First Edition: July 29, 2021
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KHN:
Olympic Dream Dashed After Bike Crash And Nightmare Medical Bill Over $200K
It was a race in Pennsylvania that could have sent cyclist Phil Gaimon to the Tokyo Olympics; instead, a serious crash landed the Californian in two hospitals on the East Coast. Gaimon knows accidents are, unfortunately, part of the sport. He had retired from competitive road cycling three years earlier, but a recruiting call came in spring 2019 from a coach of the USA Cycling track team.
The coach needed speed for a four-man event. At the time, Gaimon was making a name for himself, and money, by mountain racing, and he was setting records. (Young, 7/29)
KHN:
Pfizer Court Fight Could Legalize Medicare Copays And Unleash ‘Gold Rush’ In Sales
Three years ago, pharma giant Pfizer paid $24 million to settle federal allegations that it was paying kickbacks and inflating sales by reimbursing Medicare patients for out-of-pocket medication costs. By making prohibitively expensive medicine essentially free for patients, the company induced them to use Pfizer drugs even as the price of one of those medicines, covered by Medicare and Medicaid, soared 44% to $225,000 a year, the Justice Department alleged. (Hancock, 7/29)
KHN:
Covid Renews Interest In Radiation, But Docs Caution Against Pilgrimages To Radon-Filled Mines
Twice a year, Brian Tichenor makes the 1,200-mile drive each way from his home in Kansas to a defunct uranium mine in Montana, where he takes an elevator 85 feet below the surface to sit amid radioactive radon gas to ease the pain from his chronic eye condition. “I found it like I think a lot of people do,” said Tichenor, 67. “It’s a point of desperation with conventional treatment.”
While radon is commonly known as a hazardous gas removed from basements, people in pain travel to Montana and pay to breathe, drink and bathe in its radioactive particles. (Houghton, 7/29)
KHN:
Unraveling The Mysterious Mutations That Make Delta The Most Transmissible Covid Virus Yet
Upon first inspection, the mutations in the highly contagious delta covid variant don’t look that worrisome. For starters, delta has fewer genetic changes than earlier versions of the coronavirus.
“When people saw that the epidemic in India was driven by delta, they did not suspect it would be so bad or overtake other variants,” said Trevor Bedford, an evolutionary biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. But those expectations were wrong. (Szabo, 7/28)
AP:
Infrastructure Deal: Senate Suddenly Acts To Take Up Bill
The Senate has voted to begin work on a nearly $1 trillion national infrastructure plan, acting with sudden speed after weeks of fits and starts once the White House and a bipartisan group of senators agreed on major provisions of the package that’s key to President Joe Biden’s agenda. Biden welcomed the accord as one that would show America can “do big things.” It includes the most significant long-term investments in nearly a century, he said, on par with building the transcontinental railroad or the Interstate highway system. (Mascaro, Freking and Fram, 7/29)
The Washington Post:
Bipartisan Infrastructure Pact Clears Key Senate Vote After Breakthrough In Talks
The day of breakthroughs began with news of a deal, as a bipartisan bloc of 10 negotiators coalesced around a package to upgrade the nation’s roads, bridges, pipes, ports and Internet connections. The announcement from some of the group’s leaders, including Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), capped off a series of frenetic talks that nearly collapsed amid behind-the-scenes battles about the new spending and how to pay for it. With that once-elusive agreement finally in hand, the Senate hours later then took its first formal legislative step. Lawmakers voted 67-32 to put themselves on track to begin debating infrastructure reform this week, clearing the first of many hurdles toward adopting a proposal that the White House has described as historic. (Romm, 7/28)
Politico:
Biden Ignores The ‘Shiny Objects’ And Nears A Bipartisan Win
President Joe Biden moved significantly closer Wednesday to achieving his massive infrastructure overhaul — the type of bipartisan win he’s dreamed about since launching his campaign for the presidency. Seventeen Republican senators voted with Democrats to advance a roughly $1 trillion deal that would spend heavily on roads, bridges, broadband and public transit. And though it was a vote merely to start debate, Democrats expressed cautious optimism that a bill would eventually reach Biden’s desk. It was, the White House stressed, a testament to the president’s political skill and persistence. Despite constant fits and starts, grumbling from many in his party, and predictions that negotiations would fall apart, Biden refused to give up on working with Republicans. (Barron-Lopez and Cadelago, 7/28)
Modern Healthcare:
Congress Proposes Sequester Extension To Pay For Infrastructure Bill
Despite fervent opposition from hospitals and other healthcare providers, the Senate is slated to vote on an infrastructure bill that would be financed, in part, by extending Medicare payment cuts. The legislation, which includes $550 billion in new spending over five years for roads, bridges and other transportation projects—but nothing for hospital infrastructure—would finance a small fraction of that new spending by continuing the automatic Medicare reimbursement reductions created under budget sequestration in 2013. (Hellmann, 7/28)
