First Edition: July 6, 2021
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KHN:
Rural Ambulance Services Are In Jeopardy As Volunteers Age And Expenses Mount
Vern Greyn was standing in the raised bucket of a tractor, trimming dead branches off a tree, when he lost his balance. He fell 12 feet and struck his head on the concrete patio outside his house in this small farming town on the central Montana plains. Greyn, then 58, couldn’t move. His wife called 911. A volunteer emergency medical technician showed up: his own daughter-in-law, Leigh. But there was a problem. Greyn was too large for her to move by herself, so she had to call in help from the ambulance crew in Power, the next town over. (Bolton, 7/6)
KHN:
Paying Billions For Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug? How About Funding This Instead?
If you could invest $56 billion each year in improving health care for older adults, how would you spend it? On a hugely expensive medication with questionable efficacy — or something else? This isn’t an abstract question. Aduhelm, a new Alzheimer’s drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration last month, could be prescribed to 1 million to 2 million patients a year, even if conservative criteria were used, according to Biogen and Eisai, the companies behind the drug. (Graham, 7/6)
KHN:
‘An Arm And A Leg’: Tips For Fighting Medical Bills From ProPublica’s Marshall Allen
Veteran health journalist Marshall Allen has been exposing health care grifters for years. Now, he’s written a book about how to fight them. Host Dan Weissmann spoke with Allen about some of the best tips from “Never Pay the First Bill: And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win.” Allen used the skills he learned while doing health care deep dives for ProPublica to write the book, which he describes as a field guide to navigating the health system. (Weissmann, 7/6)
KHN:
New Research Finds J&J Vaccine Has Muscle Against Covid’s Delta Variant
In the past two weeks, many medical experts started to question whether the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is administered in a single dose, would be as effective as the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine in protecting against the new, highly transmissible delta variant that is poised to become the dominant strain in the U.S. The reason for their doubts were studies showing that the J&J vaccine was less effective at preventing disease than the other two vaccines and also less protective against variants. In recent days, several scientists and even members of the public who originally got J&J decided to get a “booster dose” of an mRNA vaccine, Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, to bolster their immune systems. (Knight, 7/2)
KHN:
Journalists Discuss Long Covid, Delta Variant, Clinic For Migrants
California Healthline producer Lydia Zuraw told of her experience with long covid and how singing helped her shortness of breath on Newsy’s “Morning Rush” on Thursday. ... California Healthline reporter and producer Heidi de Marco discussed a clinic treating migrants at the Mexican border on KCET’s “SoCal Update” on Wednesday. (7/3)
Bloomberg:
Israel Sees Decline In Pfizer Vaccine Efficacy Rate
Pfizer Inc.’s vaccine was less effective at keeping people from getting the coronavirus in Israel in recent weeks, but it continues to provide a strong shield against severe Covid-19, according to government data. The vaccine protected 64% of people against the illness between June 6 and early July, down from a previous 94%. The drop was observed as the delta variant was spreading in Israel, the Health Ministry said. It also coincided with the lifting of virus restrictions at the start of June. (Odenheimer and Shepherd, 7/5)
NBC News:
Israel Sees Drop In Pfizer Covid Vaccine Protection, Still Strong In Severe Illness
Israel reported on Monday a decrease in the effectiveness of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in preventing infections and symptomatic illness but said it remained highly effective in preventing serious illness. The decline coincided with the spread of the delta variant and the end of social distancing restrictions in Israel. (7/6)
ABC News:
'We've Lived Through Some Of Our Darkest Days': Biden Reflects On 4th Of July, COVID
Emerging from the White House to "Hail to the Chief," President Joe Biden addressed the largest event of his administration to declare: "All across this nation we can say America is coming back together." "This year, the Fourth of July is a day of special celebration. For we are emerging from the darkness of years. A year of pandemic and isolation. A year of pain, fear and heartbreaking loss. Just think back to where this nation was a year ago. Think back to where you were a year ago. And think about how far we've come," Biden said to applause from the crowd of 1,000 military families and essential workers. (Nagle, 7/4)
