I think the difference to medical marijuana is that we were tested on 52 products where something that was made in a basement and ended up in one of those vape shops wasn’t tested against this strict regulation,” said Müller .

Not everyone is happy with the KC’s proposed rules for medical marijuana dispensaries

According to Dugar, vaping is an alternative to lighting up and will be especially popular with those with anxiety in Missouri. He believes it is safe based on its previous use, but offers that advice.

“We’re at the point now, there are so many different ways to take it. I think everyone should use their judgment and decide what is best for them because if a doctor tells you it is 100% sure he is lying, there is no way they can know, ”said Dugar.

Greenlight starts selling vape products in its pharmacies on Friday at 10am. The offer will initially be limited. Other pharmacies with contracts with various cultivators say that they are working to meet the great demand from customers for the products as soon as possible.

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KANSAS CITY, MO – The organizers have announced that they would like to host a personal Irish festival on site later this year.

With some events returning and others promising a comeback in 2022, the Irish Fest is close to starting ticket sales in about a month with no official date. The popular celebration always takes place on Labor Day Weekend, but had to move to a virtual celebration every year due to the pandemic.

2020: The Kansas City Irish Festival gets a new virtual format

The announcement comes after Boulevardia decided to cancel their event for the second year in a row. The Kansas City Craft Beer and Music Festival takes place in June.

An Irish Fest spokesman said the organizers work with the Crown Center, the city of Kansas City, the Kansas City Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Past organizers said one in ten Kansas Citians can claim Irish roots and the culture is important to the history of the subway.

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Here is the full explanation of the festival:

It’s the Irish season and we’re giving you something to celebrate! We plan to return to our Crown Center this Labor Day weekend for Irish Fest 2021! Of course, we will be following the CDC and local authorities’ current COVID policies and procedures, so some necessary changes may be required. But the Irish (and our friends) are a resilient and adaptable bunch, so we’re ready! Mark your calendar now and plan to join us from September 3rd to 5th, 2021!

Kansas City Irish Fest

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