The New York Times:
The Infrastructure Plan: What’s In And What’s Out
The bipartisan deal is less than a quarter the size of the $2.6 trillion plan that President Biden proposed in March, which included $2.2 trillion in spending and around $400 billion in tax credits. It’s also significantly smaller than the counteroffer the White House proposed in May, which scaled back spending by $500 billion, and it leaves out many of the Democrats’ biggest ambitions. ... There were six major areas in Mr. Biden’s original infrastructure proposal: transportation, utilities, pollution, innovation, in-home care and buildings. Almost all these areas were scaled back or eliminated in the bipartisan plan, with one exception: pollution cleanup. (Bhatia and Bui, 7/28)
The New York Times:
Covid Aid Programs Spur Record Drop In Poverty
The huge increase in government aid prompted by the coronavirus pandemic will cut poverty nearly in half this year from prepandemic levels and push the share of Americans in poverty to the lowest level on record, according to the most comprehensive analysis yet of a vast but temporary expansion of the safety net. The number of poor Americans is expected to fall by nearly 20 million from 2018 levels, a decline of almost 45 percent. The country has never cut poverty so much in such a short period of time, and the development is especially notable since it defies economic headwinds — the economy has nearly seven million fewer jobs than it did before the pandemic. (DeParle, 7/28)
The New York Times:
The C.D.C. Now Says Fully Vaccinated People Should Get Tested After Exposure Even If They Don’t Show Symptoms.
In addition to revising its mask guidance on Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also quietly updated its testing recommendations for people who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. The agency now advises that vaccinated people be tested for the virus if they come into contact with someone with Covid-19, even if they have no symptoms. Previously, the health agency had said that fully vaccinated people did not need to be tested after exposure to the virus unless they were experiencing symptoms. (Anthes and Mandavilli, 7/29)
Axios:
CDC: Vaccinated People Should Get Tested After Exposure Even If They Show No Symptoms
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revised its COVID-19 testing guidance for fully vaccinated people, recommending tests after exposure even if they don't show any symptoms. Flashback: The agency previously said that fully vaccinated people did not need tests after coming into contact with an infected person unless they experienced symptoms. (Gonzalez, 7/28)
Miami Herald:
CDC Issues New COVID Testing Guidance For Fully Vaccinated
Fully vaccinated people who are exposed to COVID-19 should get tested three to five days after and take additional precautions, new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say. The new recommendations are included in the CDC’s updated guidelines for fully vaccinated people. They were released Tuesday in response to new data that shows the highly contagious delta variant behaves differently than other strains of COVID and that in “rare occasions” some vaccinated people may be able to spread it to others. (Aldridge, 7/28)
The New York Times:
Biden To Require Federal Workers To Be Vaccinated Or Take Regular Tests
President Biden will formally announce on Thursday that all civilian federal employees must be vaccinated against the coronavirus or be forced to submit to regular testing, social distancing, mask requirements and restrictions on most travel, two people familiar with the president’s plans said on Wednesday. White House officials said the administration was still reviewing details of the policy, which the president is expected to announce in a speech from the White House. In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. Biden said his remarks would reveal “the next steps in our effort to get more Americans vaccinated.” (Shear, 7/28)
NPR:
The Pentagon Requires Everyone On Its Facilities To Wear Masks Indoors
The U.S. Department of Defense has issued directions that require anyone inside its facilities to wear a mask, even if they're vaccinated. The updated requirement applies to all service members, federal employees, onsite contractors, and visitors, and requires masks to be worn in indoor facilities and installations in areas of "substantial or high transmission," according to a statement from Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Jamal Brown. The update rescinds a previous mask guidance, which since May had allowed fully vaccinated Department of Defense personnel to not wear a mask indoors or outdoors. (Fischels, 7/28)
Politico:
White House Not Planning To Lift Covid Border Restrictions This Month
President Joe Biden was widely expected to lift restrictions this summer that have blocked migrants from seeking asylum since the start of the pandemic. The fast-spreading delta variant of the Covid-19 virus and surging numbers of border apprehensions have derailed those plans. The administration will not begin phasing out its use of the public health order, known as Title 42, at the end of this month, despite mounting legal challenges and renewed criticism from allies about the 16-month closure, according to four people familiar with the discussions. (Rodriguez and Kumar, 7/28)
The Washington Post:
CDC Reversal On Indoor Masking Prompts Experts To Ask, ‘Where’s The Data?’
