Reuters: COVID-19 Death Tolls Are Likely A "Significant Undercount", WHO Says
Official tolls showing the number of deaths directly or indirectly attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to be a "significant undercount", the World Health Organization said on Friday, saying 6-8 million people may have died so far. Presenting its annual World Health Statistics report, the WHO estimated that total deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 were at least 3 million last year or 1.2 million more than officially reported. "We are likely facing a significant undercount of total deaths directly and indirectly attributed to COVID-19," it said. (5/21)

CIDRAP: Nearly 1 Million Excess Deaths In 29 Nations During Pandemic
Nearly 1 million more people than normal died in 29 high-income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, according to a time series study yesterday in BMJ. University of Oxford researchers led the study, which involved calculating weekly excess deaths for each included country in 2020, adjusting for age, sex, and seasonal and annual mortality trends in the previous 5 years. (Van Beusekom, 5/20)

ABC News: Rapid School Reopenings May Have Led To Thousands Of COVID Cases, Hundreds Of Deaths In Texas
A plan to rapidly reopen schools in Texas may have contributed to thousands of COVID-19 cases and hundreds of deaths, according to an analysis by economists and public policy experts from the University of Kentucky. The analysis, which has not yet been peer reviewed, used a statistical model to estimate that roughly 43,000 people contracted COVID-19 and 800 people possibly died in Texas two months after schools reopened statewide, when virus transmission already was high. The research highlights how in-person learning and its potential "spillover" can affect nearby communities. (Lenthang, 5/20)

WUSF Public Media: AARP: New COVID Cases At Florida Nursing Homes More Than National Average 
The latest AARP data shows that Florida is trending higher than the national average for new reported cases of COVID-19 among nursing home residents and staff. Jeff Johnson, the Florida director for AARP, said part of the problem is only about 38% of long-term care workers have been vaccinated. "For the staff members who have been caring for them, many of whom have had people they care for a pass away during this pandemic from COVID, to not get vaccinated has been staggering for us," Johnson said. (Miller, 5/20)

Axios: Fauci: If 70% Of Americans Get Vaccinated, U.S. Can Avoid A Fall Surge 
NIAID director Anthony Fauci told the Washington Post leadership summit Thursday that if 70% of Americans get at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine by July 4, the U.S. could avoid a case surge later in the year. Fauci called the COVID-19 vaccine a "positive wild card" that wasn't present in the previous case upticks, but urged the U.S. to continue aggressively vaccinating its population. (Saric, 5/20)

CNN: The Pace Of Vaccinations Is Down By Nearly Half In The Last Month. These States Slow To Vaccinate May Struggle This Summer, Expert Warns
For many, a nationwide return to normalcy from the Covid-19 pandemic is expected to accelerate into the summer as more businesses and state governments prepare for a large-scale reopening. Sports stadiums are filling up, mask mandates are being shed, and travel and tourism industries anticipate a rebound with cruise lines planning for passengers once again. Health officials have pointed out, however, that such successes are largely contingent on getting the US fully vaccinated as quickly as possible. And right now, the rate of vaccination is slowing. (Caldwell, 5/21)

CNN: US Military Sees 55% Jump In Covid-19 Vaccinations Over Last Month
The US military has seen a 55% jump in Covid-19 vaccinations among active-duty service members over the last month, a senior defense official told CNN. The increase comes after the Pentagon opened up vaccinations to the general population on April 19. (Liebermann, 5/20)

CNBC: Is Herd Immunity Possible? New Covid Variants Could Be A Problem
When the coronavirus pandemic started to sweep around the world in 2020, a number of governments and health authorities appeared to pin their hopes on “herd immunity.” This approach would see the virus spread though society and cause infections, but also provoke an immune response in those who have recovered. (Ellyatt, 5/21)

CNBC: Conceivable Middle, High Schools Will Be Mask-Free In The Fall: Fauci
Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to the White House, said that it’s conceivable for middle schools and high schools to be completely mask-free in the fall. “If the children get vaccinated, it is conceivable that that would actually wind up being a recommendation. We’ll just have to wait and see,” said Fauci. (DeCiccio, 5/20)

NBC News: Teachers Join Front-Line Workers Concerned Over New CDC Mask Guidance
The country's second largest teachers union says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recent change in masking guidance is stressing an "exhausted and sometimes scapegoated workforce," with some states already banning masks in schools, according to a letter obtained by NBC News. "With the school year ending within weeks, we had hoped to have the time this summer to prepare and incorporate any new COVID-19 guidance into our back-to-school plans," Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said in the letter to the CDC's director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. (Przybyla, 5/20)

In other schooling news —

Noticias Telemundo: Digital Gap Leaves Latino Students Behind 
COVID-19 and the digital divide have taken a severe toll on Latino students' education, from the U.S. to Patagonia. In the U.S., Latinos students have fallen considerably behind during the last year, while in Latin America dropout rates are rising. (Franco, 5/20)

WUSF Public Media: No Quarantine For Fully Vaccinated Students In Sarasota County 
Fully vaccinated students in Sarasota County who are exposed to COVID-19 can continue playing sports and going to school unless they show symptoms. Previously, all COVID-exposed students faced mandatory quarantines. The Sarasota Department of Health says the change is based on CDC guidance, which states that fully vaccinated people can resume normal activities. (5/20)

Reuters: COVID Vaccines Possibly Less Effective Against Indian Variant -German Health Official
The currently available COVID-19 vaccines could be less effective against the coronavirus variant that was first found in India, the chief of Germany's public health agency said on Friday, referring to initial studies. However, the level of knowledge was still very poor and he hoped for better data within two weeks, said Lother Wieler at a news conference. Health Minister Jens Spahn said that Germany was currently reassessing its travel recommendations for Britain, which is currently listed as a risk region becase the spread of that variant there has caused concern in recent days. (5/21)

Nature: Mix-And-Match COVID Vaccines Trigger Potent Immune Response
Vaccinating people with both the Oxford–AstraZeneca and Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines produces a potent immune response against the virus SARS-CoV-2, researchers conducting a study in Spain have found. Preliminary results from the trial of more than 600 people — announced in an online presentation on 18 May — are the first to show the benefits of combining different coronavirus vaccines. A UK trial of a similar strategy reported1 safety data last week, and is expected to deliver further findings on immune responses soon. (Callaway, 5/19)

Nature: Scientists Zero In On Long-Sought Marker Of COVID Vaccine Efficacy
After people have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the levels of infection-blocking antibodies in their blood are a strong indicator of how much protection they’ve gained against the disease, according to a modelling study. The study showed that the presence of even small quantities of these potent ‘neutralizing antibodies’ indicates that a vaccine is effective at protecting against COVID-19. The study is the best attempt yet to define features of the immune response that can act as a proxy for protection against COVID-19, known as a ‘correlate of protection’, says Daniel Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College London. “Finding the correlate of protection has really been a holy grail for this disease, as for others. It’s surprisingly hard to do.” (Mallapaty, 5/21)

