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Health experts are urging people who have already had COVID-19 to get vaccinated.

Their recommendation comes after Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who contracted COVID-19 in March 2020, stated he does not plan on getting vaccinated against the disease.

Until they show me evidence that people who have already had the infection are dying in large numbers or being hospitalized or getting very sick, I just made my own personal decision that Im not getting vaccinated because Ive already had the disease and I have natural immunity, he told a WABC radio show in New York.

That statement goes against the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which advises that people should be vaccinated regardless of whether they have already had COVID-19.

Experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. Even if you have already recovered from COVID-19, it is possible although rare that you could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 again, the CDC guidance states.

Dr. Julie Parsonnet, an expert in adult infectious diseases at Stanford University in California, says Pauls comments suggest a lack of understanding about the immune system.

I think its a bad message and I think it reflects a lack of understanding of how immunity works. Usually the first exposure to an infection is sort of like a taste test. Your immune system sees it and it responds, but it doesnt build up very strong memory responses and you dont have the circulating cells that allow you to respond very quickly to infection, Parsonnet told Healthline.

We know that some people who have COVID dont mount an immune response at all. We also know that some people get reinfected and that some people who have gotten reinfected have gotten quite sick. Yes, he (Senator Paul) will have some immunity, but there is good data that you will have better immunity if you get a vaccine, she added.

Dr. William Schaffner is an expert in infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. He says the recommendation for people who have already had COVID-19 to still get vaccinated is based on two factors.

The first is that the antibody levels after vaccination are much higher than the antibody levels after natural infection. And higher antibody levels are usually associated with a longer duration of protection, Schaffner told Healthline.

The second is, to use Tony Faucis word, higher antibody levels provide a greater cushion of protection against some of the variants. Obviously, those are not sufficient reasons for Dr. Paul, he added.

President Joe Biden has announced a goal of having 70 percent of adults in the United States vaccinated with at least one shot by July 4.

But that leaves almost a third of the population unvaccinated, meaning the coronavirus could still have a chance to mutate.

A substantial number of people who are unvaccinated will continue to support the transmission of the virus and I think this will be more prominent in some communities than others, said Schaffner.

Every time a new person is infected with the virus, the virus multiplies million and billions of times, he added. As it multiplies it mutates. Most of those mutations are harmless, but any one of those people could be a variant factory. They could suddenly develop a mutation or series of mutations by chance alone that would create a new and very dangerous variant. Thats a concept thats not understood at all by the vast majority of people.

Parsonnet says comments like those from Paul are damaging. She argues there needs to be a more united approach against COVID-19.

When I think about COVID-19, I think we are actually fighting a war, she said. We have a global war. Its sort of like that movie Independence Day when the aliens land on Earth. Well, the aliens have landed and theres this virus that is killing off people, and the worst thing you can do when there is an enemy that youre all fighting is for you to shoot each other.

We need to think about this in a much more were in this together way and lets figure out how we pull together to fight the enemy, Parsonnet said. The enemy is not the Democrats and its not the Republicans. The enemys a virus and we need to deal with it.

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Why You Need to Get Vaccinated Even If You've Had COVID-19 - Healthline

Construction in Henderson and Henderson County so far this year is running nearly double that of last year, when COVID-19 concerns evidently put a temporary pinch on new home construction.

Through the first five months of this year, construction value has totaled $13.4 million (including $5.4 million in the city and $8.0 million in the county), compared with $7.7 million during the same period in 2020.

Housing construction was seriously pinched during the spring of 2020, with no permits sought for building new homes in the city in neither April nor May 2020, and none ought in the county in May 2020.

More: Sens. Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul meet with industry leaders, constituents in Henderson

While housing is rebounding, last month also saw a host of commercial projects, including:

Eight permits were issued for new single-family residences last month (including five in the city and three in the county), compared with none in May 2020.

The city housing starts last month included a pair of new homes being built by Henderson Habitat for Humanity at 10 Holliday Ct. and 1014 Pringle St.

More: Consultant: Sale of Henderson Municipal Power and Light could be costly to customers

So far this year, permits have been issued for constructing 29 new homes (including 15 in the city and 14 in the county), compared with 20 during the same period last year.

The construction value of the housing starts so far this year (not including the cost of real estate and certain other improvements) has averaged $191,200 in the city and $304,536 in the county.

The total value of all construction last month totaled nearly $3.1 million (including $1.9 million in the city and $1.2 million in the county), compared with only $509,382 in May 2020.

Here are lists of building permits issued by the city and county last month:

Commercial remodeling: KAH III LLC, 500 N. Green St., $290,000; JTCT Holdings LLC, 128-132 Second St., $100,000; JRN Inc., 2236 U.S. 41-North, $250,000; and Gardenside Center LLC, 2606 Zion Rd., Unit H, $164,000.