In the text of the updated masking guidance, the agency merely cited “CDC COVID-19 Response Team, unpublished data, 2021.” Some outside scientists have their own message: Show us the data. “They’re making a claim that people with delta who are vaccinated and unvaccinated have similar levels of viral load, but nobody knows what that means,” said Gregg Gonsalves, an associate professor at the Yale School of Public Health. “It’s meaningless unless we see the data.” (Achenbach, Abutaleb, Guarino and Johnson, 7/28)
Politico:
‘The CDC Hasn’t Changed’: Biden’s Top Health Officials Try To Sell New Masking Guidance
Across several morning media appearances, the government’s most senior scientists defended the decision Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to recommend that people wear masks indoors again regardless of vaccination status, particularly in crowded indoor settings. The announcement marked a striking reversal for the nation’s premier public health agency after it previously declared in May that vaccinated Americans no longer needed to wear masks outdoors or indoors in most circumstances. But Anthony Fauci, Biden’s chief medical adviser, insisted Wednesday that “what has changed is the virus” — not the CDC. (Forgey, 7/28)
The Washington Post:
House Republicans Refuse To Follow New Mask Mandate, Leading Pelosi To Call McCarthy A 'Moron' For His Comments
House Republicans on Wednesday angrily criticized a new order from the Capitol Hill physician to wear masks inside the Capitol due to the spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus, leading Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy a “moron” over his argument that the decision was not based on science. Many House Republicans refused to wear masks on the House floor during a series of morning votes, before they called for the chamber to adjourn as GOP members rebuffed attempts by staff to get them to put on a mask. (Sotomayor and Wager, 7/28)
Politico:
Senate GOP Steps Up Vaccine Push Amid Lingering Conservative Skepticism
Top Senate Republicans are dramatically stepping up their pro-vaccine outreach as several of their home states lag behind national Covid inoculation rates and mask recommendations return in many areas. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is running ads in his home state to combat disinformation, Sen. Roy Blunt is barnstorming Missouri and Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama says “anytime we’re on a press conference, we say something about vaccinations." Several GOP senators released new PSAs in the wake of guidance issued Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to wear masks in areas of high transmission. (Everett, 7/28)
The Hill:
McConnell: 'It Never Occurred To Me' Convincing Americans To Get Vaccinated Would Be Difficult
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on Wednesday that he did not realize it would be difficult to convince Americans to take the COVID-19 vaccine as the nation deals with soaring cases occurring in the unvaccinated. “Here, we did — developed three highly effective vaccines in under one year. Honestly, it never occurred to me we would have difficulty getting people to take the vaccine,” McConnell told Fox Business Network host Larry Kudlow, a former White House official. (Vakil, 7/28)
Newsweek:
People Are Reportedly Getting Vaccinated In Disguise To Avoid Judgment
For fear of social ostracism, some people in Missouri who want to be vaccinated against COVID-19 are showing up to doctor's appointments in disguise, internist Priscilla Frase, MD, the chief medical information officer for Ozarks Healthcare, said in a clip shared on the hospital's Facebook page on July 18. The clip has around 1,800 views. As of this writing, Missouri has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the entire nation. Only 41 percent of the Midwestern state's population is fully vaccinated, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services [MDHSS]. Of those 2,513,969 individuals, more are female than male, multiracial than monoracial, and older than younger, MDHSS data showed. (Tien, 7/28)
Bloomberg:
New Vaccinations Are Rebounding In The U.S.’s Covid Hot Spots
Some of the most vaccine-resistant parts of the U.S. are now leading the country in the number of people getting a first dose of vaccine, a Bloomberg analysis shows, as surging infections and rising hospitalizations push formerly reluctant Americans to protect themselves. The increase in vaccinations is concentrated in the Southern and Central parts of the U.S., with the highest daily rate of shots happening in places like Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri — states that have had some of the lowest rates of vaccination in the eight months since vaccines became available. (Armstrong, 7/28)