Reuters: Two AstraZeneca Shots Could Be 85-90% Effective, UK Data Suggests
Two doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine may be around 85% to 90% effective against symptomatic disease, Public Health England (PHE) said on Thursday, while cautioning that it did not yet have enough data to be conclusive. (Smout, 5/20)

Bay Area News Group: The Fall From Grace For Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 Vaccine
For quick, one-shot protection, Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine promised to be a key tool in the race to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than two months after its rollout, it represents merely 5% of all inoculations in California’s ambitious vaccination campaign. Supplies are down, with no new doses delivered this week while a manufacturing plant is suspending production during an inspection by U.S. regulators. But demand has dropped, also. (Krieger, 5/20)

The Wall Street Journal: New Yorkers Vaccinated Next Week Could Win $5 Million
In an effort to encourage more New Yorkers to get vaccinated, Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to roll out a one-week incentive program giving a lottery ticket to anyone who gets a Covid-19 shot at a state-run site. The “Vax & Scratch” program, which runs May 24-28, will give adults vaccinated at one of the 10 state-run sites one scratch-off ticket for the New York Lottery, which has a first prize of $5 million and other prizes going down to $20. The tickets have a one-in-nine chance of being a winner, Mr. Cuomo said Thursday as he announced the incentive. (Grayce West, 5/20)

The Hill: Ohio Vaccination Rate Jumps 28 Percent After Lottery Announcement
Coronavirus vaccinations in Ohio jumped 28 percent in the days following the governor's announcement of a lottery for residents who get the shots, state health officials said Thursday. Vaccinations among people 16 and older had been down 25 percent May 7 to 10, compared to the previous weekend. After Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced the lottery on May 12, and vaccination rates increased 28 percent in the period of May 14 to 17, the state Department of Health said. Residents who have been vaccinated will be eligible for five drawings of $1 million each. (Sullivan, 5/20)

The Baltimore Sun: Maryland To Offer COVID Vaccine Lottery Incentive With $2 Million In Cash Prizes 
Forty daily drawings for $40,000 each and a $400,000 Fourth of July jackpot. Get at least one jab and you’ve got a shot. Maryland’s latest effort to encourage people to get vaccinated will shower cash — a total of $2 million — on top of protection against COVID-19 for those who roll up their sleeves. Any Maryland resident 18 or older who received a coronavirus vaccine shot in the state at any point will be entered automatically to win the prizes, which the Maryland Lottery will pay from its marketing and promotional budget. (Mann and Stole, 5/20)

The Oregonian: Will Oregon Give Away $1 Million As A COVID Vaccine Incentive? An Announcement Could Be Coming 
Ever since Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced last week that his state will hold a lottery each week for five weeks -- awarding randomly selected residents $1 million if they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 -- the nation has been abuzz about the idea. Well, it now looks like Gov. Kate Brown is prepared to announce a similar lottery effort to encourage Oregonians to get shots. (Green, 5/20)

Grow: Covid Vaccine Incentives: Which States Will Pay You To Get The Shot
In late April, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice made a major announcement: Any state resident between 16 and 35 who got vaccinated for Covid-19 would receive a $100 savings bond. “I’m trying to come up with a way that’s truly going to motivate them — and us — to get over the hump,” Justice said in a statement released after the press conference. (Cortes, 5/20)

CNN: White House Partners With Dating Apps To Encourage Covid Vaccinations 
Starting this week, the White House is hoping Americans swipe right for Covid vaccines, partnering with a series of prominent dating apps to offer incentives to customers who've been vaccinated against the coronavirus. Vaccinated users on Tinder, Hinge, OKCupid, BLK, Chispa, Plenty of Fish, Bumble, and Badoo will gain access to premium content "like boosts, super likes, and super swipes" with proof of vaccination, according to the White House. Users will also be able to filter potential matches by vaccination status or book vaccination appointments through the apps. (Judd, 5/21)

Other outreach efforts get creative too —

Axios: White House Enlists Dating Apps In Vaccination Push 
The White House is hoping that the urge to merge will motivate more Americans to get vaccinated, teaming up with nine of the largest dating sites to offer badges and other perks to those who have gotten their COVID-19 shot. The White House has an ambitious goal to get 70 percent of American adults to have had at least their first vaccine shot by July 4. (Fried, 5/21)

The New York Times: They Haven’t Gone for a Shot. So Shots Are Coming to Them
From the East Coast to the West, health officials are taking the Covid-19 vaccines on the road. Across the country, nurses, technicians, emergency medical workers and community partners are rolling up to the doorsteps, streets and churches of people who are homeless, who live in areas without reliable transportation or who have no internet access. Their goal: to reach the unvaccinated stragglers in overlooked neighborhoods, plugging a vulnerable gap in the nationwide effort to outmaneuver death. Some people are encumbered by jobs or the responsibility of child care. Others struggle with dire poverty. Many are adrift, out of reach or uninformed. (Hauser and Fremson, 5/20)

Noticias Telemundo: Latinos Want COVID Vaccines But Can't Take Time Off 
The number of vaccinated U.S. Latinos is increasing after months of unequal access, but hurdles remain for this especially hard-hit group to get COVID-19 vaccines at the same rate as others. President Biden wants 70% of U.S. adults vaccinated by July 4. 33% of unvaccinated Latinos are more likely to say they’d like to get vaccinated than white and Black non-Hispanics, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. (Franco, 5/20)

The Wall Street Journal: Hospitals Want More Time To Spend Covid-19 Relief Money
Some lawmakers and healthcare providers are calling on the Biden administration to extend a deadline for hospitals to spend emergency coronavirus funding, with more than $30 billion remaining to be distributed out of about $187 billion Congress approved. The money is intended to help hospitals cover losses related to the Covid-19 pandemic, but delays have dogged the program. Hospitals must spend the money by June 30 or return it, but many say they need more time because they are still feeling the financial sting from the pandemic. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said his agency was reviewing the extension requests. (Armour and Evans, 5/21)

Bloomberg Law: Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients Cost Medicare $16.6 Billion
Traditional Medicare has spent $16.6 billion on Covid-19 hospitalizations for more than 691,000 beneficiaries since 2020, an average of about $24,000 per patient, according to government data released Thursday. The total taxpayer toll, however, is likely much higher because those figures don’t include spending for the more than 450,000 Covid-19 hospitalizations among beneficiaries in private Medicare Advantage plans. (Pugh, 5/20)