NBC News:
White House Looking To Next Pandemic Challenge As July 4th Signals A Reopened Nation
President Joe Biden used the July 4th weekend to tout America’s “independence from Covid-19” even as he falls short of his vaccination goal with pockets of the country still largely unvaccinated and a new more contagious variant quickly spreading. It will take Biden another month to meet his goal, and the White House is already looking ahead, assessing the next challenge the pandemic will bring and recalibrating expectations. (Pettypiece, 7/4)
Politico:
Biden Ties Battle Against Covid To American Traditions
President Joe Biden used his Fourth of July speech to declare the nation’s emergence from its pandemic nightmare a collective victory — and urged Americans to do their patriotic duty by getting vaccinated. Speaking on the White House lawn, Biden on Sunday night said, “Today we see the results of the unity of purpose.” (Cohen, 7/4)
CIDRAP:
20 States Reach 70% COVID-19 Vaccination Goal
Twenty states and the District of Columbia have met President Joe Biden's Fourth of July goal of vaccinating 70% or more of adults with at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to tracking by the New York Times. Puerto Rico and Guam have also met the goal. California, Illinois, and New York have all met the goal. Vermont remains the national leader in vaccination. (Soucheray, 7/2)
Bloomberg:
U.S. Ready to Deploy Booster Shots If Needed, Biden Aide Says
The U.S. government is ready to deploy booster shots if scientists and health officials determine they’re needed in the fight against Covid-19, White House pandemic response coordinator Jeff Zients said. With increases in cases in parts of the U.S. linked to low vaccination rates and the more-contagious delta variant that’s spreading throughout the nation, Zients said President Joe Biden’s administration will push ahead with encouraging young people and others to get shots. (Yang, 7/4)
The Washington Post:
You Had The Johnson & Johnson Coronavirus Vaccine. Should You Try To Get A Booster Dose Of Pfizer Or Moderna?
Two weeks ago, virologist Angela Rasmussen received a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine to boost her immune system, which was already primed by a Johnson & Johnson shot. No U.S. health agency has recommended this vaccine combo. And Rasmussen, a research scientist at the University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization in Canada, remains confident in data that show one J&J dose will prevent her from getting hospitalized with covid-19, the illness caused by the virus. (Guarino and Chiu, 7/4)
The New York Times:
Should People With Immune Problems Get Third Vaccine Doses?
When it came to coronavirus vaccination, the third time was the charm for Esther Jones, a dialysis nurse in rural Oregon. After two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine failed to jolt her immune system into producing antibodies, she sought out a third, this time the Moderna shot. It worked. Blood tests revealed a reasonable antibody response, although lower than what would be detected in healthy people. She received a fourth dose last month in hopes of boosting the levels even more. (Mandavilli, 7/4)
Politico:
Fauci Frets 'Avoidable' Covid-19 Deaths Among Unvaccinated People
Anthony Fauci on Sunday lamented the “avoidable and preventable” deaths among people who are unvaccinated against the coronavirus now that vaccines are widely available in the United States. The nation’s top infectious disease expert was cautious to note that while “no vaccine is perfect,” it is clear that the vast majority of people who are hospitalized with or die from Covid-19 at this point are those who have not been vaccinated. (Niedzwiadek, 7/4)
The Hill:
Fauci: More Than 99% Of People Who Died From COVID-19 In June Were Not Vaccinated
Anthony Fauci on Sunday said more than 99 percent of the people who died from COVID-19 in June were not vaccinated, calling the loss of life “avoidable and preventable.” “If you look at the number of deaths, about 99.2 percent of them are unvaccinated. About 0.8 percent are vaccinated. No vaccine is perfect. But when you talk about the avoidability of hospitalization and death, Chuck, it's really sad and tragic that most all of these are avoidable and preventable,” Fauci told host Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” (Schnell, 7/5)
Fox News:
Fauci Says Vaccinated People Should 'Go The Extra Mile' And Wear Masks In Areas With Low Vaccination Rate
Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday said that Americans traveling to places with a low COVID-19 vaccination rate should "go the extra mile" and wear a mask even if they are fully vaccinated. NBC's "Meet the Press" anchor Chuck Todd said that Mississippi has the lowest vaccination rate in the United States and asked Fauci whether he would wear a mask if he was traveling there, prompting him to say, "I think there would be a good reason to do that." (Cawthorne, 7/5)
Fox News:
Lambda Variant Raises Concern Due To ‘Unusual’ Mutations
The Lambda variant, which is believed to have been first detected in Peru about a year ago, is a new concern to scientists who say mutations could potentially be resistant to COVID-19 vaccines. The World Health Organization said the variant’s mutations could increase its transmissibility or possibly increase its resistance to "neutralizing antibodies." The health body called Lambda, or C.37, a "variant of interest." "So far we have seen no indication that the lambda variant is more aggressive," Jairo Mendez-Rico, a WHO virologist, told DW. "It is possible that it may exhibit higher infection rates, but we don't yet have enough reliable data to compare it to gamma or delta." (DeMarche, 7/5)
USA Today:
Almost Half Of US Reported Rising Cases Last Week, Attributed Largely To Delta Variant Surge
COVID-19 cases were up in nearly half of U.S. states heading into the July 4 weekend, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. Alaska and Arkansas more than doubled cases in just the last week. South Carolina and Kansas are up more than 50%. In Missouri, the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients jumped by nearly 30% over the Fourth of July weekend in a hard-hit area where immunization rates are low, leading to a temporary ventilator shortage and a public call for help from respiratory therapists. (Aspegren, 7/6)
AP:
Arkansas Sees Another Spike In Virus Cases Over Weekend
Arkansas on Monday reported 1,246 new coronavirus cases and 23 more hospitalizations from the past three days as Gov. Asa Hutchinson warned that the state could face a “tough week” in the virus’ growth. The Department of Health said the biggest jump over the weekend came on Saturday when the state added 764 new cases. The department recently stopped reporting daily COVID-19 numbers on weekends, releasing the figures on Monday instead. (7/5)
AP:
Ventilator Shortage As Missouri Virus Hospitalizations Spike
The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients jumped by nearly 27% over the Fourth of July weekend in a hard-hit area of Missouri where immunization rates are low, leading to a temporary ventilator shortfall and a public call for help from respiratory therapists. The Delta variant, first identified in India, is spreading rapidly, straining hospitals in Springfield and raising fresh fears that the situation could soon grow worse as holiday gatherings seed fresh cases. Missouri leads the nation with the most new cases per capita in the past 14 days. (Hollingsworth, 7/5)
AP:
About One-Third Of Alabama Counties At Great Risk For Virus
About one-third of Alabama’s counties, including most of the state’s heavily populated areas, are at very high risk for COVID-19 as vaccination rates continue to lag, state statistics showed Monday. While overall caseloads and hospitalizations remain far below levels when the pandemic was at its worst early this year, the potential for infection remains elevated in areas including Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery and much of two regions, the Wiregrass of southeast Alabama and the Tennessee Valley in the north. (7/5)
Houston Chronicle:
COVID Outbreak At Houston-Area Church Camp Infects More Than 125, Church Says
In-person services were canceled this week at Clear Creek Community Church after more than 125 kids and adults tested positive for COVID-19 upon returning from a five-day camp, church officials said. More than 450 people, including 6th through 12th graders, participated in Camp Creek from June 23 to June 27 in Giddings, about 100 miles west of downtown Houston, according to the Galveston County Health District. The church fears that “hundreds more” were exposed to the virus at the camp and when campers returned home. Dr. Philip Keiser, Galveston County’s local health authority, said the health district has confirmed 42 Galveston County residents who tested positive for the virus after the camp, including at least two who were fully vaccinated. He said he was not aware of any hospitalizations from the outbreak. (Gill, 7/5)
Los Angeles Times:
COVID Hospitalizations Worsen For L.A.'s Black Residents
