Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson attends a virtual press conference inside 10 Downing Street in central London on Nov. 26, 2020.

Jamie Lorriman | AFP | Getty Images

LONDON Sterling broke through the long-awaited $1.35 barrier on Wednesday morning after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said progress had been made toward a post-Brexit trade deal between the U.K. and the European Union.

Addressing the European Parliament, von der Leyen said that while she could not say whether there would or would not be a deal, "there is a path to an agreement now" and the next few days will be critical.

"We have found a way forward on most issues but two issues remain outstanding: the level playing field and fisheries," von der Leyen said.

"I am glad to report that the issues linked to governance now have largely been resolved. The next few days are going to be decisive."

However, a U.K. official reportedly told Reuters that the two sides remain "very far apart in key areas" and that despite some progress, the deal is "still not there." CNBC was unable to independently verify the report.

Sterling climbed 0.4% against the dollar following the remarks, breaking above the $1.35 barrier for the first time since May 2018. The euro also gained 0.45% against the greenback to top $1.22 for the first time since April 2018.

The U.K. left the EU in January but it agreed to keep the same standards and regulations until the end of the year, so both sides would have time to develop new trading arrangements.

However, this transition period ends in around two weeks and there are serious concerns that they will not have a new agreement ready by then. Failure to get an agreement in the coming weeks, a so-called no-deal Brexit, could push up taxes and costs for exporters on both sides.

CNBC's Silvia Amaro contributed to this article.

Excerpt from:

British pound hits highest level in over two years on Brexit trade deal progress - CNBC

There was word that Eduardo Rodriguez was making significant progress in his return from myocarditis. Now we have proof just how far the pitcher has come.

Rodriguez, who missed all of 2020 due to the COVID-19-induced condition, was forced to ease back into regular athletic activity, even once the regular season concluded.

But each step of the way throughout the past few months the Red Sox have surmised that Rodriguez would be participating in a normal spring training, with Wednesday's video supporting that notion.

In Eduardos situation, the most important part is that hes healthy, right? Forget the baseball part of it, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said on MLB Network Radio earlier this week. He can have a regular life. Hes working out. Hes going after it, which is pretty exciting. He started playing catch. As of now, hes on pace to be ready for the start of the season. Obviously, were not going to push him. Were going to be very careful. Its something very serious. Im glad hes upbeat and hes going through his workouts as normal as possible."

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Eduardo Rodriguez shows off progress in throwing session - RADIO.COM

PARSONS, W.Va. The announcement that Virgin would be building the certification center for its new hyperloop technology came to the area back in October. While construction may still be months and months away, staff with the company explained that theyre already looking to support its new home.

Hyperloop is really focused on being a positive part of the community and working together to make the certification center a success for the locals, the state, and then globally, said Project Development Lead Kelsey Kirby.

With that in mind, Kirby spoke at the regular meeting of the Tucker County Commission on Wednesday to talk about what the new project has to offer the county and the wider region. Commission President Lowell Moore said hes looking forward to many new jobs in the area.

After theyre up and running, I think a lot of it will be in the engineering department, but West Virginia is going to do a lot too. The colleges and West Virginia University, I think that will draw in a lot of our students from them, and I think itll make employment for them to where they can stay in West Virginia rather than go out of state, said Moore.

And thats a goal that many people share around the state. Kirby is a West Virginia native herself. She said the new facility would go a long way towards helping students see the different career paths available to them without leaving their home state.

We are very excited about the opportunity that hyperloop presents to the young people really excited about STEM. And so certainly one of the things thats a personal passion and one of many of the engineers on the hyperloop team is to share that excitement around science and education, said Kirby.

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Virgin Hyperloop and Tucker County Commission discusses the benefits and progress of the project - WBOY.com

The pandemic didn't just move us forward in terms of workplace transformations it also moved us back, erasing decades of workplace progress and deepening existing societal inequalities.

Why it matters: It could take years to reach the levels of equity that existed before the coronavirus ravaged the U.S. economy.

1. A generation of American women has been set back.

In February, before the pandemic, women in the U.S. hit a milestone. For the first time in history, they held the majority of non-farm payroll jobs, outnumbering men in the workforce.

2. The pandemic has deepened the divide between the two worlds of work.

"We're seeing a really strong dichotomy between white-collar and blue-collar work," says Levit, the workplace expert. "We treat our front-line workers like cogs in the machine."

Go deeper with my reporting on these troubling trends from earlier this year:

Read more:

A year of erased progress in the workplace - Axios

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Britain and the European Union have moved closer to sealing a new trade deal but it was still unclear if they would succeed, the blocs chief executive said on Wednesday.

Britain and the EU are in the final stretch of talks to keep an estimated one trillion dollars of annual trade free of tariffs and quotas beyond Dec. 31, when the United Kingdom finally transitions out of the worlds largest trading bloc.

With just over two weeks left, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he hoped the EU would see sense and agree a deal that respected Britains sovereignty, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the bloc favoured agreement.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament: I cannot tell you whether there will be a deal or not. But I can tell you that there is a path to an agreement now. The path may be very narrow but it is there.

Her relatively upbeat comments on the long-running Brexit crisis helped nudge sterling upwards on currency markets. However, von der Leyen also said two issues were still unsolved.

We have found a way forward on most issues but two issues still remain outstanding: the level playing field and fisheries, she said. Issues linked to governance now have largely been resolved. The next days are going to be decisive.

The level playing field refers to EU insistence that Britain does not undercut it on environmental, labour and social standards, as well as state aid, while governance covers the resolution of disputes.

Von der Leyen said discussions about access to UK fishing waters for EU vessels were still very difficult.

Britain formally left the EU on Jan. 31 but has been in a transition period since then under which rules on trade, travel and business remain unchanged. It finally exits the blocs single market and customs union on Dec. 31.

Failure to agree a deal would erect trade barriers between the EU and Britain, snarl borders, send shockwaves through financial markets and cause chaos in supply chains across Europe as it also struggles with COVID-19.