Houston Chronicle:
Texas, Houston Methodist See Rush For Vaccines, As COVID's Fourth Wave Approaches
On Friday, Texas reported its highest single-day number of vaccines administered in more than a month, with 71,000 doses doled out. While that’s down considerably from the more than 300,000 doses administered daily this April, it represents roughly a 25 percent increase over the average daily vaccination rate logged over the past month, according to a Chronicle analysis of state health data. Houston Methodist Hospital said they’ve seen a similar, new wave of vaccine appointments this week, with more 1,000 doses administered at their clinics on Monday. That was highest number of first doses administered at the hospital system since the beginning of June, shortly after vaccine eligibility was opened to all Texans over the age of 12. (Gill and Downen, 7/28)
The Washington Post:
Baton Rouge Judge Offers COVID-19 Vaccines Instead Of Community Service
In East Baton Rouge, some people appearing before Judge Fred Crifasi, of the 19th Judicial District Court, are being afforded the opportunity to get vaccinated in lieu of certain community service hours. The judge began offering the alternative earlier this week, amid a surge in case numbers in Louisiana. In that time, roughly 19,000 cases have been reported in the state. Louisiana is among states with the highest daily reported cases per capita in the nation, according to date from The Washington Post. (Hauptman, 7/28)
The New York Times:
Wearing Masks Indoors Again? Some States Are A Vehement No.
In Missouri, where rampant Covid-19 has once again flooded hospitals, St. Louis County reinstated a mask mandate on Monday, ahead of the C.D.C.’s updated advice — only to face a lawsuit hours later from Eric Schmitt, the state’s Republican attorney general, who accused the county of “unacceptable and unconstitutional” overreach. By Tuesday night, the St. Louis County Council, meeting in a packed chamber where a woman was hoisting a sign that read, “STOP THE TYRANNY,” had voted to overturn the mandate, though the measure’s fate may ultimately be decided by the courts. (Mazzei, 7/28)
AP:
Florida Mayors Defy DeSantis With Mask, Vaccine Mandates
As coronavirus cases continue to soar, two Florida mayors are announcing mask and vaccine mandates and defying the governor who is firmly opposed to any pandemic restrictions. Masks will again be required at indoor county facilities in Florida’s populous Miami-Dade following new federal guidance recommending that even people vaccinated against COVID-19 should wear facial coverings. And in Orange County, home to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort, the mayor went a step further and announced all 4,200 nonunion county employees will be required to get their first coronavirus vaccine shot by the end of August, and the second shot by the end of September. Disney World announced on its website Wednesday evening that beginning July 30, face coverings will be required for all guests ages 2 and up while indoors and in Disney buses, monorail and Disney Skyliner, regardless of vaccination status. This includes upon entering and throughout all attractions. Face coverings remain optional in outdoor common areas. (Licon and Schneider, 7/29)
CNBC:
Disney World And Disneyland To Require Parkgoers To Wear Masks Indoors
Disney has amended the mask policy at its U.S.-based theme parks in the wake of new guidance from health and government officials. Starting Friday, the company will require all guests, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings in indoor locations at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and the Disneyland Resort in California. Children under the age of two are exempt from this mandate. (Whitten, 7/28)
AP:
Kemp Says No Mask Mandate, Schools And Atlanta Announce Them
The city of Atlanta and Georgia school districts announced mask mandates Wednesday even as Gov. Brian Kemp repeated his vow that he won’t impose a statewide mask rule or restrict business and public activities. Infections and hospitalizations from COVID-19 in Georgia continued to rise steeply Wednesday. “Georgia will not lock down or impose statewide mask mandates,” Kemp tweeted on Wednesday, repeating a stance that has remained consistent since the Republican lifted closures early in the pandemic. (Amy, 7/29)
Philadelphia Inquirer:
CDC Guidance Spurs Statewide Masking In N.J. And Calls For Vaccination, Worry About Restrictions In Pa.