Coronavirus case and hospitalization rates are worsening for Los Angeles County’s Black residents, a troubling sign less than a month after California fully reopened its economy. Between mid-May and mid-June, the COVID-19 case rate over a two-week-period rose 18% among Black residents but declined 4% for Latino residents, 6% for white residents and 25% for Asian Americans. And the hospitalization rate for Black residents — who are less likely than other racial and ethnic groups to be vaccinated — grew by 11% while declining for Asian American residents by 12%, Latino residents by 29% and white residents by 37%. (Lin II and Money, 7/5)
CIDRAP:
Dog, Cat Owners With COVID-19 Often Pass It To Pets
Two new unpublished studies suggest that people who have COVID-19 often spread it to their dogs and cats—particularly if they share a bed with their cats—although the pets usually have no or mild symptoms but in a few cases might have severe disease. The studies will be presented at the virtual European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) from Jul 9 to 12. (Van Beusekom, 7/2)
The New York Times:
‘Maybe We Can Be Friends’: New Yorkers Re-Emerge In A Changed City
For many, the three-day weekend came as an occasion to do things they had not done for more than a year. Tourists arrived, while New Yorkers themselves crammed into airports, highways and sought-after getaway spots. Some parks were empty and street parking was plentiful. But for those who stayed and gathered, nothing beat the sheer cathartic joy of being able to hug friends or elders again. (Leland, 7/5)
The Washington Post:
Scientists Who Dismissed Coronavirus Lab Leak Theory Say Evidence Points To Natural Origin
There is currently no scientific evidence supporting the theory that covid-19 leaked from a Chinese lab and more recent, peer-reviewed studies strongly suggest that the virus evolved in nature, a group of scientists wrote in The Lancet on Monday. The authors are the same researchers who in February 2020 dismissed the lab leak theory as conspiracy — also in The Lancet, one of Britain’s most prestigious medical journals. (Cunningham, 7/6)
AP:
Records: Doctor Used Wrong Test To Clear Patients Of COVID
A Tennessee doctor used the wrong test to clear at least two patients of the coronavirus, according to discipline allegations before the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. Michael LaPaglia, 49, used rapid blood test kits that can detect antibodies from a previous infection but aren’t reliable in checking for a current infection, according to the allegations brought by the Department of Health and reported by The Tennessean from information obtained in a public records request. (7/5)
Modern Healthcare:
A Unique Partnership Helped Austin Outperform The Rest Of Texas On COVID-19
Hospitals, local officials and academics united to create a novel system to monitor hospital capacity in Austin, Texas, that helped the capital city keep COVID-19 deaths lower than in other Texas cities. The initiative also limited disruptions caused by pandemic restrictions on the local economy. Rising COVID-19 admissions led to longer hospital stays and mounting fatalities in Austin last winter, as it did in regions across Texas and the nation. But insiders say collaborations between the public and private sectors set Austin apart, and the numbers seem to support that contention. (Gellman, 7/6)
Modern Healthcare:
Teletherapy Startups Gain Momentum As Payers, Employers Sign On
So far this year, Kristen Engleman has cycled through three therapists in six months. Engleman, 41, signed up for Talkspace in February, after breaking up with her partner, contracting COVID-19 and facing an unexpected pregnancy the year before. She had heard about the teletherapy provider through friends and decided to give it a try. Because the fine-dining restaurant where Engleman works does not offer insurance, she paid $275 per month for access to a Talkspace therapist. (Tepper, 7/6)
Fox News:
First Migraine Drug To Both Block, Tackle Headaches ‘Shifts Paradigm’ Of Treatment
Most of Lilly Rockwell’s earliest childhood memories are plagued with severe headaches to the point of vomiting. Her migraine disease worsened into adulthood as she worried over the impact it would have on her career and personal life. Rockwell, 37, of Austin, Texas, joined her mother in a clinical trial for Biohaven’s Nurtec ODT (rimegepant) as a preventive migraine treatment. The dissolvable tablet won expanded FDA approval on May 27 for the first dual indication as an acute and preventive migraine treatment. Biohaven's findings for its late-stage trial of rimegepant, a calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist, were published in The Lancet, and according to a company release, the drug dropped migraine days by 30% after a week when taken every other day while about half of participants saw at least a 50% decline in moderate-to-severe migraine days at three months. The drug works by blocking a receptor associated with the cause of migraines. (Rivas, 7/3)