Other Biden administration news —

The Washington Post: Biden Vowed To 'Follow The Science,' But Left Out Many Others With Sudden Mask Guidance
President Biden repeats the phrase frequently. “We follow the science,” he pledged on a visit to the National Institutes of Health. “Follow the science,” he told staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “This administration will follow the science,” he said during a White House event announcing the 50 millionth vaccine shot delivered to an American. A week ago, the president did just that — strolling to the Rose Garden to trumpet new guidance from the CDC that fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear masks or socially distance in most instances. But in following that scientific advice, the administration left out nearly everyone else — local and state health departments, labor unions, governors and numerous other public officials, many of whom were caught off guard by one of the most significant developments of the coronavirus pandemic. (Linskey, Abutaleb, Sun and Pager, 5/21)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Andrea Palm, Biden's No. 2 At HHS , Reflects On Wisconsin COVID Fight
Andrea Palm has gotten something in Washington, D.C., that she never got in Wisconsin: a confirmation. Palm, who led Wisconsin's response to the COVID-19 pandemic during the two years she spent as secretary-designee of the state Department of Health Services, was never confirmed by the Republican-controlled Legislature. (Spicuzza, 5/20)

From the borders —

Axios: HHS Prepared To Double Migrant Kids Capacity At Texas Facility
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told the Congressional Hispanic Caucus this week he's prepared, if needed, to double the capacity for underage migrants at Fort Bliss, Texas, Axios has learned. (Goba and Nichols, 5/20)

NPR: Migrant Shelters Violate The Flores Agreement, Advocates Say
Immigration advocates credit the Biden administration with acting quickly to move tens of thousands of migrant children out of jail-like detention facilities on the U.S. southern border and into safer emergency shelters. But the advocates are now growing increasingly concerned about the conditions in the mass shelters, such as a military base in El Paso, Texas. (Ordoñez, 5/21)

CNBC: U.S. Continues Covid Travel Restrictions At Canada, Mexico Land Borders
The U.S. will continue to enforce coronavirus-related restrictions on nonessential travel across U.S. land borders through June 21, the Biden administration announced on Thursday. “We’re working closely with Canada & Mexico to safely ease restrictions as conditions improve,” the Department of Homeland Security said on Twitter. (Brueninger, 5/20)

Roll Call: Sanders Says US Physician Shortage Is A ‘Solvable Problem’ 
Senators on both sides of the aisle agreed at a hearing Thursday that Congress should work to address the nation’s physician shortages, especially in primary health care, including through changes to training programs. At a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Primary Health and Retirement Security Subcommittee hearing, Chair Bernie Sanders said the federal government could help boost the number of practicing physicians in the United States. The government spends about $16 billion every year to fund thousands of medical residency programs. (Cohen, 5/20)

ABC News: Pandemic Has Made Shortage Of Health Care Workers Even Worse, Say Experts
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the ongoing shortage of health workers, leaving many health care facilities short-staffed even as the number of nationwide coronavirus cases plummets, experts say. "Nurse shortages are a long-standing issue, but because of COVID, it is anticipated to grow even more by next year," Dr. Ernest Grant, president of the American Nurses Association, told ABC News. "Nurses and other health workers are overworked and they are exhausted from the pandemic." (Romero and Bhatt, 5/21)

In other news from Capitol Hill —

AP: As Pandemic Spread Pain And Panic, Congressman Chased Profit
In the early days of the pandemic, New Jersey Rep. Tom Malinowski scolded those looking to capitalize on the once-in-a-century health crisis. ... He did not heed his own admonition. Since early 2020, Malinowski has bought or sold as much as $1 million of stock in medical and tech companies that had a stake in the virus response, according to an analysis of records by The Associated Press. The trades were just one slice of a stock buying and selling spree by the congressman in 2020, worth as much as $3.2 million, that he did not properly disclose. (Slodysko, 5/21)

Axios: Prescription Drug Price Fight Gets A Funding Infusion 
Millions of dollars are being poured into the fight over prescription drug costs — and not just from pharmaceutical companies and their allies. Consumer groups are making clear that they're not letting up on the issue, either. Lowering prescription drug costs has been a top Democratic priority for years and is hugely popular among the public, a fact that both supporters and opponents of reform aren't taking lightly. (Owens, 5/21)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Lawsuit Filed To Force Medicaid Expansion In Missouri 
The fight over Medicaid expansion in Missouri has moved from the state Capitol to the Cole County Courthouse. A lawsuit filed Thursday in Cole County Circuit Court aims to require the state to expand its Medicaid program in accordance with the constitutional amendment 53% of voters supported last August. Lawmakers left Jefferson City last week without funding the program, which would provide health care services to adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty limit. Opponents of the expansion in the Republican-dominated Legislature argued proponents should have included a funding mechanism in their ballot language. (Suntrup, 5/20)

CNN: Lawsuit Aims To Force Missouri Governor To Enact Voter-Approved Medicaid Expansion 
The battle to expand Medicaid in Missouri has now shifted to the courtroom. A lawsuit was filed Thursday to force GOP Gov. Mike Parson to expand Medicaid on July 1, as voters approved in a ballot measure last year. The move comes a week after Parson said he will not broaden the public health insurance program to roughly 275,000 low-income residents because lawmakers did not appropriate funding. (Luhby, 5/20)

In other state Medicaid programs —

The Oklahoman: Oklahoma Senate Want Framework For Stitt's Medicaid Managed Care
The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a bill to add legislative oversight and legal guardrails to Gov. Kevin Stitt's plan to outsource care for most Medicaid recipients.  The passage of an updated version of Senate Bill 131 gives opponents of third-party managed care a victory, but perhaps not the victory they wanted. (Forman, 5/20)

WZTV: Tennessee AG Files Motion To Intervene In Lawsuit Challenging State's Medicaid Block Grant
Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III on Thursday filed a motion to intervene in a federal lawsuit challenging the state's Medicaid block grant. The motion requests the U.S. District Court to allow the state of Tennessee to intervene as a defendant. (Whittington, 5/20)

Chicago Tribune: Nursing Home Funding Would Change In Illinois Under Proposed Plan
Illinois officials are calling for a fundamental shift in how the state pays nursing homes, a move they say will increase staffing and improve care — instead of increasing profits. The effort is also aimed at reducing disparities by which the COVID-19 pandemic hit Black and Latino Medicaid patients disproportionately among nursing home residents, who overall made up more than 40% of all COVID-19-related deaths. (McCoppin, 5/20)

Georgia Health News: Potential Seen For Big Financial Paybacks From Insurers To Medicaid
The state’s Medicaid agency is setting up plans for a health insurer bidding competition that will award a new multibillion-dollar medical contract. “We’ll be looking for the best bang for the buck,’’ Frank Berry, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH), said last week at an agency board meeting. (Miller, 5/19)