SEE SENSE

Johnson, who won election last year pledging to get Brexit done and for Britain to take back control, said he hoped the EU would see sense and do a deal.

He emphasised the point at a press conference, when he said: Where we get to with the EU - well, again, that is very much a matter for our friends. They know what the parameters are.

His spokesman said no trade deal was still the mostly likely outcome. A later statement from Johnsons office said talks would continue over the coming days.

Britains parliament will begin its Christmas break on Thursday, but could be recalled at short notice and as early as next week to legislate if a deal is reached.

Merkel said the EU would prefer a deal but is prepared either way, adding there was no breakthrough yet.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is at odds with Britain over fish quotas, said he wanted the best relationship with London.

FILE PHOTO: European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen speaks during a debate on next EU council and last Brexit development during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium November 25, 2020. Olivier Hoslet/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

But the two sides have yet to narrow gaps on two of the thorniest issues: fishing rights in British waters and the level playing field.

An EU official told Reuters the bloc had rejected Britains offer of phased access to its waters over three years by EU fishing vessels and the sides were an ocean apart on the issue.

Von der Leyen hailed a big step forward in agreeing a so-called non-regression clause, which would ensure that our common high labour, social and environmental standards will not be undercut.

Sources said there were disagreements over balanced equivalence, which London saw as tying Britain to the EUs regulatory orbit, and a dispute resolution mechanism to determine whether competition was distorted and remedies if so.

Britain saw the EUs pitch for effective remedial measures as giving the bloc too much leeway to retaliate on trade.

Reporting by Francesco Guarascio, Marine Strauss, Gabriela Baczynska, William James and Elizabeth Piper in London, Sudip Kar-Gupta in Paris and Paul Carrel and Michael Nienaber in Berlin, Writing by Robin Emmott, Gabriela Baczynska and Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Giles Elgood and Andrew Cawthorne

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UPDATE 2-Progress on Brexit but coming days will be critical, says EU chief - Reuters

Theres a great big beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day.

Walt Disney and WED Enterprises teamed up and created what is now the longest-running stage show in American theater history. Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress was originally created as the prime feature of theGeneral Electric Pavilion for the 1964 New York Worlds Fair, but I bet you didnt know it actually has been in a total of three different locations, which brings me to the fact that there is much more to this attraction than one may realize.

That is why we created an entire guide to everything you need to know about Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress!

What is Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress?

This attraction, created by Walt Disney himself, is a rotating theater audio-animatronic stage show attraction, currently located in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort. The official description listed on the Walt Disney World website reads:

Travel through the 20th century and marvel at the evolution of technology during this classic Audio-Animatronics show.

Follow an American family over 4 generations of progress and watch technology transform their lives.

During each era, learn how the technological marvels of the day made life more comfortableand paved the way for unimaginable innovations.

Discover how gas lamps, the hand-cranked washing machine and gramophone made the pre-electric era a breeze.

Watch the advent of electricity give rise to modern conveniences like the electric iron, the radioand the simple, revolutionary light bulb.

See how the automatic dishwasher and television set transformed the American household.

Todays high-tech marvels include virtual-reality games, high-definition televisions and voice-activated household appliances. Imagine the wonders the next hundred years may bring!

In the late 1950s, Walt Disney wanted to expand Main Street U.S.A. with two different districts, International Street and Edison Square. Edison Square would be home to a show, which was supposed to be called Harnessing the Lighting, and would showcase the evolution of electricity in the home from the late 19th century to the present (and beyond). After each era ended, the Guests would then get up and walk to the next one, however, this idea was eventually scrapped and Disney had to go back to the drawing boards.

Not long after the idea of Harnessing the Lighting was scrapped, General Electric approached Disney to see if he could develop a show for the GE pavilion at the 1964-65 New York Worlds Fair. The company would fund the project and the new technology to bring it to life so Disney felt he couldnt pass it up Plus, it could help his relationship with the company. He immediately thought of his Edison Square concept and pitched the idea of an electrical progress show to the companys executives. They loved the idea and moved forward with it.

Walt Disney asked songwritersRichard M. ShermanandRobert B. Sherman, who you may know for creating many other Disney classics including the music for Mary Poppins, to create a song for the idea Disney had. He explained that he wanted the song to play as a segway between acts and the Sherman Brothers came up with what is now known as Theres A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.

The Sherman Brothers later shared that they created this song with Walt in mind and they believe that it was Walts theme song, since he was very optimistic and excited about the future and technology.

D23 writes:

General Electric Carousel of Progress Attraction at the 1964-65 New York Worlds Fair, later moved to Tomorrowland at Disneyland, where it opened July 2, 1967. Closed September 9, 1973 and moved to Walt Disney World. America Sings then moved into the carousel theater at Disneyland. At Disneyland, the attraction was tied to the theme song Theres a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow, which echoed General Electrics then current philosophy. The attraction featured the increased importance of electricity in the home through four different scenes of an Audio-Animatronics family. When the attraction moved to Walt Disney World, where it opened on January 15, 1975, the theme song changed to The Best Time of Your Life, reflecting General Electrics changed philosophy. General Electric ended sponsorship in 1985, but the attraction continues to operate, and to satisfy nostalgia buffs, the song Theres a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow was returned during a 1993 rehab, which also saw a theming of the four tableaux to various holidays. It was renamed Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress in 1994.

Fun Fact: For all of you fans of A Christmas Story, the narrator of this classic film is featured on the Carousel of Progress as John the main narrator and the father!

Where Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress is Located

I bet you didnt know that Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress has actually been in three different locations! Thats right It was first created under the name Progressland for the 1964-65 New York Worlds Fair. Following its success, it was then moved to Disneyland park and renamed Carousel of Progress.

Then, in 1975, Disney moved this attraction to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World where it was rewritten and renamed again as The Best Time of Your Life. However, to stick to its origins, Disney decided to once again rename the attraction in 1994 and it is now referred to as Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress.