NPR:
Wegovy's Promise As An Effective Treatment For Obesity Now Depends On Insurers
When a promising new drug to treat obesity was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for sale in the U.S. last month, it was the first such treatment to gain approval since 2014. In clinical trials, weekly injections of semaglutide — or Wegovy, as it's been branded -- helped people drop an average of 15% of their body weight. That's an average of about 34 pounds over 16 months, before their weight plateaued, a far greater weight loss, obesity specialists say, than achieved with other drugs on the market. At least as important, Wegovy raised none of the alarm bells with the FDA or obesity doctors that it might trigger serious side effects of the sort experienced by some people taking fen-phen or some previous medical treatments for obesity. (Noguchi, 7/6)
The Washington Post:
The Controversial Approval Of An Alzheimer’s Drug Reignites The Battle Over The Underlying Cause Of The Disease
Neurologist Matthew S. Schrag was surprised when he heard the Food and Drug Administration had approved a controversial Alzheimer’s drug. There was scant evidence the treatment worked, in his view. Even more concerning to Schrag: the FDA’s apparent embrace of a long-debated theory about Alzheimer’s disease, which afflicts more than 6 million Americans. The amyloid hypothesis, which has dominated the field for decades, holds that toxic clumps in the brain, called amyloid beta, are the main driver of the disease and that removing them will slow cognitive decline. (McGinley, 7/5)
Reuters:
Smart Foam Material Gives Robotic Hand The Ability To Self-Repair
Singapore researchers have developed a smart foam material that allows robots to sense nearby objects, and repairs itself when damaged, just like human skin. Artificially innervated foam, or AiFoam, is a highly elastic polymer created by mixing fluoropolymer with a compound that lowers surface tension. (Teo and Shan, 7/6)
USA Today:
Chicken Recall: Tyson Recalls 8.5 Million Pounds Of Frozen Poultry For Possible Listeria Contamination
Tyson Foods is recalling approximately 8.5 million pounds of frozen, cooked chicken products for possible listeria contamination. The company and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall Saturday night. The recall includes Tyson branded products sold at stores nationwide and private label products for restaurants, which include Jet’s Pizza, Casey’s General Store, Marco’s Pizza and Little Caesars. Walmart, Publix and Wegmans are among the stores that sold the products. (Tyko, 7/3)
Fox News:
Listeria Outbreak Linked To Precooked Chicken Causes 1 Death, 3 Hospitalizations
The CDC is warning Americans about a Listeria outbreak linked to precooked chicken ahead of July 4 celebrations. Three people have been hospitalized and one person had died in Texas and Delaware after eating precooked chicken at a long-term care facility or hospital in the last few months. The actual numbers may be higher, as some people recover from Listeria without seeking medical assistance and it can take one to four weeks for symptoms to show. (Best, 7/5)
Fox News:
New York Reports Increase In Anaplasmosis, A Rare Tick-Borne Illness
Health officials in New York’s Onondaga County are alerting residents about a rare tick-borne illness that could cause severe disease after noting an uptick in recent cases. The county’s health commissioner said Thursday that there have been six cases of anaplasmosis already reported in 2021, compared to just three cases reported over the last five years. Anaplasmosis is a bacterial disease spread to people through tick bites, primarily involving the blacklegged tick and the western blacklegged tick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Symptoms typically appear within one to two weeks after a bite, and may include fever, chills, severe headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. (Hein, 7/3)
Houston Chronicle:
Almost All Texas Beaches Had At Least One Day Of Unsafe Fecal Bacteria Levels In 2020, Report Says
There's a chance it will be unsafe to swim at Texas beaches if you are headed to the coast this weekend, according to a report released Thursday. An analysis of fecal bacteria found in state costal waters by the Environment Texas Research and Policy Center found that 55 out out of 61 Texas beaches had at least one potentially unsafe swimming day in 2020. Swimming in contaminated water can cause serious illnesses like gastrointestinal illness, respiratory disease, ear and eye infection and skin rashes. (Silmi, 7/5)
The Washington Post:
Mold Can Trigger Allergies, Asthma, Other Health Issues. Here Are 6 Ways To Keep It Out Of Your House