The Nevada Independent: New Amendment Proposes Making Changes To Medicaid Portion Of Public Option Bill In Effort To Reduce Fiscal Impact
Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro (D-Las Vegas) presented a new amendment to her public option bill on Wednesday that proposes scaling back a secondary portion of the legislation aimed at expanding Medicaid services in Nevada.While Cannizzaro’s proposal to establish a state-managed public health insurance option has garnered significant attention, a lesser-noticed portion of the bill, SB420, proposes expanding certain Medicaid services in the state, including increasing eligibility of up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level for coverage for pregnant women, adding coverage for doulas (trained professionals who often assist in childbirth) and community health workers and requiring payment parity between advanced nurse practitioners and physicians. (Messerly, 5/20)

State Of Reform: Three Reversals Point To Major Changes In Federal Medicaid Policy
The Biden administration’s reversals of three Trump-era Medicaid decisions signal a wholesale change in direction is now underway. While some legal wrangling is likely (and may be protracted), the previous administration’s imprint on the program is certain to fade with time. The new president signed an executive order on January 28th jump-starting an aggressive review of recent Medicaid decisions. The order stated that the new administration’s overarching policy is to make enrollment into Medicaid easier rather than harder, and thus agency officials should examine recently-issued regulations, waiver approvals, and other matters to ensure they are consistent with this guiding principle. The result has been quick action on three fronts. (Capretta, 5/20)

Stateline: Laws To Curb Surprise Medical Bills Might Be Inflating Health Care Costs
New state laws designed to protect patients from being hit with steep out-of-network medical bills may contribute to higher health care costs and premiums, some researchers warn. Lawmakers and advocates who pushed for surprise billing laws say the measures have protected consumers from some of the most egregious bills, which can climb into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. But some researchers recently have raised alarms that doctors and other medical providers are leveraging state laws that rely on arbitration to increase in-network fees, thereby raising health care costs for everyone. (Ollove, 5/20)

The Washington Post: Colorado Bans Doxing Of Health Workers Amid Rise In Online Harassment
Seeking to address the mounting online harassment endured by health workers across the state during the pandemic, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a bill Tuesday making it illegal to post personal information about health workers, officials and their families that threatens their safety. “What they have been through this last year is absolutely extraordinary,” Polis said before he signed the bill. “The work that’s been called upon them, the way they have risen to the occasion and the piece that this bill addresses, which is some of the doxing and the targeting.” He added, “You are doing your job as public health officials, and you should not be subject to this kind of online targeting at home, at work.” (Kornfield, 5/20)

Axios: More Hospitals Require Health Care Workers To Get COVID Vaccine 
More hospitals and health systems nationwide are requiring their health care workforce to get the COVID-19 vaccine. RWJBarnabas Health in New Jersey announced a mandate on Thursday, saying supervisors and those of higher rank must get the vaccine by June 30. They will eventually require the system's 35,000 employees to do the same. (Fernandez, 5/21)

KHN: Colorado Will Pay Hospitals To Close Expensive Free-Standing ERs
Colorado health officials so abhor the high costs associated with free-standing emergency rooms they’re offering to pay hospitals to shut the facilities down. The state wants hospitals to convert them to other purposes, such as providing primary care or mental health services. At least 500 free-standing ERs have set up in more than 20 states in the past decade. Colorado has 44, 34 owned by hospitals. (Galewitz, 5/21)

Health News Florida: Regulators Propose Changes In Disputed NICU Hospital Rules 
After drawing challenges from major hospitals, state health care regulators this week offered to change a pair of proposed rules about neonatal intensive care services. Whether the proposed changes will be enough to stop administrative challenges filed by Tampa General Hospital or the North Broward Hospital District, which does business as Broward Health, remains to be seen. A two-day hearing on the dispute is scheduled to start June 28. (5/20)

AP: JPMorgan Dives Back Into Fixing Health Care With New Venture
JPMorgan Chase will take another crack at fixing health care after a push with two other corporate giants dissolved earlier this year. The bank said Thursday that it formed a new business focused on improving care provided for about 285,000 people through its employer-sponsored health plan. Morgan Health will start with $250 million for investments and a health policy veteran as its CEO, former Clinton administration official Dan Mendelson. (Murphy, 5/20)

NPR: A New Coronavirus May Be Making People Sick. And It's Coming From Dogs
In the past 20 years, new coronaviruses have emerged from animals with remarkable regularity. In 2002, SARS-CoV jumped from civets into people. Ten years later, MERS emerged from camels. Then in 2019, SARS-CoV-2 began to spread around the world. For many scientists, this pattern points to a disturbing trend: Coronavirus outbreaks aren't rare events and will likely occur every decade or so. Now, scientists are reporting that they have discovered what may be the latest coronavirus to jump from animals into people. And it comes from a surprising source: dogs. (Doucleff, 5/20)

The New York Times: The Latest Coronavirus Comes From Dogs
Scientists have discovered a new canine coronavirus in a child who was hospitalized with pneumonia in Malaysia in 2018. If the virus is confirmed to be a human pathogen, it would be the eighth coronavirus, and the first canine coronavirus, known to cause disease in humans. It is not yet clear whether this specific virus poses a serious threat to humans, the researchers stress. The study does not prove that the pneumonia was caused by the virus, which may not be capable of spreading between people. But the finding, which was published on Thursday in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, highlights the need to more proactively search for viruses that could jump from animals into humans, the scientists said. (Anthes, 5/20)

CIDRAP: 1 In 7 Adult COVID-19 Patients Requires Care For New Illness After Infection
One in seven US adult COVID-19 patients developed at least one new illness requiring medical care after recovery from their infection in 2020, finds an observational study yesterday in BMJ. The so-called COVID-19 "long-haulers" developed complications involving a range of organs and systems at least 3 weeks after infection. The complications affected the heart, kidneys, lungs, and liver, along with mental illnesses. (5/20)

CIDRAP: Low Vitamin D Not Associated With COVID-19 Infection
Low levels of vitamin D were not associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity after data were adjusted for variables such as comorbidities, race, and sex, according to a JAMA Network Open study yesterday. The researchers looked at data from 18,148 Quest Diagnostics employees and spouses across the country who participated in both a health screening from September 2019 to January 2020 (pre-pandemic) and August and November 2020. The mean age of participants was 47 years, and 67.1% were women. Nine hundred (5.0%) tested seropositive, or having SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The researchers note that similar to other studies, racial disparities appeared: 1 in 3 seropositive people were Black, compared with 1 in 6 seronegative people. (5/20)

BBC Mews: Covid: Stillbirth And Prematurity Risks May Be Higher In Pregnancy 
Scientists say while most pregnancies are not affected, their findings should encourage pregnant women to have jabs as soon as they are eligible. The majority are offered vaccines when they are rolled out to their age group. The study appears in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.The research, led by the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit, looked at data involving more than 340,000 women who gave birth in England between the end of May 2020 and January 2021. (Mundasad, 5/21)