The official Disney World website explains these moves and name changes as:

Walt Disney originally conceived the show as part of a new area at Disneyland Park called Edison Square. When the concept was abandoned, the idea was reimagined, eventually opening under the name Progressland at the 1964-65 New York Worlds Fair.

With the classic song Theres a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow by the Academy Award-winning team of brothers Richard and Robert Sherman, the show was an instant hit. Following its success, the show moved to Disneyland Park and was renamed The Carousel of Progress.

In 1975, the attraction moved to Magic Kingdom park where it was rewritten and restaged with a new theme song, The Best Time of Your Life.

In the true spirit of progress, the show was reworked in 1994 to its initial incarnation with the original theme song intactas a tribute to nostalgia.

When Guests approach the attraction, they will hear a pre-show video play on the televisions, which talks about the history and development of Carousel of Progress. It includes clips of Walt Disney himself along with The Sherman Brothers, singing Theres a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.

Once Guests enter the rotating theater and have a seat, they will follow an American family over 4 generations of progress and watch technology transform and change their lives.

In act one, we are taken back to the 1900s as John, the family father, is sitting in his home with Rover, the family dog, by his side. He starts off by telling the audience it is right around the turn of the century and then proceeds to discuss all of the new inventions during this time Including Thomas Edisons idea for snap-on electric lights.

John then highlights all of the new technology and appliances within his home as well as explaining how some problems such as chopping wood, souring milk, and getting water from the well are all things of the past now.The audience then meets Johns wife, Sarah, who shows off her new wash-day marvel and explains how she can now do laundry in five hours instead of two days. The show proceeds to introduce other family members including James, the familys son, who is caught using Johns stereoscope without his permission.

John proceeds to tell Guests other technology highlights during the 1900s such as one of those new talking machines, which leads to the familys grandmother, who we see has fallen asleep while listening to the phonograph, which is the talking machine John referred to. We then meet another member of the family, the daughter Patricia, as she is getting ready to go to a Valentines Day dance. John explains Patricia will be taking one of the new horseless trolleys, which John loves to take to get a root beer, also known as sarsaparilla.

The scene comes to an end and Theres a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow begins to play as the audience is rotated to the next act.

In act two, we move ahead twenty years to the 1920s. John is on stage, sitting in his kitchen and we soon realize it is Independence Day. He begins the scene by telling the audience that the Roaring Twenties has several new accomplishments such as Charles Lindbergh is about to fly over the Atlantic Ocean by himself, people being able to travel by train from New York to California in 3 days and cars now having electric starters so they no longer need to crank them. Additionally, John talks about how sports stadiums are being built all over the United States and even makes mention that Babe Ruth is the countrys best baseball player.

John then goes on to tell the Guests that Thomas Edison has brought electricity to his home, in which he proceeds to show off all of his electrics. It doesnt take long before he not only blows a fuse in his own home but the entire block. John soon asks his son, Jimmy, to put in a new fuse and we soon hear Jimmy start to complain as every time they have company over, a fuse blows.

The power comes back on and the rest of the family begins their Independence Day celebration prep work as they see Sarah working on sewing a George and Martha Washington costume. John and Sarah go back and forth, interrupting one another in which Rover, the family dog, then begins to bark. John then makes a joking remark saying Dont interrupt while Sarahs interrupting.

The scene continues on as Sarah lets John know that Jimmy, their son, volunteered to pick the music for the Independence Day celebration, which we then see him on the side stage in a colonial outfit tapping his feet to the music. Patricia, the daughter, is sitting in a room on the other side of the stage, wearing a Statue of Liberty costume. She expresses that she hopes her new boyfriend doesnt see her in the costume because he may run away.

The other new invention John lets the audience know about is indoor plumbing, which he says is great for cold days, especially for Uncle Orville, who is their constant houseguest. Uncle Orville then appears sitting in a bathtub as John tells the Guests that Orville has no job.Orville responds by saying No privacy at all around this place! which is when Sarah chimes in and calls John to let him know its time to go. The scene concludes and John begins to sing Theres A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow, as Guests rotate to the third scene.

Moving into the 1940s, also known as the Fabulous Forties, the Guests quickly notice it is now Halloween as John proceeds to tell Guests that everything is better than ever. He begins to show off some of the new kitchen technologies, including a refrigerator that holds more food and ice cubes and an automatic dishwasher.

John also tells Guests that he is now a part of the rat race and they have television, (when it works), and that John Cameron Swayze brings them the news every night. We then see the grandmother and grandfather watching wrestling on the television and Jim asking John what he thinks about his Jack-O-Lantern, which he says he used his beautiful sister Patty as a model.

We then get back into seeing the technology side of things when John tells everyone that Patty is using an old exercise machine thatwas all the rage in the twenties, but it never worked. However, the audience then sees Patty using the machine while she is talking on the phone to her friend about her date for that night.

In the next portion of the scene, John tells the audience that he is now caught up in the do-it-yourself craze in which John proceeds to explain how he and Sarah are redoing their basement and making it into a rumpus room.

We see Sarah working on the new room, as she is putting up wallpaper up using a paint mixer, which quickly goes haywire and shoots paint everywhere. John then realizes that its time to move on, and tries to get everyone collectively singing to try and cheer Sarah up. Theres A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow begins playing and Guests move into the final scene.

The last act is set during Christmas in the 21st century, where the entire family is gathered together in the living room and kitchen singing Theres a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow together, rather than just hearing John sing it like weve heard the last few scenes.

We see John in the kitchen making Christmas dinner, Sarah on her computer working nearby, Jim, who is now a young adult and no longer a child, is showing his grandmother how to play a virtual reality game, and Trish and her grandfather sit in the living room near the Christmas tree.

Sarah tells John that she has successfully programmed the oven to recognize his voice so he can tell it what to do. John explains to the audience that all of the household items are now voice-activated and proceeds to tell the oven to turn onto a certain degree temperature. After the oven confirms Johns temperature voice command, Trish, the daughter, makes a comment that it even talks back!