New Jersey recommended Wednesday that all residents, regardless of vaccination status, resume wearing masks in public indoor settings, effectively extending Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance issued for certain areas Tuesday to the entire state. Warning that a statewide mask mandate or other restrictions could become necessary if case numbers spike, Gov. Phil Murphy was one of many officials in the region and nation Wednesday to urge those who haven’t been vaccinated to get their shots now. (McDaniel and McCarthy, 7/28)
The Boston Globe:
Baker Says Mass. Is Different As Other States Impose COVID-19 Protocols
Governor Charlie Baker said Wednesday that he sees no need for Massachusetts to reinstate restrictions in response to rising COVID-19 cases, striking a contrast with President Biden, who is urging Americans to mask up again and requiring many federal workers to get vaccinated. “Massachusetts is in a much better position than the vast majority of the states in this country with respect to how we deal with and how we’re prepared to deal with COVID,” Baker said, speaking at an environmental funding event. But Baker, who tussled with the state’s largest teachers unions over COVID-19 vaccination and safety measures, did say that he is considering mandating masks in public schools this fall. (Fox, Fatima and Andersen, 7/28)
CNBC:
Facebook Requiring U.S. Employees To Be Vaccinated To Return To Work
Facebook will require U.S. workers returning to its offices to be vaccinated, the company said on Wednesday. “As our offices reopen, we will be requiring anyone coming to work at any of our US campuses to be vaccinated,” VP of People Lori Goler said in a statement. “How we implement this policy will depend on local conditions and regulations.” Facebook will create processes for those who can’t be vaccinated for medical or other reasons, Goler said. The company will continue to evaluate its approach outside the U.S., Goler added. (Feiner, 7/28)
CBS News:
From Apple And Google To Indeed, COVID-19 Variants Delay The Return To Office
Apple CEO Tim Cook acknowledged the unpredictable nature of COVID-19 and the Delta variant, in particular, which has forced corporations like his to backtrack on plans to reopen fully. "As the last 18 months have demonstrated many times before, progress made is not progress guaranteed. An uneven recovery to the pandemic and the Delta variant surging in many countries around the world have shown us once again that the road to recovery will be a winding one," Cook said on a conference call Tuesday. (Cerullo, 7/28)
AP:
Two More Health Systems Mandate Employee Virus Vaccinations
Two of Michigan’s largest health systems will require all employees and physicians at their hospitals and other facilities to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Spectrum Health, a 14-hospital network, and eight-hospital Beaumont Health announced the mandates Wednesday. At least five major hospital systems in the state have announced such requirements. (Eggert and Williams, 7/29)
Fox News:
California Restaurant Says It Will Serve Only Unvaccinated Customers
Not vaccinated? That’s no problem for at least one California restaurant. Basilico’s in Huntington Beach, Orange County, has taken a stand against coronavirus vaccination policies, calling them "treasonous, anti-American stupidity," in a sign posted outside the business. Earlier this week, Basilico’s posted on Instagram what it called a "Declaration and Pledge of Defiance." "Challenging fellow business owners to fight with us & fight like us!" the post said. (Calicchio, 7/29)
Fox News:
Florida Hospital Reports Colombian COVID-19 Variant Increase: What To Know
In Florida, where COVID-19 community transmission is ranked high by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers say a new variant that originated in Colombia is popping up in sequencing testing. One hospital official told Local10.com that the spread is likely due to travel between Colombia and Miami. "In the last week, 10% of our patients had the Colombian variant," Carlos Migoya, CEO of Jackson Health, told the news outlet. "Why? Because of the travel between Colombia and Miami."