KHN: As Pandemic Eases, Many Seniors Have Lost Strength, May Need Rehabilitative Services
Ronald Lindquist, 87, has been active all his life. So, he wasn’t prepared for what happened when he stopped going out during the coronavirus pandemic and spent most of his time, inactive, at home. “I found it hard to get up and get out of bed,” said Lindquist, who lives with his wife of 67 years in Palm Springs, California. “I just wanted to lay around. I lost my desire to do things.” Physically, Lindquist noticed that getting up out of a chair was difficult, as was getting into and out of his car. “I was praying ‘Lord, give me some strength.’ I kind of felt, I’m on my way out — I’m not going to make it,” he admitted. (Graham, 5/21)

CNN: Drinking Any Amount Of Alcohol Causes Damage To The Brain, Study Finds
There is no such thing as a "safe" level of drinking, with increased consumption of alcohol associated with poorer brain health, according to a new study. In an observational study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, researchers from the University of Oxford studied the relationship between the self-reported alcohol intake of some 25,000 people in the UK, and their brain scans. The researchers noted that drinking had an effect on the brain's gray matter -- regions in the brain that make up "important bits where information is processed," according to lead author Anya Topiwala, a senior clinical researcher at Oxford. (Woodyatt, 5/20)

Today: Study Finds Longevity Benefits Of 'Short Spurts' Of Exercise
The more steps you take each day, whether they are in short spurts or all at once, may lead to a longer life, a new study suggests. While walking in bouts of 10 minutes or more appear to have the most impact on life expectancy, shorter strolls, if there are a lot of them, can also contribute, researchers reported Thursday at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle and Cardiovascular Health Conference. “This is just one study, but it suggests that there is a lot of flexibility in the way people can accumulate physical activity throughout the day," the study’s lead author, Chris Moore, told Today. (Carroll, 5/20)

Stat: In New Study, Stem Cells Self-Organize Into A Mini Model Of A Beating Heart
Researchers have worked for years to create organoids — miniature cellular structures that recapitulate features of larger organs — for nearly every organ in the body, in the hope that these tissue samples can serve as models in which to study everything from how diseases develop to which drugs could potentially work to combat a host of conditions. In a new study published Thursday in Cell (and previously posted to the preprint server bioRxiv), researchers describe a new mini model of the heart, one they call a cardioid. In a departure from other efforts to recreate heart muscles and function in a dish, this latest attempt did not use external scaffolding around which heart cells organized themselves. (Chakradhar, 5/20)

Stat: As Mallinckrodt Sells Rare Disease Drug, Parents Worry About Access
As it looks to emerge from bankruptcy, Mallinckrodt (MNK) has sold an experimental medicine that until recently was being tested to treat a fatal genetic disorder. But the company has said it will work with the buyer to ensure it remains available to children, an unexpected twist in the latest controversy over access to a rare disease drug. (Silverman, 5/20)

AP: Old Records Shed New Light On Smallpox Outbreaks In 1700s
A highly contagious disease originating far from America’s shores triggers deadly outbreaks that spread rapidly, infecting the masses. Shots are available, but a divided public agonizes over getting jabbed. Sound familiar? Newly digitized records — including a minister’s diary scanned and posted online by Boston’s Congregational Library and Archives — are shedding fresh light on devastating outbreaks of smallpox that hit the city in the 1700s. And three centuries later, the parallels with the coronavirus pandemic are uncanny. (Kole, 5/21)

Stat: When Health Records Are Held Ransom, Patients Are Often Last To Know
Allison Savage waited years for surgery to remove the elongated bones at the base of her skull that have compressed her jugular artery, making her vision blur and head spin every time she leaned over to garden, fold laundry, or look at her computer. “I have to rest up before I brush my teeth, and I have to rest up after,” said Savage, 54. Covid-19 postponed a second surgery to remove the bone on the right side of her neck; during the 14-month delay, her symptoms became “a nightmare.” “It feels literally like someone is strangling me,” Savage said. (Renault, 5/21)

Axios: Telephones Played A Key Role In Pandemic Telehealth 
More than a quarter of all Medicare beneficiaries had a telehealth visit between the summer and fall of 2020 and, for more than half of them, that visit took place over an actual telephone, a KFF Analysis found. "Telehealth" usually conjures the idea of video visits from a computer or a smartphone. However, for many seniors, the telephone was a key connection to care made available during the pandemic. (Reed, 5/20)

CBS News: Over A Quarter Of Americans Have Worried About Homelessness - CBS News Poll
The fear of losing one's home has weighed on the minds of many Americans at some point. A recent CBS News poll shows that more than a quarter say there has been some point in their lives when they worried about not having a place to live: this is true for 28% of Americans. And for some, that fear has become a reality at some point. Thirteen percent of Americans say that they have been evicted or have lost a home in their lives. Another 33% of Americans know someone else who has lost a home. (Backus, 5/20)

The Atlantic: The Pandemic’s Trauma Won’t Just Go Away
But there is another crucial difference between May 2020 and May 2021: People have now lived through 14 months of pandemic life. Millions have endured a year of grief, anxiety, isolation, and rolling trauma. Some will recover uneventfully, but for others, the quiet moments after adrenaline fades and normalcy resumes may be unexpectedly punishing. When they finally get a chance to exhale, their breaths may emerge as sighs. “People put their heads down and do what they have to do, but suddenly, when there’s an opening, all these feelings come up,” Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, the founder and director of the Trauma Stewardship Institute, told me. Lipsky has spent decades helping people navigate the consequences of natural disasters, mass shootings, and other crises. “As hard as the initial trauma is,” she said, “it’s the aftermath that destroys people.” (Yong, 5/20)

AP: 'I Was Afraid': Prince Harry, Oprah Discuss Mental Health
For Harry, returning to London to attend Prince Philip’s funeral last month meant once more facing a place where he felt trapped and hunted by cameras. It would be a test of his ability to cope with the anxiety that was bubbling up again. “I was worried about it, I was afraid,” Harry told The Associated Press during a recent joint interview with Oprah Winfrey to promote a mental-health series they co-created and co-executive produced for Apple TV+. He was able to work through any trepidation using coping skills learned in therapy. “It definitely made it a lot easier, but the heart still pounds,” said Harry, the Duke of Sussex and grandson of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband Philip. (Rancilio, 5/21)

Axios: Sen. Cortez Masto: Funding Schools Can Help Improve Children's Mental Health 
Funding schools, and specifically hiring additional counselors, can help address children's mental health concerns, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) said at an Axios Event on Thursday. Demand for mental health services for teens has skyrocketed amid the coronavirus pandemic, though Cortez Masto said the country didn't have a strong grasp on the issue even before the virus started forcing schools to cease in-person classes. (5/20)

Concord (N.H.) Monitor: Moms Create Their Own Solutions To Stressors On Kids During The Pandemic
Over the past year, Kate Dinwiddie of Bedford has worried about the impact that isolation will have on her son Andrew, who is just 18 months old. Andrew was still an infant when social distancing became the norm, and his mother fretted that he was missing out on developmentally important interactions with other toddlers. “As quarantine and the pandemic went on, I became more and more concerned that he wasn’t getting exposure to the socialization and stimulation that is going to be reality when the pandemic ends,” Dinwiddie said. “I felt pretty trapped.” (Burch, 5/20)