The family then pokes fun at Johns burnt turkey from last year right before we see the grandmother reaching 550 points in the virtual reality game. She impressed both John and Jim who repeat the score in shock and the oven hears 550 and turns the temperature up. The grandfather then starts talking about how he cant believe the new gadgets these days and proceeds to explain how before they even had car phones, they didnt even have a house phone. He is in shock over the technology they have in the 20th century such as laser discs and high-def TVs and how everything is automated today.

We then shift back to focus on the grandmother who has now reached a score of 975, beating the video game. The oven hears this number and turns the temperature to 975 degrees before it begins to smoke and start giving off warning noises before the oven door pops open and we see a severely burnt and blackened turkey. The family laughs at the fact that another Christmas turkey has been ruined and John jokes that maybe moving into the new century, ovens will learn to read minds. Jim responds with, Dont worry Dad, someday everything will be so automated that you wont ever ever have to cook another Christmas turkey again. The family then proceeds to sing Theres A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow one last time together.

Who Should Visit Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress

Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress is aimed to please all families at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. Walt Disney had the vision to create a place where families could go and spend time together And thats exactly what he had in mind when creating all of his attractions as well. No matter your age, this relaxing and entertaining ride in Tomorrowland is a great experience for everyone.

But, for those of you who are avid Walt Disney fans and really want to feel a connection to Walt and his history, as well as the history to the theme park, this is the attraction for you!

When to Visit Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress

Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress typically never has a long line and is almost always a walk on. You can visit Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress any time during the theme park operating hours, which vary depending on the day of the week and the time of year. Make sure to check the Disney World Parks Calendar prior to visiting for the most up-to-date hours.

Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress goes all the way back to the beginning With Walt Disney himself creating the concept for this attraction. Because of this, there are so many hidden details and tidbits included in the show.

Check out our video here and the next time you are at the attraction, see how many of these you can spot!

Do you want to learn more about Walt Disney and how the magic of Disney came to be? Well, you can step back to Marceline, Missouri, and learn several different little-known and fun facts about Walt himself as you tour the Magic Kingdom with a V.I.P. tour guide on the Walt Disney: Marceline to Magic Kingdom Tour.

The Walt Disney World website describes this tour as:

Discover how key events in Walt Disneys life inspired the creation of Magic Kingdom park on this eye-opening, 3-hour walking tour.

Step back in time for a behind-the-scenes glimpse into some of the secrets behind the magic. Your knowledgeable guide will share many little-known facts about Walts upbringing in Marceline, Missouri as well as provide insider info about the design and operation of several classic attractions, including those inspired by Walts participation in the 1964 Worlds Fair.

This insiders look at the history of Magic Kingdom park is perfect for the avid Disney fan and offers a lighter alternative to the more in-depthKeys to the Kingdomtour.

Please note: This tour is not open on Monday and Tuesday.

Know Before You Go

View important information including recommended attire, Guest restrictions and cancellation policies.

If you want to experience Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress at Walt Disney World Resort for yourself, but arent sure where to begin planning Dont hesitate to reach out to our friends over at Academy Travel.

Founded in 1996, Academy Travel is celebrating over 20 years in business and as the original Disney Exclusive travel agency. Academy Travel has earned the highest designation that Disney can bestow upon a travel agency, EarMarked Diamond! Academy Travel is anAuthorized Disney Vacation Plannerand has been designated as a Diamond EarMarked Travel Agency specializing in Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, Disney Cruise Line, and Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa.

One reason the agency attained the Authorized Disney Vacation Planner status is that all the frontline leisure travel agents are College of Disney Knowledge graduates. The College of Disney Knowledge is an in-depth comprehensive course that allows agents to develop their expertise regarding the Disney Destinations knowledge that consumers can take advantage of when planning a Disney vacation.

As long as you book your trip with anAuthorized Disney Vacation Planneryou can rest assured that you will be working with an agency that Disney has vetted and is willing to associate their brand with that agency due to the knowledge and service level you will find at that particular agency. As you can probably imagine, this is a big deal as Disney emphasizes stellar service above all else. Disney has high standards as to with whom they will partner and as a baseline we believe you should only consider booking your Disney vacation with anAuthorized Disney Vacation Planner.

And, no other travel agency in the world books as many Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, Disney Cruise Line, a Disney Resort & Spa vacations as does Academy Travel. Yes, you read that right, Academy Travel has more experience booking these trips than anyone else, plus they are also the #1 travel agent booking Universal Studios vacations and so much more!

So what are you waiting for? Start planning your dream Disney vacation today!

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Facts and Secrets About Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress - Inside the Magic

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Britain and the European Union have moved closer to sealing a new trade deal but it was still unclear if they would succeed, the blocs chief executive said on Wednesday.

Britain and the EU are in the final stretch of talks to keep an estimated one trillion dollars of annual trade free of tariffs and quotas beyond Dec. 31, when the United Kingdom finally transitions out of the worlds largest trading bloc.

With just over two weeks left, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he hoped the EU would see sense and agree a deal that respected Britains sovereignty, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the bloc favoured agreement.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament: I cannot tell you whether there will be a deal or not. But I can tell you that there is a path to an agreement now. The path may be very narrow but it is there.

Her relatively upbeat comments on the long-running Brexit crisis helped nudge sterling upwards on currency markets. However, von der Leyen also said two issues were still unsolved.

We have found a way forward on most issues but two issues still remain outstanding: the level playing field and fisheries, she said. Issues linked to governance now have largely been resolved. The next days are going to be decisive.

The level playing field refers to EU insistence that Britain does not undercut it on environmental, labour and social standards, as well as state aid, while governance covers the resolution of disputes.

Von der Leyen said discussions about access to UK fishing waters for EU vessels were still very difficult.

Britain formally left the EU on Jan. 31 but has been in a transition period since then under which rules on trade, travel and business remain unchanged. It finally exits the blocs single market and customs union on Dec. 31.

Failure to agree a deal would erect trade barriers between the EU and Britain, snarl borders, send shockwaves through financial markets and cause chaos in supply chains across Europe as it also struggles with COVID-19.