Commercial demolition: Terry Spainhoward, 1124 Atkinson St., $15,000.

Single-family residence demolitions: Marshall and Terry W. Arnold, 228 Watson Ln., $3,000; Jeremy S. Glenn and Brian K. Webb, 232 Watson Ln., $5,500; Jerold T. and Sandra Williams, 137 Kentucky 2084-North, $3,450; and Luffy Enterprises LLC, 16 Gum St., $1,000.

New duplex: Marshall and Terry W. Arnold, 228 Watson Ln., $193,000.

Duplex remodeling: Yoga Here & Now LLC, 1228 Washington St., $50,000.

Single-family residential accessory: LL Henderson LLC, 2127 Locust Dr., $10,000; James E. Solomon, 2360 U.S. 60-East, 1 cent; and Julianne Goodman, 507 Fair St., $7,000.

Single-family new residences: HCM LLC, 1450 Arrow Way, $151,000; Black Pearl Properties LLC, 77 S. Partridge Run, $120,000; Brandon Homes LLC, 923 Trail Dr., $268,000; Henderson Habitat for Humanity, 10 Holliday Ct., $130,000; and Henderson Habitat for Humanity, 1014 Pringle St., $115,000.

Single-family residential remodeling: Sindy Newman, 228 Rooney Dr., $20,000; and Paradise Ventures LLC, 2037 Peggy Dr., $2,000.

Signs: William F. (Jr.) and Martha O. Polk, 1309 S. Green St., $5,000; and Popps Bros., 2236 U.S. 41-North, $7,800.

Total: $1.9 million

New residences: Danny and Lisa Pittman, 9089 East Street Loop, $295,000; Richard Welden, 19661 Upper Delaware Rd., $200,000; and Valada McKinney, 9410 Kentucky 136-East, $199,500.

Room addition: Adam Glick, 14160 U.S. 41-Alternate, $41,400.

Manufactured homes: Rachel Talley, 8627 B.F. Overfield Rd., $80,000; and Audrey Ingle, 3096 Kentucky 136-West, $132,604.

Garages/utility buildings: Danny and Lisa Pittman, 9089 East Street Loop, $50,000; Herman Nelson Jr., 8505 Kentucky 1078-North, $15,635; Brian Powell, 3868 Peachtree Dr., $26,000; Rob Woodring, 8749 Tscharner Rd., $40,000; and Chad Vowels, 15088 Upper Delaware Rd., $35,000.

Miscellaneous: Rob Woodring, 8749 Tscharner Rd., $56,300.

Total: $1.2 million

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Henderson County building activity nearly doubles as home construction picks up in May - The Gleaner

US Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced legislation on May 21 to ensure hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) is regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) like other ingredients used in dietary supplements, foods, and beverages.

Under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), it is unlawful to introduce into interstate commerce a food (including any animal food or feed) to which has been added a substance that is an active ingredient in an approved drug product, or a substance for which substantial clinical investigations have been instituted and the existence of such investigations has been made public. FDA has approved one drug, Epidiolex, which contains CBD. Consequently, because CBD has been approved as a drug ingredient, FDAs current legal position is that CBD cannot be legally contained in a dietary supplement or food product. Notably, this restriction only applies to dietary supplements and foods. Cosmetics containing CBD are not subject to this particular provision.

If passed, the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act would amend the definition of a dietary supplement in the FFDCA, creating an exception for hemp, hemp-derived cannabidiol, or a substance containing any other ingredient derived from hemp from the prohibition on the use of ingredients that have been approved in drugs, or substances for which substantial clinical investigations have been instituted. Consistent with the definition of hemp under the Agricultural Marketing Act, this exception would only apply to extracts from the plant Cannabis sativa L. with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of not more than 0.3 % on a dry weight basis. The proposed legislation would create a legal avenue for the use of hemp-derived CBD and other cannabinoids in dietary supplements, foods, and beverages in compliance with all existing federal regulations for these types of product.

The bill would also create an avenue for submissions to FDA seeking approval for CBD or other hemp-derived cannabinoids as dietary ingredients or food additives through regulatory pathways such as New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) notifications, Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notices, or Food Additive Petitions. How FDA would treat hemp-derived ingredients for use in dietary supplements and foods, i.e., requiring an NDI or GRAS submission and imposing limits on use levels or servings, would potentially require all products that currently include CBD as an ingredient to submit regulatory filings and relabel products.

The bill follows the passage of several state laws and the creation of state regulations permitting the sale and distribution of dietary supplements and foods that contain CBD. For example, the New York State Department of Health announced proposed regulations for hemp products in October 2020, which will implement the NY Controlled Substances Therapeutic Research Acts provisions on hemp and hemp extracts.