AP: Kansas Governor Vetoes Bill On Short-Term Health Insurance
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Wednesday vetoed a bill favored by many Republican lawmakers that could have encouraged some people to stick longer with short-term health coverage that critics label “junk insurance.” The bill’s backers said it simply would have given people who buy limited duration health insurance more protection against premium increases or coverage changes. Such plans, lasting up to a year, offer lower premiums than comprehensive plans but don’t cover pre-existing medical conditions and other items such as medications or maternity care. (Hanna, 5/21)

WUSF Public Media: State-Run Coronavirus Testing Sites Are About To Swab Their Last Noses 
State-run coronavirus testing sites will be closing over the next few days, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Hillsborough County Emergency Management Director Tim Dudley cited a downward trend in the positivity rate and number of cases. Dudley also cited a decrease in the demand for tests. (Lisciandrello, 5/20)

The Oregonian: Fake, Stolen Vaccination Cards Have Become Commonplace In Recent Weeks – And Identifying Them Can Be Difficult
Oregon announced Tuesday that fully vaccinated people now can go maskless in public indoor spaces, but only with proof that they’ve been inoculated against COVID-19. Some other states are considering similar approaches as they too fully reopen their economies. Anticipation of this development is surely one of the reasons fake vaccination cards have been selling briskly on eBay, Etsy and other internet sites for weeks. (Perry, 5/20)

AP: Kentucky Receives Grant For Suicide Lifeline Transition
Kentucky has received $340,000 to help plan for changing over to a crisis phone line that will be known as 988, Gov. Andy Beshear said. The funding came from Vibrant Emotional Health, which is the nonprofit administrator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Beshear’s office said in a news release Thursday.“ A simplified, three-digit national hotline creates access to mental health care similar to that available for physical health through the 911 system and represents the next giant step in reducing stigma for those at risk or in need of behavioral health services and care,” Beshear said. (5/21)

WSB TV Channel 2: Kroger Says Fully-Vaccinated Customers, Workers No Longer Have To Wear Masks 
Kroger has announced it will not require fully-vaccinated customers and most fully-vaccinated associates to wear masks starting Thursday. The updated policy includes all stores, distribution centers, plants and offices unless masks are required by the state or local jurisdiction. “Based on the CDC’s science-based guidance and the input of our associates, we are updating our mask policy in a way that balances our values of safety and respect,” the company said in a statement. (5/20)

New Hampshire Union Leader: Police Arrest Unmasked Attendee As Maskless Group Shows Up At Timberlane School Meeting 
Tempers flared at Thursday night’s Timberlane Regional School Board meeting after a Sunday school teacher was arrested moments after she and several other unmasked attendees showed up to demand an end to a school mask mandate. The meeting was planned to be held in person at the district’s Performing Arts Center, but board Chairwoman Kimberly Farah quickly shut it down before it began and required that it be held remotely. (Schreiber, 5/20)

The Oregonian: Fred Meyer, QFC Still Require Masks In Oregon, Despite Kroger Policy Change 
Kroger stores across the country are going maskless, but not in Oregon and Washington. The national grocery store chain, which owns Fred Meyer and QFC, said Wednesday that fully vaccinated customers wouldn’t be required to wear masks unless a local rule says otherwise. Neither Fred Meyer or QFC is changing things up that quickly, though. (Acker, 5/20)

Athens Banner-Herald: Athens Mask Mandate Is No Longer Being Enforced As COVID-19 Cases Drop
Athens is no longer enforcing mask-wearing as COVID-19 cases in the county dip below 100 cases per 100,000 residents. On May 4, the mayor and commission approved the 16th declaration of local emergency for COVID-19. As part of this declaration, mask-wearing in Athens would be required throughout the city. The mask requirement has been in place since July 7. (5/20)

The Wall Street Journal: Iowa Bans Face-Mask Mandates In Schools, Joining Texas
In a last-minute move at the end of the Iowa’s legislative session, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill banning mask mandates in public schools across the state. “Iowa is putting parents back in control of their child’s education and taking greater steps to protect the rights of all Iowans to make their own health care decisions,” Ms. Reynolds, a Republican, said. The state’s seven-day Covid-19 case average has dropped below April 2020 levels. According to the latest seven-day average from Wednesday, 202 people have tested positive in Iowa. (Ansari, 5/20)

AP: Washington State's Largest County Says Keep The Masks On
Despite recent guidance from federal and state officials, the top health official in Washington’s most populous county urged people Thursday to keep wearing face masks in public, indoor settings. King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin issued a directive strongly recommending that residents age 5 and up wear face coverings whether or not they are vaccinated until 70% or more of the county’s residents 16 and older are fully inoculated. The agency projects the county will reach the threshold in late June. (Baumann, 5/21)

WUSF Public Media: Rays, Marlins Update Mask Policies While Increasing Stadium Capacities 
Fans won’t be required to wear masks the next time they watch the Miami Marlins or the Tampa Bay Rays play at their home stadiums. The teams updated their coronavirus mask policies on Wednesday following recent changes to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, which now say fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks in most indoor and outdoor settings. (Lisciandrello, 5/20)

The New York Times: Judge Dismisses Murder Charge Against California Mother After Stillbirth
A California judge on Thursday dismissed a murder charge against a woman who delivered a stillborn child in 2019 after consuming methamphetamine. Judge Robert Shane Burns of Kings County Superior Court dismissed the charge because prosecutors had failed to present sufficient evidence that the woman, Chelsea Becker, had ingested drugs with the knowledge and intent that doing so could cause a stillbirth, according to Jacqueline Goodman, a lawyer for Ms. Becker. (Paybarah, 5/20)

AP: 'Like Hell:' As Olympics Loom, Japan Health Care In Turmoil
Hospitals in Osaka, Japan’s third-biggest city and only 2 1/2 hours by bullet train from Summer Olympics host Tokyo, are overflowing with coronavirus patients. About 35,000 people nationwide — twice the number of those in hospitals — must stay at home with the disease, often becoming seriously ill and sometimes dying before they can get medical care. As cases surge in Osaka, medical workers say that every corner of the system has been slowed, stretched and burdened. And it’s happening in other parts of the country, too. (Yamaguchi and Komiya, 5/21)

The New York Times: Japan Approves The Moderna And AstraZeneca Shots, Hoping To Speed Up Its Vaccination Campaign
Japan on Friday approved the Moderna and AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines for use in adults, giving the country much-needed new options as it tries to speed up an inoculation campaign that has been one of the slowest in the developed world. Previously, only the Pfizer vaccine had been authorized for use in Japan, where just 4.1 percent of the population has received a first shot. Vaccinations have been held up by strict rules that allow only doctors and nurses to administer shots, and by a requirement that vaccines be tested on people in Japan before they are approved for use. (Hida, 5/21)