SEE SENSE

Johnson, who won election last year pledging to get Brexit done and for Britain to take back control, said he hoped the EU would see sense and do a deal.

He emphasised the point at a press conference, when he said: Where we get to with the EU - well, again, that is very much a matter for our friends. They know what the parameters are.

His spokesman said no trade deal was still the mostly likely outcome. A later statement from Johnsons office said talks would continue over the coming days.

Britains parliament will begin its Christmas break on Thursday, but could be recalled at short notice and as early as next week to legislate if a deal is reached.

Merkel said the EU would prefer a deal but is prepared either way, adding there was no breakthrough yet.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is at odds with Britain over fish quotas, said he wanted the best relationship with London.

FILE PHOTO: European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen speaks during a debate on next EU council and last Brexit development during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium November 25, 2020. Olivier Hoslet/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

But the two sides have yet to narrow gaps on two of the thorniest issues: fishing rights in British waters and the level playing field.

An EU official told Reuters the bloc had rejected Britains offer of phased access to its waters over three years by EU fishing vessels and the sides were an ocean apart on the issue.

Von der Leyen hailed a big step forward in agreeing a so-called non-regression clause, which would ensure that our common high labour, social and environmental standards will not be undercut.

Sources said there were disagreements over balanced equivalence, which London saw as tying Britain to the EUs regulatory orbit, and a dispute resolution mechanism to determine whether competition was distorted and remedies if so.

Britain saw the EUs pitch for effective remedial measures as giving the bloc too much leeway to retaliate on trade.

Reporting by Francesco Guarascio, Marine Strauss, Gabriela Baczynska, William James and Elizabeth Piper in London, Sudip Kar-Gupta in Paris and Paul Carrel and Michael Nienaber in Berlin, Writing by Robin Emmott, Gabriela Baczynska and Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Giles Elgood and Andrew Cawthorne

More here:

Progress on Brexit but coming days will be critical, says EU chief - Reuters

PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) The COVID-19 vaccination has arrived in South Dakota and there will be enough in the next weeks to vaccinate the key frontline health care workers, South Dakota State Department of Health Secretary Kim Malsam-Rysdon said on Wednesday.

The state will receive 7,800 doses of Pfizer vaccine and expects 14,600 doses of Moderna vaccine next week. The total doses of the two vaccines will be enough to cover the 19,000 people designated as priorities for the first phase, she said.

The DOH has added a feature on its website that allows the public to track the vaccine doses and number of people who receive it. The DOH information also shows the number of vaccines and people vaccinated in each county.

As of Wednesdays update, 405 individuals have been vaccinated, according to the DOH website. The number includes 153 in Minnehaha County, 74 in Lincoln and 67 in Pennington. Those three counties were top priorities for delivery of the vaccine, DOH officials said.

Twenty-three people have received the vaccine in Codington County. The South Dakota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol said it delivered doses of the Pfizer vaccine on Dec. 15 to Prairie Lakes Healthcare System in Watertown, which is in Codington County.

Prairie Lakes officials said in a KELOLAND News story they would be vaccinating their frontline workers. It would also be a distribution site for members of the regional health care network.

Nursing home residents are among the priority individuals to receive the vaccine. So far, 204 individuals aged 80 and older have been vaccinated.

Malsam-Rysdon said the DOH will provide the vaccination from the federal government in a series of steps, according to its COVID-19 vaccination plan.

It will be at least several months until the general public can receive a vaccine.

The Veterans Administration facilities in the state and the health care facilities on Tribal Lands will be provided the vaccine through federal officials. Malsam-Rysdon said the state will not be involved in those vaccination plans.

Who gets a vaccine first in South Dakota?There is a 3 phase approach of vaccine administration

Throughout Phase 1 and Phase 2, South Dakotas three primary health care systems Avera, Sanford and Monument Health will provide the vaccination services to priority populations.

Who is in Phase 1 of getting the vaccine? The state determined through an allocation criteria four key priorities

Based on that criteria, health care workers, first responders and older adults living in congregate settings will receive the first vaccines as described in Phase 1A and Phase 1B.

How much vaccine is needed to cover Phase 1?Estimations for the population for Phase 1A are 23,171. Vaccine dose allocation will continue under Phase 1A until the population is met. Phase 1B will start after Phase 1A.

South Dakota is set to receive 7,800 doses of Pfizers vaccine starting Monday, Dec. 14. Pfizer will send another set of 7,800 doses within about three weeks to provide second doses to people who got the first round of shots.

When will Phase 2 start? Health officials said limited vaccine doses are expected throughout Phase 1 and Phase 2 isnt expected to start until 2021. As vaccine becomes available, location of vaccination sites will be found at Vaccinefinder.org.

DOH officials also briefly discussed the states percent positivity rate for the last seven days which is 9.9% as of Wednesday.

But as of Dec. 15, only nine counties had weekly rates lower than 9.9%, according to the DOH website. Some countys had percent positive rates as high as 44.39% and 33.73%.

DOH epidemiologist Dr. Josh Clayton said the weekly table rates for each county and the last seven day rate posted for the entire state will only match one day a week because of how they are tabulated.

The percentage includes the last seven full days that the DOH has RT PCR tests for, Clayton said. The county table percentages are based on the past week, Clayton said.

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DOH updates website to reflect vaccination progress; addresses difference in positivity rate information for state, counties - KELOLAND.com

The top four congressional leaders will continue negotiating a Covid-19 relief package today that they could attach to crucial spending legislation ahead of Fridays deadline to keep the government open.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) met for several hours last night, reporting progress in the talks but with no agreement in hand.

The leaders held two rounds of extended negotiations at the Capitol yesterday, trying to reach agreement for a package of aid for businesses and workers struggling through the pandemics economic fallout.

Were making significant progress and Im optimistic that were gonna be able to complete an understanding sometime soon, McConnell said as he left the Capitol. Everybody wants to get a final agreement as soon as possible.