Dampness brought on by rain, flooding and humidity can increase the likelihood that mold will take up residence indoors. This home invader can trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks, and even if you’re not allergic, it can irritate your eyes, nose and throat. Plus, mold can damage the surfaces that it grows on. Because mold needs moisture to thrive, keeping water from collecting where it doesn’t belong inside your home is key. (7/5)
The New York Times:
Juul Is Fighting To Keep Its E-Cigarettes On The U.S. Market
Sales have plunged by $500 million. The work force has been cut by three-quarters. Operations in 14 countries have been abandoned. Many state and local lobbying campaigns have been shut down. Juul Labs, the once high-flying e-cigarette company that became a public health villain to many people over its role in the teenage vaping surge, has been operating as a shadow of its former self, spending the pandemic largely out of the public eye in what it calls “reset” mode. Now its very survival is at stake as it mounts an all-out campaign to persuade the Food and Drug Administration to allow it to continue to sell its products in the United States. (Kaplan, 7/5)
The Wall Street Journal:
Deadly Heat Wave In Pacific Northwest Overwhelmed Healthcare System
As the temperature in Portland, Ore., soared past 100 degrees last week, Penny Clark’s body temperature rose as well. After sitting inside all day without air conditioning, the 79-year-old was running a fever of 102, and the friend she was staying with called 911. Mrs. Clark, whose daughter said she had a weak heart, died of hyperthermia in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. “It just didn’t have to happen,” said Shelley Robertson, her daughter. (McCaffrey, Lovett and Vieira, 7/5)
The Boston Globe:
Hand Sanitizer Is Here To Stay, But It’s Not Without Risks. Here’s What Doctors Have To Say
From stores to schools to restaurants, hand sanitizer dispensers have become a fixture of our lives amid the COVID-19 pandemic. At first, the product was hard to come by. A national shortage in March 2020 caused it to disappear from shelves and forced stores to limit the amount customers could buy. The demand was so great that numerous local distilleries became temporary producers. All told, hand sanitizer sales boomed more than 620 percent in 2020, totaling about $1.45 billion, according to NielsenIQ. Manufacturers like GOJO Industries, the maker of Purell, expanded their operations to meet consumers’ needs. Demand for it has tailed off, but it is expected to remain a fixture in stores and households even as the pandemic abates in many areas. (Caldera, 7/5)
NPR:
Boris Johnson Announces England Will Lift Most COVID Restrictions By July 19
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has outlined plans to formally end nearly all of England's remaining coronavirus restrictions by the end of July, even as the nation is experiencing a surge in new cases from the highly transmissible delta variant. In a press conference from London on Monday, Johnson said the success of the nation's vaccination rollout has put it on course to further relax restrictions starting July 19, though the prime minister said a final decision would not be made until July 12. (Breslow, 7/5)
Bloomberg:
Scotland Tops Europe’s Covid Hotspots as Delta Infections Surge
Scotland is recording the highest rates of coronavirus cases in Europe a little over a month before the government plans to lift most restrictions on society and the economy. The regions covering the cities of Dundee and Edinburgh were top of the World Health Organization’s latest heat map, the BBC reported, as the delta variant rips through the country. Scotland last week reported daily infections exceeding 4,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic. (Jefferson, 7/5)
AP:
Spain Restricts Nightlife As Virus Surges Among The Young
Faced with soaring numbers of new coronavirus infections among unvaccinated young people, some Spanish regions are reinstating curbs on nightlife only weeks after dropping them. Fearing that the surging contagion could strain health care services as stressed employees try to go on summer holidays, health officials in several parts of the country are also rushing to get COVID-19 vaccine shots to people under 30. (Parra, 7/5)
Bloomberg:
Indonesia To Ship Oxygen From Neighbors On Covid Cases Spike
Indonesia is preparing to import liquid oxygen from neighboring countries to meet surging need as the country struggles with a rapid spike in coronavirus infections. Producers Linde Group, Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Air Liquide SA and Iwatani Corp are ready to ship liquid oxygen to the country from facilities in Singapore and Malaysia, which would take one week to arrive, Fridy Juwono, director for upstream chemicals at the Industry Ministry, said by phone on Tuesday. (Listiyorini, 7/6)