The variant, identified as B.1.621, was first identified in Colombia in Jan. 2021, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In late May, the health agency designated the variant for "Further Monitoring." The CDC has not yet classified it as a variant of concern or interest, but reports that it’s been detected in about 2.7% of testing samples. (Hein, 7/28)
Newsweek:
Arkansas Hospital Says Not A Single ICU Patient Is Vaccinated As Delta Surges
Officials at Arkansas' largest healthcare organization said not a single COVID-19 patient at Baptist Health Medical Center Little Rock's intensive care unit (ICU) is vaccinated. "The vast majority of patients that are in the hospital are not vaccinated," Dr. Eric Bravo, the medical director of Baptist Health's hospitalist program, told Newsweek on Wednesday. "I would say, I have not personally seen anybody in the ICU that's been vaccinated." (Fung, 7/28)
Bloomberg:
Covid Strains Hospitals In U.S. South, Echoing Pandemic Peak
Hospitals in states where Covid-19 cases are once again surging are beginning to feel the strain in their emergency departments and intensive care units. State health officials in Mississippi have told hospitals there to delay many elective surgeries beginning next week and are forming a central command to help search for ICU beds. As of Tuesday, 28 hospitals in the Gulf state didn’t have any ICU beds available as Covid-19 admissions tax hospitals that are already dealing with everyday emergencies like strokes and car crashes, said Jim Craig, senior deputy for the Mississippi Department of Health, in a briefing with reporters. (Edney and Armstrong, 7/28)
Bloomberg:
Texas New Covid Cases Top 10,000 A Day For First Time Since February
Texas logged more than 10,000 in daily new virus cases for the first time in almost six months as the latest wave of the pandemic intensifies across the second-most populous U.S. state. The caseload surged by 10,086 in the past 24 hours, a 55% increase from Tuesday’s addition and the highest since Feb. 9, state health department figures showed. Hospitalizations, meanwhile, have more than doubled this month to 5,292, the data showed. Intensive-care occupancy by virus patients has pushed above 10% in three of the state’s 22 trauma service areas, and one of those regions has zero ICU capacity left. (Carroll, 7/28)
CIDRAP:
Mental Illness Tied To Higher Risk Of COVID Hospital Care, Death
Two new JAMA Psychiatry meta-analyses link mental illness with COVID-19 death, with one also finding an association with hospitalization. ... The higher rate of severe COVID-19 "suggests that other factors lead to this health inequity in patients with mental health disorders, including several factors such as barriers to access to care, social determinants of health, immunological disturbances, and the effects of psychotropic drugs," the study authors wrote. (Van Beusekom, 7/28)
CIDRAP:
New Metric Shows COVID-19 Reduced Lifespan Significantly
COVID-19 reduced lifespan by up to 9 years in parts of the United States, per a new "mean unfulfilled lifespan" (MUL) metric, according to a study published yesterday in PLOS One. The MUL is a new indicator of the impact of mortality shocks, such as the novel coronavirus or other natural disaster, on peoples' lifespan. (7/28)
The New York Times:
Citing New Data, Pfizer Outlines Case For Booster Shots
Pfizer reported on Wednesday that the power of its two-dose Covid vaccine wanes slightly over time, but nonetheless offers lasting and robust protection against serious disease. The company suggested that a third shot could improve immunity, but whether boosters will be widely needed is far from settled, the subject of heated debate among scientists. So far, federal health officials have said boosters for the general population are unnecessary. And experts questioned whether vaccinated people should get more doses when so many people have yet to be immunized at all. (Zimmer, Mandavilli and LaFraniere, 7/28)
Fox News:
Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Efficacy Drops To 84% After 6 Months, Preprint Study Suggests
A new study involving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine suggests the jab’s efficacy drops to around 84% about six months after the second dose. The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed and was published on medRxiv, was supported by Pfizer and BioNTech, concluding that despite "a gradually declining trend in vaccine efficacy," it still was "highly efficacious in preventing COVID-19." The data noted that vaccine efficacy peaked between 7 days and two months post-second dose at 96.2%. From two months to four months, efficacy fell to 90.1%, and from four months to six months, it further fell to 83.7%. Researchers calculated a decline in vaccine efficacy about an average of about 6% every two months. The study found that the vaccine overall achieved about 91% efficacy from seven days through six months post-second dose in study participants ages 12 and older. (Hein, 7/28)
AP:
AstraZeneca To Seek US Approval Of COVID Vaccine In 2nd Half
AstraZeneca said Thursday that it intends to seek U.S. authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine in the second half of this year, offering a new timetable for the much-delayed application. The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker announced the schedule as it released second-quarter financial results, which showed that the company and its sub-licensees delivered more than 700 million doses of the vaccine to over 170 countries in the first half of this year. That includes 80 million doses that went to the COVAX initiative for low- and middle-income countries. (Kirka, 7/29)