Schumer also said the exchanges had brought progress and there is a genuine desire to come to an agreement by all four parties.

The four leaders have been trying to finalize coronavirus aid to attach to the spending bills before funding for federal agencies runs out on Friday at midnight. Both sides have vowed that Congress wont recess for the holidays without getting both done. Read the latest from Erik Wasson.

Virus Aid, Tax Breaks Poised to Hitch Ride: Lawmakers are also negotiating other priorities to be carried on the spending package, likely the last major piece of legislation passed this year. Members of both parties are pushing to attach dozens of policy and tax fixes, including tax breaks for craft beer brewers, an energy package, pumping $1 billion into a civics and history program, and creating new museums to honor Latino people and women.

As a must-pass measure, the $1.4 trillion omnibus, which would fund the federal government through the end of fiscal 2021, is the most attractive vehicle for lawmakers rushing to wrap up business before heading home for the holidays. That also carries the next installment of virus-related economic relief, the most significant add-on being considered. It would boost the total price tag of the omnibus to more than $2 trillion. Nancy Ognanovich runs down the list of measures that may move along with the spending bill.

Photographer: Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg

Schumer at the Capitol on Tuesday.

Biden Enlists Team to Fight Climate Change: Biden has begun to assemble the team he will rely on to drive his ambitious clean-energy and climate agenda, a diverse group of government veterans that includes a former EPA chief and a Midwestern governor. The personnel choices come as Biden seeks to fulfill campaign promises to decarbonize the electric grid in 15 years, promote electric vehicles and restrict oil development on federal land. The president-elect may have to lean heavily on regulations and executive orders to achieve his goals, with the Republicans set to hold at least 50 seats in the Senate. Read more from Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Ari Natter.

Biden Meets Resistance in Picking Haaland for Interior: Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) is Bidens preferred candidate to lead the Interior Department, though a final decision has been delayed as House leaders express concerns about filling her seat and other vacant spots. The selection process was described by people familiar with the matter. If confirmed as secretary of the Interior, Haaland would be the first American Indian secretary in American history. But House leaders have said it could take months to hold a special election to fill her seat. Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Ari Natter have more.

Buttigieg Will Face Infrastructure Funding Woes: Bidens pick of Pete Buttigieg would begin his tenure at the Transportation Department as pressure mounts for the administration and Congress to reach a deal on paying for infrastructure spending. Congress faces a September deadline to reauthorize federal funding for highways, transit, rail, and safety programs. During the campaign both Biden and Buttigieg offered plans to strengthen the nations infrastructure, but Buttigieg actually offered a plan to break through an old Washington problem: how to pay for it. Read more from Courtney Rozen.

Trump Sits Out Debut of Covid-19 Vaccine: Donald Trump pinned all his hopes for ending the pandemic on a vaccine, but as shots started going into American arms this week, the president has barely acknowledged the moment and has wavered on when hell be inoculated. The first shipments of a coronavirus vaccine created by Pfizer and German company BioNTech arrived on Monday, with front-line health-care workers receiving injections on live television to mark the occasion. The rollout coincides with the U.S. setting records for daily cases, daily deaths and hospitalizations.

The president has had little to say about any of it, beyond a single congratulatory tweet buried among a stream of false assertions and conspiracy theories about the election he lost. The White House is now preparing to publicly inoculate a handful of officials in an event to celebrate the breakthrough and encourage Americans to get vaccinated. Vice President Mike Pence, who is not known to have contracted the virus, said hell receive a vaccination within days, but his office declined to say if it would be in front of cameras. Read more from Josh Wingrove.

States Get $227 Million for Vaccine Distribution: The federal government will provide states and territories almost $227 million to distribute Covid-19 vaccines and track the virus, the HHS announced yesterday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will award $140 million to all 50 states and additional jurisdictions for vaccine preparedness and $87 million for Covid-19 tracking and testing. Read more from Jacquie Lee.

Biden Hails Georgia Democrats in Bid to Swing Senate: Biden campaigned on behalf of two Democratic Senate candidates in Georgia yesterday, an appearance that highlights the races importance to his first-term agenda with control of the Senate at stake. I need two senators from this state who want to get something done, not two senators who are just going to get in the way, Biden said at a drive-in rally in Atlanta for the candidates, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Read more from Mario Parker and Jennifer Epstein.

Some GOP-Led States Push for Expanded Voter Access: Some Republican state officials are newly open to expanded voting options after such moves proved popular and the partys down-ballot candidates won in a high-turnout election, despite Trump railing against the changes. Republican elections officials and state lawmakers in Kentucky, Missouri and Texas are considering changes that would either make vote-by-mail more accessible or increase early in-person voting.

Any such moves would be going against the current in the Republican Party, where Trumps baseless claims of fraud have spurred GOP state lawmakers in Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania to consider tightening requirements on mail-in ballots. Officials in Georgia have even filed suit to curtail the use of drop boxes for absentee ballots and add new layers of scrutiny to the signature-matching process before the Jan. 5 Senate run-off votes. Read more from Ryan Teague Beckwith.

Lawmaker Vows to Carry On Trumps Election Fight: A Republican lawmaker is pledging to carry out his challenge of Bidens election as president despite McConnells recognition of the result and warnings from other Republicans that the effort is futile. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) said hell object when Congress convenes Jan. 6 to count certificates of electoral votes, usually a mostly ceremonial process confirming the results of the presidential election. If you surrender, there is zero chance of success, Brooks said. Fighting yields a better chance than surrender, so I fight. Read more from Daniel Flatley and Steven T. Dennis.

Powell Asks High Court to Nullify Two Biden Wins: Former Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell asked the Supreme Court to overturn Bidens election victories in Michigan and Georgia, continuing with a flurry of long-shot litigation despite repeated rejections in the courts. The latest requests appeared on the courts online docket yesterday, a day after the Electoral College confirmed Bidens victory. Read more from Greg Stohr.