CBS News:
Thousands Get Fake COVID Vaccine Shots In Alleged Scam In India
Indian authorities have arrested 14 people and cordoned off a private hospital as they investigate an alleged vaccination scam that purportedly saw thousands of people given shots of saline solution when they thought they were getting coronavirus vaccines. At least 2,000 people in the Indian financial capital of Mumbai and 500 in the eastern state of Bengal may have fallen prey to the elaborate scam, authorities said. (Zargar, 7/5)
The New York Times:
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister In ‘Serious’ Condition With Low Blood-Oxygen Levels
Prime Minister Xavier Bettel of Luxembourg, who is suffering from Covid-19 symptoms, was in “serious but stable” condition on Monday at a hospital, the State Ministry in Luxembourg said. The prime minister had low oxygen levels in his blood, an acute concern for people with Covid-19. (Hassan, 7/6)
Bloomberg:
Singapore Advises Avoiding Exercise for Longer After Vaccination
Singapore’s government recommended that vaccinated people avoid strenuous physical activity for a week after getting the shots, as a few cases surfaced of mostly young men experiencing heart problems from receiving jabs while a teenager suffered from cardiac arrest. The Health Ministry updated its guidance on Monday for all those seeking vaccinations, particularly adolescents and men below 30 years, to avoid strenuous exercise for week after either the first or second dose as a “further precautionary measure.” Initially, it was a 12-24 hour period for refraining from exercise and on June 11, it was extended to one week after getting the second dose. (Koswanage, 7/5)
Bloomberg:
Fiji’s Covid Cases Hit Record as Virus Threatens Once-Safe Pacific Islands
Fiji is at the frontline of the battle against Covid-19 in the Pacific Islands as the nation faces its biggest challenge since the pandemic began and races to vaccinate its 900,000-strong population. The tropical nation, whose tourism-dependent economy has already been smashed, posted a record 522 new cases and three deaths on Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University data. While new infections dipped to 352 on Monday, Fiji has now recorded more than 6,500 cases and 33 deaths. (Hussainpoor and Scott, 7/6)
Bloomberg:
Brazil Top Court Authorizes Bolsonaro Probe Related To Vaccines
Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Rosa Weber authorized the start of an investigation into President Jair Bolsonaro for possible negligence in the handling of corruption allegations related to the purchase of vaccines from India. The authorization was published on the top court’s website on Saturday, a day after the prosecutor general office’s request to investigate the president following the federal government’s erratic response to the pandemic. (Lara, 7/3)
AP:
Vatican: Pope Alert And Well A Day After Intestinal Surgery
Pope Francis was “in good, overall condition, alert” and breathing on his own Monday, the Vatican said a day after the pontiff underwent a three-hour operation that involved removing half of his colon. Francis, 84, is expected to stay in Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic, which has a special suite reserved for popes, for about seven days, assuming no complications, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. (D'Emilio, 7/5)
The New York Times:
A Closer Look At The Colon Condition That Hospitalized The Pope
Despite its intimidating name, symptomatic stenotic diverticulitis is a relatively common and treatable disorder. It begins as a mild condition called diverticulosis, which is essentially a collection of pouches in the colon wall, usually on the left side. Diverticulosis is extremely common: About two out of three people have the pouches once they get to their 60s or 70s. (Mandavilli, 7/5)
CBS News:
Researchers Deem Four-Day Workweek Trial An "Overwhelming Success" In Iceland
Trials of a four-day workweek in Iceland were called an "overwhelming success" by researchers on Sunday. The Association for Sustainable Democracy (Alda) in Iceland, along with the UK-based thinktank Autonomy, published their findings of two large-scale trials of the program undertake from 2015 to 2019 of a reduced working week with no cut in pay. ... Workers who participated in the trials worked 35-36 hour per week. According to Alda, "worker wellbeing dramatically increased across a range of indicators, from perceived stress and burnout, to health and work-life balance." At the same time, "productivity and service provision remained the same or improved across the majority of trial workplaces." (Howard, 7/5)