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Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduces Bill to Regulate Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD in Food - JD Supra

Barbara Banaian, Times Writers Group Published 1:10 p.m. CT June 2, 2021 | Updated 2:11 p.m. CT June 2, 2021

The term "filibuster" has been in the news a lot of late. It evokes passion. The word refers mostly to obstruction of legislative work by talking or some other procedure, though, prior to that, the Spanish wordfilibustero referred to pirates who pillaged colonies in the West Indies. It has been used since the 1850s to refer to long speeches meant to stop a bill from passing.

Last Friday was a Republican filibuster of a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. This was the first time under President Biden that a bill died. It needed the help of 10 Republicans to pass this legislation. Nobody stood to make a speech because at least one Republican senator had placed a hold on the legislation which in essence acts like a filibuster, as it indicates the possibility of a filibuster. In the case of this bill, a motion to end debate, called cloture, was made but failed.

Barbara Banaian(Photo: Submitted Photo)

There are good and bad things about the filibuster. When a party is in the majority and wants to get things done, they dislike the filibuster and want to rein it in. Since it is not in the U.S. Constitution, it would not be hard to change the rules governing this. But every majority party can expect that it will someday be in the minority and that thought may stay their hand. And the Senate is supposed to be the "saucer"into which the House pours its legislation (while many believe George Washington himself called the Senate this, theres no proof of that.)

Does it hinder action, or bring bipartisanship?I would propose keeping the filibuster, but returning to the days of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Who can forget Jimmy Stewart's impassioned speech (as Sen. Jeffrey Smith) condemning corruption on thefloor of Senate, "I will not yield!" I would favor being in the chamber talking to colleagues and persuading them!

I wont give away the ending except to say, the filibuster lasts 25 hours and changes only one mind. And "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" was made in 1939, long before the longest recorded talking filibuster was given by Sen. Strom Thurmond. Rather than exposing corruption, Thurmond was trying to stop the Civil Rights Act. He too failed.

Filibusters do not even need to talk about the matter before the Senate (after the first threehours). In 2013 Sen. Rand Paul filibustered the nomination of a CIA director, not to stop the nomination, but to call attention to the use of drones by the CIA to kill an American considered an enemy combatant.

But at least then the fictional Sen. Smith and the real Sens. Thurmond and Paul tried to persuade people. Now the filibuster involves no speeches most of the time. The hold, and the ability of the Senate to continue business while a hold is in place (which means other senators do not have to do anything to resolve disagreements, just not vote on the bill they disagree over), has made it easier for two sides not to talk to each other.

Likewise later reforms, such as ending the supermajority needed to stop a filibuster for presidential nominations including the Supreme Court, have not made us more bipartisan but rather less. The founders knew what majority vote looked like from their experiences with the British Parliament, and that was not what they had in mind.

There is a "nuclear option," and that is to get rid of the filibuster. Will it make the two parties talk to each other more, or less?I think we know the answer: the Senate would resemble the House, where compromise doesn't matter as much as the majority steamrolls the minority.

In March, President Biden endorsed returning to the "talking filibuster," in which a senator must stay on the floor while debating similar to the scene in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." It might not help in the end, but it would at least get them talking.

This is the opinion of Times Writers Group member Barbara Banaian, a professional pianist who lives in the St. Cloud area. Her column is published the first Sunday of the month.

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Opinion: Filibuster rules have evolved to create no need to talk through differences - SC Times

Sen. Rand Paul received a death threat at his Kentucky home on Monday containing a white substance and a picture of the Republican with a gun to his head.

Ill finish what your neighbor started you mother*****, read the threat with an image of Paul bruised and bandaged, reports Fox News.

In 2017, Paul was viciously attacked by his neighbor Rene Boucher while he was mowing his lawn, resulting in six broken ribs, lung damage, and multiple bouts of pneumonia.

According to the Daily Mail, "the photoshopped image attached to the package was doctored from a photo illustration of Paul that was created by GQ magazine as part of a 2017 feature story on the assault that left the Republican senator badly injured."

"I take these threats immensely seriously," Paul said in a statement Monday. "I have been targeted multiple times now, it is reprehensible that Twitter allows C-list celebrities to advocated for violence against me and my family.

This must stop. Just this weekend Richard Marx called for violence against me and now we receive this despicable powder filled letter, he added, referring to the singer who tweeted that if he ever met Boucher he was going to hug him and buy him as many drinks as he can consume.

Pauls wife, Kelley, who received the letter and called the FBI, said she was tired of the threats against her husband. Nevertheless, the tactics will not intimidate him, she added, reminding people that they are armed.

"I am sick of the hatred and vitriol from people who boast of their 'empathy and compassion' in their bios," she tweeted. "Rand will continue to stand up for our constitutionally protected liberties. He will keep questioning the 'experts.' We wont be intimidated. And yes, we have guns."

The FBI has launched an investigation.

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Rand Paul's Wife Has a Serious Message After Latest Death ...