Fox News:
AstraZeneca Finds Small Clot Risk After 1st Shot Of COVID-19 Vaccine
A study conducted by AstraZeneca regarding its COVID-19 vaccine found a small risk of blood clots following the first dose of the shot, but none after the second jab. The research, published Wednesday in The Lancet, comes following concerns about the shot’s safety and potential side effects. The shot’s rollout worldwide has been marred by pauses and advisories regarding the potential risk of blood clots in recipients, prompting some countries to recommend using it only in certain populations. The two-dose jab has not yet been approved for use in the U.S. (Hein, 7/28)
Reuters:
J&J Says U.S. FDA Agrees To Extend Shelf Life Of Its COVID-19 Vaccine
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration extended the shelf life for Johnson & Johnson's single-shot COVID-19 vaccine to six months from four-and-a-half months, the company said late Wednesday. The FDA's decision is based on data from ongoing studies, which showed the vaccine is stable at six months when refrigerated at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (36–46 degrees Fahrenheit), the drugmaker said. (7/28)
Stat:
FDA Approves The First Interchangeable Biosimilar Insulin
In a long-awaited move, the Food and Drug Administration has approved the first so-called interchangeable biosimilar version of insulin, which the agency suggested may reduce the price of a life-saving treatment that has been a poster child for the high cost of medicines. The agency endorsed Semglee, a copy of long-acting Lantus (insulin glargine), that it first approved last year. Now, though, the copycat version has also been designated as interchangeable, a regulatory term that means Semglee can be substituted at the pharmacy for Lantus in the same way that generic drugs are substituted for equivalent brand-name medicines. (Silverman, 7/28)
AP:
FDA Allows Automatic 'Generic' Swap For Brand-Name Insulin
U.S. regulators took action Wednesday that will make it easier to get a cheaper, near-copy of a brand-name insulin at the drugstore. Doctors now have to specifically prescribe what’s called a biosimilar or OK substituting it for a more expensive brand-name insulin. Wednesday’s move by the Food and Drug Administration will allow pharmacists to automatically substitute the cheaper version, just as they do with generic pills for other kinds of drugs. (Johnson, 7/28)
The New York Times:
Women Surgeons At Greater Risk Of Pregnancy Loss, Study Finds
Dr. Eveline Shue had always been a standout surgeon, but her most joyful moment at the hospital came when she could finally share some personal good news with her colleagues: After five cycles of in vitro fertilization, she was pregnant with twins. At 24 weeks of pregnancy, she and her husband began to make plans for their future family, purchasing car seats and picking out names. All the while Dr. Shue kept working 60-hour weeks in the hospital. At 34 weeks, she realized that the operating room shifts were wearing on her body and took a brief leave. Two days later, her mother walked into her home and found her unable to speak. Dr. Shue, 39, had suffered pre-eclampsia and a stroke. She was rushed to the hospital, got an emergency cesarean section and then underwent brain surgery. (Goldberg, 7/28)
Modern Healthcare:
Northwell Health Can't Force Property Insurers To Cover COVID-19 Costs
The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on Northwell Health's patient business and cleaning and staffing costs, don't entitle the New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based health system to $1.25 billion in insurance claims, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff dismissed the suit from New York's largest healthcare provider, saying the not-for-profit system failed to prove that Boston-based Lexington Insurance Company and Chicago-based Interstate Fire & Casualty Company breached their contract and violated the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing by denying Northwell's claims. (Tepper, 7/28)
Modern Healthcare:
Tech Steps In To Help With Healthcare Staffing
Virtual platforms that match employers with healthcare workers through an automated process are becoming a highly utilized alternative to traditional recruitment and hiring. These digital marketplaces boast a quicker, more cost effective system that allows qualified candidates to find the position they are best suited for, and employers to skip hours of sifting through candidates who aren't a good fit. These digital solutions come at a time when the industry is struggling to find and retain staff. (Devereaux, 7/28)
Houston Chronicle:
UH College Of Medicine To Open Primary Care Clinic For Uninsured
University of Houston College of Medicine will open a low-cost direct primary care clinic on the Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital campus to assist low-income and uninsured residents. The medical school will offer direct primary care to patients — particularly those from low-income backgrounds — and will implement a low monthly membership fee for a range of primary health care services, according to a recent release. (Britto, 7/28)