Ex-Big Law Partner Confirmed to Barretts Old Seat: Thomas L. Kirsch was confirmed to fill Amy Coney Barretts seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, giving Trump at least one more marquee judicial appointment as his term winds down. The Senate cleared the federal prosecutor and former Big Law partner 51-44 late yesterday. Madison Alder has more.

OBrien Cuts Trips Short for Talks on Russia Hack: National Security Adviser Robert OBrien has returned early from his trip to the Middle East and Europe to deal with the hack of federal agencies, according to a spokesperson for the National Security Council. OBrien planned to return to Washington on Saturday, but visited only Israel and France before canceling stops in Italy, Germany, Switzerland and the U.K., a person familiar with the matter said. He arrived back in the U.S. yesterday afternoon. Read more from Jennifer Jacobs.

Trumps $200 Medicare Cards Expected to Ship Jan. 1: The Trump administration expects to begin sending $200 prescription drug discount cards to seniors by Jan. 1, a campaign promise to seniors that Trump was unable to fulfill before losing re-election, a person familiar with the matter said. A White House official described the timeline for shipping out the discount cards to Medicare beneficiaries. Politico reported late yesterday that an obscure industry panel that advises the IRS on administering benefit cards abruptly dropped its opposition to them. Read more from Justin Sink.

Trump Labor Agency Issues Hot-Topic Fiduciary Rule: The Labor Department has released its controversial fiduciary exemption that broadens the kinds of retirement plan investments from which financial advisers can profit. The fiduciary rule DOL officials announced yesterday opens federally protected retirement plan participants and beneficiaries to formerly banned financial advice. Read more from Austin R. Ramsey.

FDIC Brokered Deposit Rule Aims for Fintech Partnership Clarity: Banks will have more clarity about their ability to partner with financial technology companies looking to park deposits with them under a new FDIC rule. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. yesterday issued a final rule updating its brokered deposit standards. The new rule expands the definition of what types of third-party deposits can be placed inside banks, with the intention of making it easier for banks to engage with fintech companies and other newer entrants to the financial system, the FDIC said, Evan Weinberger reports.

High Court Asked to Halt Abortion Pill Deliveries: The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to reinstate a requirement that women visit a medical facility before obtaining abortion-inducing pills, seeking to lift a lower-court decision that has allowed delivery by mail amid the pandemic. The filing yesterday renews a request that the court temporarily rejected in October, when it was shorthanded after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose seat was filled by conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Read more from Greg Stohr.

Environmentalists Ask Court to Block Arctic Oil Auction: Native Alaskans and environmental groups are asking a federal court to block the Trump administration from selling oil drilling rights in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge next month. The groups yesterday filed requests with an Anchorage judge for a preliminary injunction to prevent the Interior Departments planned Jan. 6 auction of oil and gas leases across the refuges 1.56-million-acre coastal plain. The intervention could be critical to ensuring Biden is able to fulfill his campaign promise to protect the refuge. Once the Trump administration conducts the auction, any formally issued leases become legal contracts with the federal government that would be difficult for the Biden administration to revoke. Read more from Jennifer A. Dlouhy.

Executions Fall to Near 30-Year Low: Executions in the U.S. in 2020 fell to the lowest level in nearly three decades even as the federal government resumed executions for the first time in 17 years, according to a new report from the Death Penalty Information Center. The 17 executions in 2020 are the lowest since 1991 when 14 inmates were put to death in the U.S., according to the centers report released Wednesday. The drop is even more pronounced at the state level where the seven executions carried out are the fewest since 1983, outnumbered by the 10 inmates put to death this year by the U.S. government. Read more from Jordan S. Rubin.

Amazon Says Bid for Pentagon Cloud Deal Was Cheaper, Better: Amazon said the Defense Department wrongfully awarded a highly lucrative cloud computing contract to Microsoft even after it proposed a cheaper and technically superior bid for the deal. In an amended complaint that was filed Oct. 23 and unsealed yesterday, the e-commerce giant claimed that during a re-evaluation of revised bids from both companies, the Pentagon underrated Amazons advantages and ignored key contract requirements. Amazon spokesman Drew Herdener said in a statement that it offered the lowest-priced bid by tens of millions of dollars. Read more from Naomi Nix.

Google to Face Off With Ken Starr in Texas Antitrust Lawsuit: Texas plans to hire Ken Starr, the former independent counsel in the investigation that led to President Bill Clintons impeachment, to represent the state in an antitrust lawsuit against Alphabets Google, according to a person familiar with the matter. The state plans to hire Starrs firm, the Lanier Law Firm, and Keller Lenkner if it files a lawsuit stemming from its investigation into the companys role in the online ad market, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said yesterday in a statement, Ben Brody reports.

Trumps Staff Secretary Lyons to Leave: One of Trumps closest aides, staff secretary Derek Lyons, will leave his job before the end of the year. Lyons plans to depart the White House before his bosss term ends in January in order to spend time with his family and pursue a private sector opportunity related to jobs in the U.S., according to a person familiar with the matter. Read more from Jordan Fabian.

To contact the reporters on this story: Zachary Sherwood in Washington at zsherwood@bgov.com; Brandon Lee in Washington at blee@bgov.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Giuseppe Macri at gmacri@bgov.com; Loren Duggan at lduggan@bgov.com; Michaela Ross at mross@bgov.com

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What to Know in Washington: Leaders Make Progress on Aid Deal - Bloomberg Government

Schistosomiasis is one of the most important neglected tropical diseases in the world in terms of public health impacts. According to the WHO, schistosomiasis is transmitted in 78 countries around the world. In a paper recently published in Infectious Diseases of Poverty, researchers addressed the surveillance progress and capacities of five provincial-level administrative divisions in China.