The New York Times: Severe Covid Is More Often Fatal In Africa Than In Other Regions
People in Africa who become critically ill from Covid-19 are more likely to die than patients in other parts of the world, according to a report published on Thursday in the medical journal The Lancet. The report, based on data from 64 hospitals in 10 countries, is the first broad look at what happens to critically ill Covid patients in Africa, the authors say. The increased risk of death applies only to those who become severely ill, not to everyone who catches the disease. Over all, the rates of illness and death from Covid in Africa appear lower than in the rest of the world. But if the virus begins to spread more rapidly in Africa, as it has in other regions, these findings suggest that the death toll could worsen. (Grady, 5/20)

The New York Times: Covid News: W.H.O. Notes Sharp Drop In New Cases In Europe Over Past Month 
Europe has recorded a 60 percent drop in new coronavirus infections over the past month, the World Health Organization said Thursday, encouraging news that comes as the continent plans to reopen its borders. Still, “this progress is fragile,” a top agency official cautioned. On Wednesday, the 27 member states of the European Union agreed that the bloc would reopen its borders to nonessential travelers who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus with an approved shot, as well as to those coming from a list of countries where the coronavirus is relatively under control. (Cumming-Bruce and Slotnik, 5/20)

CIDRAP: Europe Makes Cautious Progress, Urged To Monitor COVID-19 Variant Spread
Europe's COVID-19 cases have dropped 60% over the past month, but progress is fragile, as the region once again is on guard against a more transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variant, B1617, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) European regional office said today. Hans Henri Kluge, MD, MPH, the group's director, said, "We have been here before. Let us not make the same mistakes that were made this time last year." (Schnirring, 5/20)

The Wall Street Journal: South Korea’s Fix For Covid-19 Vaccine Shortages: Ask U.S. For A Swap
South Korea has a wealthy-country solution to alleviate its delayed rollout of Covid-19 vaccines: propose a swap with the U.S., which has one of the world’s biggest supplies. With its president visiting the White House on Friday, South Korea is expected to suggest an exchange of millions of doses on a one-for-one basis: The U.S. provides vaccinations now from its growing pile of unused shots. South Korea—with less than 3% of the population fully vaccinated—will send its supply to the U.S. in the months ahead. (Yoon, 5/21)

Politico: World Leaders Are Already Fighting Over The Next Pandemic
The world’s top health officials will confront two pandemics when they convene for their annual summit next week. Rich countries stocked with Covid vaccines are speeding ahead, taking steps toward normalcy. But most of the world remains in the grips of the coronavirus as they wait – and wait – for more doses. That tension has been building for weeks, as the world called on wealthy nations like the U.S. to do more while the virus ravages India and Brazil and spills into neighboring countries. But the upcoming meeting of the World Health Organization’s top policymaking body will look beyond this pandemic at how to prevent the next one. It could energize talks over a pandemic treaty idea supported by over two dozen countries, including U.S. allies like the United Kingdom, France and Germany – but not the U.S. itself. A treaty could aim to ensure equitable distribution of personal protective equipment and vaccines after seeing rich countries scoop those up over the past year. (Paun and Luthi, 5/20)

Vox: How To Supercharge Vaccine Production For The Next Pandemic
To defeat the next pandemic, the world needs year-round facilities pumping out vaccines for threats old and new. (Matthews, 5/20)

Scientific American: Deadly Fungi Are The Newest Emerging Microbe Threat All Over The World
These pathogens already kill 1.6 million people every year, and we have few defenses against them. (McKenna, June edition)

The New York Times: First They Fought The Virus. Now They Battle The Medical Bills
One coronavirus survivor manages her medical bills in color-coded folders: green, red and tan for different types of documents. A man whose father died of the virus last fall uses an Excel spreadsheet to organize the outstanding debts. It has 457 rows, one for each of his father’s bills, totaling over $1 million. These are people who are facing the financial version of long-haul Covid: They’ve found their lives and finances upended by medical bills resulting from a bout with the virus. (Kliff, 5/21)

AP: Clinic Helps Long-Haul Patients In London's "COVID Triangle"
At King George Hospital in the east London district of Ilford, respiratory consultant Adam Ainley began noticing last summer that some coronavirus patients who had been discharged were not getting better. They had a wide range of symptoms, including fatigue, muscle pain, breathlessness, headaches, anxiety and depression. The hospital serves an area dubbed the “COVID triangle,” three outer London boroughs that have had some of Britain’s highest infection rates. It’s a multi-ethnic area, home to many Black and South Asian Londoners, groups that saw higher rates of serious COVID-19 illness and death than white Britons. (Lawless, 5/18)

ProPublica: Hundreds Of PPP Loans Went To Fake Farms In Absurd Places — ProPublica
The shoreline communities of Ocean County, New Jersey, are a summertime getaway for throngs of urbanites, lined with vacation homes and ice cream parlors. Not exactly pastoral — which is odd, considering dozens of Paycheck Protection Program loans to supposed farms that flowed into the beach towns last year. As the first round of the federal government’s relief program for small businesses wound down last summer, “Ritter Wheat Club” and “Deely Nuts,” ostensibly a wheat farm and a tree nut farm, each got $20,833, the maximum amount available for sole proprietorships. “Tomato Cramber,” up the coast in Brielle, got $12,739, while “Seaweed Bleiman” in Manahawkin got $19,957. None of these entities exist in New Jersey’s business records, and the owners of the homes at which they are purportedly located expressed surprise when contacted by ProPublica. (Willis and DePillis, 5/18)

NPR: New Doctors In India Are Starting Off Seeing The Worst. It's Taking A Toll
A brand new generation of Indian doctors is just starting out in medicine in the middle of the world's worst coronavirus outbreak. On Wednesday, the country reported just over 4,500 deaths, setting a record for more coronavirus deaths in a single day than any other country during the course of the pandemic. Its total official caseload, likely still an undercount, is now over 25 million cases. For interns in India — entering their profession during such a heightened crisis — the unprecedented demand for doctors and number of deaths is taking an emotional toll. (Verma, 5/21)

The Guardian: The New York Highway That Racism Built: ‘It Does Nothing But Pollute’
For years, New York state officials have known that the ageing I-81 viaduct has needed to be radically redeveloped. Most residents and public officials agree that it must be rethought for safety, economic and public health reasons. However, for a neighborhood that has long been disenfranchised, tearing down the highway also means repairing the legacy of injustice done to their community. Across the US, community organizers have long been fighting to shine a light on the racist urban planning policy that led to highways being built through historically Black neighborhoods. And now, thanks to a recent gesture of support from the Biden administration, organizers in Syracuse feel there is finally some acknowledgment of the harm I-81 has caused, and new momentum around the idea of tearing it down. (Ramirez, 5/21)