Bloomberg:
Doctors Blast Biogen Alzheimer Approval As ‘Regulatory Failure’
Top researchers who advised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Biogen Inc.’s Alzheimer’s drug blasted the agency for approving it, calling the decision a “regulatory failure” that is “at odds with the evidence.” The New England Journal of Medicine opinion piece, signed by seven members of an advisory panel that opposed clearing Biogen’s Aduhelm, is another sign of persistent furor over the agency’s decision. Two committees of the House of Representatives investigating the approval have asked the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotech to turn over documents about the drug’s development and approval. (Langreth, 7/28)
Fox News:
Baby Girl Born With Twin Inside Stomach In Extreme Medical Rarity: Report
A baby girl born in Israel earlier this month had the embryo of a twin inside her stomach, in what medical officials say was a 1-in-500,000 medical rarity. The case of "fetus-in-fetu" occurred at Assuta Medical Center in Ashod, Israel, according to The Times of Israel. "We were surprised to discover that it was an embryo," Omer Globus, director of neonatology at the hospital, told the newspaper. (Calicchio, 7/29)
Philadelphia Inquirer:
Pennsylvania Officials Warn Against An Increase In Disease-Carrying Ticks
Pennsylvania officials are warning against a surge in ticks this summer, including black-legged ticks, which carry Lyme disease, as well as invasive ticks from the American South and Asia. The state’s acting physician general, Denise Johnson, said this is the time of year when ticks are most active, noting that “this year we’re seeing more than ever.” She said there’s been an increase in tick bites as well as Lyme disease. “In Pennsylvania, every single county within the state does have ticks that carry Lyme disease,” Johnson said earlier this week. “And then ticks also can carry other diseases. ... This summer don’t let a tick make you sick.” (Kummer, 7/28)
NPR:
U.S. Pole Vaulter Sam Kendricks Out Of Tokyo Olympics Due To Coronavirus
American pole vaulter Sam Kendricks is out of the Tokyo Summer Olympics after testing positive for the coronavirus. Kendricks, a world champion, was considered a medal contender. According to a statement from U.S. Olympic officials, Sam Kendricks is ineligible to compete in the Tokyo Games following his positive test. He's been transferred to a hotel and put in isolation. Kendricks' dad, who's also his coach, said on social media his son feels fine and has no symptoms. Kendricks won the last two World Championships in pole vault and a bronze medal at the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics in 2016. (Goldman, 7/29)
AP:
Officials In Tokyo Alarmed As Cases Hit Record Highs
Japanese officials sounded the alarm Thursday as Tokyo reported record-breaking coronavirus cases for the third straight day with the Olympics well underway. “We have never experienced the expansion of the infections of this magnitude,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters. He said the new cases were soaring not only in the Tokyo area but across the country. Tokyo reported 3,865 new cases Thursday, up from 3,177 on Wednesday and double the numbers a week ago, setting an all-time high since the pandemic began early last year. (Yamaguchi, 7/29)
The Washington Post:
U.K. Covid Cases Are Plummeting. Scientists Aren't Sure Why
This is a puzzler. Coronavirus cases are plummeting in Britain. They were supposed to soar. Scientists aren't sure why they haven't. The daily number of new infections recorded in the country fell for seven days in a row before a slight uptick Wednesday, when the country reported 27,734 cases. That’s still almost half of where the caseload was a week ago. The trajectory of the virus in Britain is something the world is watching closely and anxiously, as a test of how the delta variant behaves in a society with relatively high vaccination rates. And now people are asking if this could be the first real-world evidence that the pandemic in Britain is sputtering out — after three national lockdowns and almost 130,000 deaths. (Adam and Booth, 7/28)
Bloomberg:
Uruguay To Give Pfizer Booster To Sinovac Vaccine Recipients
Uruguay will give a Pfizer Inc. booster shot to people who have already received two doses of the less-effective Sinovac Biotech Ltd. vaccine, less than two weeks after the delta variant was detected in the South American country. After 90 days of the second Sinovac jab, people can receive the mRNA shot from Pfizer. The government will offer a third shot to increase the population’s immunity to Covid-19 variants such as delta, said Graciela Perez, who leads the Health Ministry’s immunization unit. The Ministry will start scheduling those shots in August. (Parks, 7/28)
NBC News:
The Wait For Vaccines Was Compared To 'The Hunger Games'; Now Canada Has Surged Past The U.S.
In the spring, some compared getting Covid-19 shots to competing in "The Hunger Games." Even a few months ago, Canada's vaccination drive was in the doldrums, but the country's efforts have rebounded recently, with around 56 percent of the eligible population fully vaccinated as of this week, according to statistics compiled by Our World in Data. That compares with nearly 49 percent in the U.S. So how did Canada do it? Experts said a number of factors are behind Canada's success. (Da Silva, 7/29)