Li-Juan Zhang 16 Dec 2020

Ribbed-shelled Oncomelania hupensis hupensis (Gredler, 1881). Credit: Qin Ping Zhao, available via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oncomelania_hupensis_hupensis_(PLoS).jpg

In the 1950s, there were about 12 million people and 1.2 million total cattle infected with schistosomes, and over 100 million people at risk of infection in China. Following several decades of unremitting efforts on schistosomiasis control, Guangdong (1985), Shanghai (1985), Fujian (1987), Guangxi (1989) and Zhejiang (1995) successfully eliminated schistosomiasis in China. After achieving this, these five provincial-level administrative divisions (PLADs) entered the stage of surveillance.

In our research, recently published in Infectious Diseases of Poverty, we addressed the surveillance progress and capabilities of these five PLADs: epidemic situation of schistosomiasis, diagnostic capacitiy, ability to identify Oncomelania hupensis (theuniqueintermediatehostofSchistosomajaponicum), and knowledge of schistosomiasis prevention and control.

Elimination of schistosomiasis is regarded as an achievable goal in endemic regions or countries if continuous interventions and adequate resources are provided. However, schistosomiasis easily rebounded or spread to new areas due to weakened interventions, ecological changes caused by flooding, construction works for water conservancy projects, increased migration of goods or human resources etc., without a thorough surveillance and response system.

As Shanghai, Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi and Zhejiang eliminated schistosomiasis at least 20 years ago, we evaluated the epidemic situation and the surveillance capabilities on schistosomiasis among the five PLADs, to facilitate the consolidation of elimination achievements in post elimination era, and provide reference for other regions where schistosomiasis had been eliminated or will be eliminated.

Our goal was to understand the epidemic situation in these post-elimination areas and their surveillance capabilities on schistosomiasis. To do this, we collected annual data reflecting the interventions and surveillance on humans, cattle and snails based on county level from 2005 to 2016, through the national schistosomiasis reporting system, and we analyzed data to understand the epidemic status of schistosomiasis in the five PLADs.

In addition, we designed a standardized score sheet to assess the surveillance capacity on schistosomiasis among selected disease control agencies in five PLADs and ten counties. We evaluated the surveillance capacity including schistosomiasis diagnostic skills, identification of snails living and infection status and knowledge about schistosomiasis and its control.

Shanghai and Zhejiang are located in the Yangtze River Delta, in the east of China. Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi are located in the south of China. According to the epidemiological characteristics, the endemic areas in Shanghai belong to waterway network regions, while the endemic areas in Zhejiang, Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian are mainly hilly and mountainous regions.

The location of the research settingsJing-Yi Guo, et al. Infectious Diseases of Poverty, (2020)9:136.

The results showed that no local cases in humans and cattle or infected snail were found in the five PLADs since 2005. However, from 2005 to 2016, a total of 221 imported cases were detected in Zhejiang, Shanghai and Fujian, and 11.98 hm2 of new snail habitats were found in Zhejiang, Shanghai and Guangxi. In addition, snail infestation reoccurred in 247.55 hm2 of former snail habitats since 2011.

For the surveillance capacity assessment, the accuracy rate of indirect hameagglutination assay and the miracidia hatching technique were 100% and 89.3%, respectively. All participants could judge the living status of snails accurately and 98.1% on the infection status of snails. The accuracy rate of the questionnaire survey was 98%.

We found elimination of schistosomiasis was consolidated successfully in five PLADs of P. R. China due to effective and strong post-elimination surveillance. Comprehensive consolidation strategies should be focused on the elimination of residual snails and the prevention of imported infection sources, in order to reinforce the achievements of schistosomiasis control in the five PLADs.

Being schistosomiasis a zoonotic parasitic disease, challenges still exist to maintain the achievements as imported cases and snail habitats were detected. Continuous surveillance should be strengthened through capacity building for staff responsible for schistosomiasis surveillance, providing adequate funding and resources.

The rest is here:

The progress of surveillance of schistosomiasis in China - On Health - BMC Blogs Network

A shorter version of this column has been published byAxios.

There is a lot to be very worried about when it comes to vaccine hesitancy, but there are also reasons to be optimistic. The shares of hesitant groups that appear totally dug in are relatively modest for a new vaccine people have not seen administered safely in their communities, and many of the reasons people are reluctant to get vaccinated are remediable if they get more information from sources they trust.

Four groups jump out from our new KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor project as vaccine hesitant: Republicans and rural Americans the Trump base, parroting the presidents COVID denialism; Black adults, and essential workers. In every case more members of each group says they will get the vaccine than say they will not. The shares who are currently hesitant range from 42% for Republicans to 33% for essential workers.

Those are still big numbers, but it appears they can be reduced with more information. For example, 71% of Black adults who are now hesitant say its because they are worried about side effects. Once they learn they are mild and confirm that as people are vaccinated they may worry less. The same is true for the 50% of vaccine-hesitant Black adults who worry that they will actually get COVID from the vaccine, another top concern.

25% of Republicans currently say they will definitely not get the vaccine. But that leaves three quarters of Republicans who may get the vaccine under various circumstances: 28% of Republicans say they will get it as soon as possible; 33% want to wait and see; and 10% say they will get it only if its required.

Among essential workers a group that is a particularly important target of vaccination efforts because of their high risk of exposure to the virus 28% say they will get the vaccine as soon as they can and 36% want to wait and see; another 14% say theyll only get it if required for work or other activities, and 18% say they definitely will not get vaccinated. Hesitant essential workers have a variety of worries: Half (51%) are worried about side effects, and a similar percentage dont trust the government to make sure the vaccine is safe and effective (50%).

There could be setbacks if there are adverse events that receive wide press coverage that spook already apprehensive groups and these will have to be managed well by public health leaders. States will also need to allocate vaccine supply equitably to inner city and rural areas and assure distribution in those areas that is accessible for traditionally underserved populations. Distrust of government and institutions in communities of color will remain a real barrier.

It will take effective messaging and information efforts utilizing credible messengers and digital communications techniques to reach these different groups, targeting their different worries about the vaccine. No one message or single messenger is likely to be effective. If those efforts are funded and implemented it does appear that real progress can be made to reduce hesitancy among the most resistant groups.

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Real Progress Is Possible On Vaccine Hesitancy - Kaiser Family Foundation