ProPublica/Columbia Journalism Investigations: Addressing Rape In Four Minutes Or Less: Dating App Reps Left Unprepared To Respond To Assault Victims 
On a sunny afternoon in the summer of 2019, Natalie Dong stood outside the glass headquarters of the popular online dating platform Tinder, in downtown Los Angeles, with a poster board draped from her neck. It read: “MY RAPIST IS STILL ON TINDER.” More than a year earlier, Dong, then a 21-year-old engineering student, said she had been raped in her home by a man she had met on a different dating website, Coffee Meets Bagel. He told Dong he was on other dating platforms, including Tinder. She reported the events to the police, which didn’t lead to criminal charges. (Edwards, Picciani, Spicer and Cousins, 5/17)

Undark: Can 'Vaccinated' Breast Milk Protect Kids? The Science Is Hazy.
When it comes to breast milk from vaccinated people, studies suggest the biggest benefit may be to very young babies. (Gammon, 5/19)

The New York Times: Your Friend Doesn’t Want The Vaccine. What Do You Say? 
The difference between people who eagerly want the Covid-19 vaccine and people who are hesitant is not as great as it may seem. Most vaccine holdouts are not anti-vaxxers or conspiracy theorists. Before you demand that your loved ones get a shot, know that not all conversations are created equal. Research shows that many common persuasive styles — commanding, advising, lecturing and shaming — not only don’t work but also often backfire. (Arnaud Gagneur and Karin Tamerius, 5/20)

The Washington Post: Biden’s Failing Miserably At Addressing Concerns From The Vaccine Hesitant 
The Biden administration’s covid-19 vaccination effort is faltering. Just 47.9 percent of Americans have received one dose — well short of Biden’s 70 percent goal — and the vaccination rate in the United States has slowed from its April peak. We’ve now reached the point where everyone eager to get their shot has gotten it. The challenge has shifted from ensuring supply meets demand to creating demand by convincing vaccine-hesitant Americans to get their shots. (Marc A. Thiessen, 5/20)

Los Angeles Times: Black New Mothers Are Dying At Unacceptably High Rates 
Childbirth has always been perilous for women. Before the advent of modern medicine, a breech birth was often a death sentence. And even as recently as the turn of the 20th century, six to nine women in the U.S. died during childbirth or from related complications for every 1,000 babies born alive, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Advances in medicine and public health have significantly improved the odds that women — and their infants — will survive childbirth. In 2019, the most recent year for which there are data, only two women died for every 10,000 or so live babies born. That’s quite an improvement in little more than a century. Nevertheless, the U.S. still has the highest rate of maternal mortality in the industrialized world, and the rate has been creeping up in recent years. (5/20)

Scientific American: The Global Iron-Deficiency Crisis 
When we stare into the periodic table, it’s like looking into a mirror. The essential soft metals we need for life are sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, which dissolve easily into the water that makes up much of our body. Among the hard metals we use are iron, zinc and copper. Nearly half of all our proteins contain a metal. Most of us know iron best for its role in our blood. Four atoms of iron help form the molecule hemoglobin, the protein in a red blood cell that stores and transports oxygen. Every cell requires oxygen to burn the fuel glucose, producing the energy that does the cell’s work. As blood passes through an oxygen-rich environment like the lungs, the iron atoms in hemoglobin bind to oxygen atoms. Later, in oxygen-poor environments—a calf muscle working hard, a brow furrowed—iron atoms release their oxygen. (Sharman Apt Russel, 5/20)

Stat: Routine Cognitive Screening Can Help Detect Early Signs Of Dementia 
Both of us lost our dads to Alzheimer’s disease, and both of our families carried extra burdens from dementia because the diagnoses were delayed. Diane’s family wondered if her dad’s personality changes were due to early retirement and feeling a loss of purpose. Nora’s family was puzzled by her dad’s trouble finding words and getting lost easily. (Nora Super and Diane Ty, 5/21)

San Diego Union-Tribune: Additional Mental Health Training Would Benefit Both Police Officers And The People They Serve And Protect 
Every day in my work, I am pained to witness the indignities that our neighbors experiencing homelessness endure. With so few public restrooms available and so many without a home, our neighbors are forced to relieve themselves on the streets. What choice do they have? Moreover, mental health resources in the community are in short supply, leaving neighbors with severe mental illness to wander through the streets, faced with confusion and the daily traumas of unsheltered life, their ragged clothing and lack of shoes a clear indication that things are not okay. (Jim Vargas, 5/19)

Newsweek: Rebuilding 'The Care Economy' With Cross-Generational Relationships 
Covid-19 laid bare how dangerous social isolation can be to everyone and particularly aging Americans. As our nation works to rebuild from the devastation of the pandemic, the Biden administration's recent announcement to allocate $400 billion toward home health care was mostly met with warm welcome. The widespread social isolation people of all ages (including older adults) experienced as a result of the pandemic has been a crisis of its own. The Biden administration's move to rebuild "the care economy" signals a positive shift in our country toward prioritizing the needs of older adults—something we've been sorely lacking for a long time. If we hope to have a holistic recovery from COVID-19, that centers wellness for all, we must ensure the most vulnerable in our society are taken care of and that we are all finding ways to age well, together. Millennials and younger people are key to making sure this is our new reality. (Joseph F. Coughlin and Jordan Mittler, 5/20)

Bloomberg: Jamie Dimon's JPMorgan Doubles Down On Health Fight Warren Buffett Fled 
Jamie Dimon can't quit his health-cost crusade, even if Warren Buffett can. On Thursday, JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced that it was launching a new unit called "Morgan Health" to tackle the high cost and poor performance of  U.S medical care. The move comes just a few months after it gave up on Haven, a hyped joint venture with Jeff Bezos’s Amazon.com Inc. and Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. aimed at the same problem. JPMorgan may have learned some lessons, but the fundamental strategy is very similar: to test out innovative health-care ideas on the bank's workers and then use what it learns to help other companies and lower costs. However, American health care isn't uniquely expensive because wealthy corporations aren't smart enough. The real culprit is a series of large and intractable policy problems. They’re a big reason Haven never got off the ground. And they are why Morgan Health is likely to struggle as well. (Max Nisen and Brian Chappatta, 5/20)

The CT Mirror: Protecting All Children: Promoting Health Equity By Insuring Undocumented Children
The General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee has favorably voted out S.B. 956, An Act Providing Medical Assistance to Certain Individuals Regardless of Immigration Status.  The state, not surprisingly, has countered with a fiscal note that presents a two-year cost-estimate of $267 million to $374 million. But what if the cost of gradually insuring everyone who is eligible for health insurance in the state but for their immigration status works out to less than ten percent of that amount?  Wouldn’t that be an investment that Connecticut’s policymakers should consider? (Jay Sicklick, 5/21)