First Edition: June 23, 2021
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KHN and El Paso Matters:
At Texas Border, Pandemic’s High Toll Lays Bare Gaps In Health And Insurance
Alfredo “Freddy” Valles was an accomplished trumpeter and a beloved music teacher for nearly four decades at one of the city’s poorest middle schools. He was known for buying his students shoes and bow ties for their band concerts, his effortlessly positive demeanor and a suave personal style — “he looked like he stepped out of a different era, the 1950s,” said his niece Ruby Montana. (Kladzyk, Galewitz and Lucas, 6/23)
KHN:
Thousands Of Young Children Lost Parents To Covid. Where’s Help For Them?
Five months after her husband died of covid-19, Valerie Villegas can see how grief has wounded her children. Nicholas, the baby, who was 1 and almost weaned when his father died, now wants to nurse at all hours and calls every tall, dark-haired man “Dada,” the only word he knows. Robert, 3, regularly collapses into furious tantrums, stopped using the big-boy potty and frets about sick people giving him germs. Ayden, 5, recently announced it’s his job to “be strong” and protect his mom and brothers. (Aleccia, 6/23)
NPR:
Fauci Warns Dangerous Delta Variant Is The Greatest Threat To U.S. COVID Efforts
The dangerous Delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading so quickly in the United States that it's likely the mutant strain will become predominant in the nation within weeks, according to federal health officials and a new analysis. At a White House briefing on COVID-19 on Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said 20.6% of new cases in the U.S. are due to the Delta variant. And other scientists tracking the variant say it is on track to become the dominant virus variant in the U.S. "The Delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19," Fauci said. (Stein, 6/22)
Fox News:
Delta Coronavirus Variant Doubling Biweekly, Now 20% Of Samples, Fauci Says
Dr. Anthony Fauci warned Tuesday that the highly transmissible Delta variant has climbed to now account for over 20% of sequenced samples. The variant, first detected in India and now found in over 80 countries, is becoming the dominant strain worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. The B.1.617.2 strain spreads more readily than the B.1.1.7 Alpha variant and the wild-type virus, and has been linked to an increased hospitalization risk. (Rivas, 6/22)
The Wall Street Journal:
Delta Covid-19 Variant Could Be Dominant In U.S. In Two To Three Weeks, Study Says
The highly transmissible Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus is spreading so rapidly in the U.S. that it could become the dominant strain in the next two to three weeks, researchers said, adding urgency to the nationwide vaccination drive. The Delta strain, which first emerged in India in late 2020 and is also known as B.1.617.2, will probably make up 50% of Covid-19 infections in the U.S. by early to mid-July, said William Lee, vice president of science at population genomics company Helix and an author of the new analysis. (McKay, 6/22)
CIDRAP:
Delta And Gamma Variants Make Up Larger Share Of US COVID Cases
The Delta and Gamma variants (B1617.2 and P.1, respectively) are on track to surpass the Alpha variant (B117) in the United States, according to a study on the non–peer-reviewed medRxiv preprint server yesterday. The researchers looked at 243,769 positive COVID-19 samples collected from Jan 1 to Jun 15 and viral sequence data from 19,987. Distribution is not representative of the US population, they note; for instance, Florida had 25.7% of the samples. (6/22)
CIDRAP:
Multiple Nations Battle COVID-19 Surges As Delta Variant Advances In Israel
As countries in Africa, the Americas, and Europe battle fresh COVID surges, a rise in Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant cases in Israel—known for its strong vaccine rollout and COVID measures—is raising new alarm bells. World Health Organization (WHO) officials have characterized a "two track" pandemic, made up of higher-income countries driving down cases as vaccination efforts gain tractions, contrasted with others struggling with new or ongoing surges, due to a host of factors, including scarce vaccine, more transmissible variants, and social mixing. (Schnirring, 6/22)
CIDRAP:
White House: 70% Of Adults 30 And Up Have 1 Dose Of COVID Vaccine
Today [Tuesday], Jeff Zients, White House COVID-19 coordinator, announced that among adults age 30 and older, 70% have met President Joe Biden's goal of receiving at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine before the Fourth of July. "We got here because the president treated this as a wartime effort," Zients said, explaining that among adults over age 45, 75% have had at least one dose. In total, since Biden took office, 150 million vaccine doses have been administered, and now 56% of Americans are fully vaccinated against the virus, he said. (Soucheray, 6/22)
The New York Times:
White House Says It Will Narrowly Miss July 4 Vaccination Goal
The White House publicly acknowledged on Tuesday that President Biden did not expect to meet his goal of having 70 percent of adults at least partly vaccinated by July 4 and instead would reach that milestone only with people older than 26. It would be the first time that Mr. Biden has failed to meet a vaccination goal he has set. If the rate of adult vaccinations continues on the current seven-day average, the country will come in just shy of his target, with about 67 percent of adults having at least one shot by July 4, according to a New York Times analysis. (LaFraniere, 6/22)
AP:
Biden Urges Shots For Young Adults As Variant Concern Grows
The U.S. government is stepping up efforts to get younger Americans vaccinated for COVID-19 as the White House acknowledges it will miss two key vaccination benchmarks and as concern grows about the spread of a new variant that threatens to set the country back in the months ahead. The delta variant, first identified in India, in the last two weeks has come to represent more than 20% of coronavirus infections in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday. That’s double what it was when the CDC last reported on the variant’s prevalence. (Miller, 6/22)
AP:
Jill Biden Touts Vaccine In Poorly Inoculated Mississippi
First lady Jill Biden visited one of the states least vaccinated against COVID-19 on Tuesday, encouraging residents of Mississippi to get their shots and telling them, “The White House, our administration — we care about you.” “I’m here today to ask all of the people who can hear my voice, who can see my face, to get their shot,” Biden said after visiting a clinic at Jackson State University, one of the largest historically Black universities in the country. Biden later encouraged people who were getting vaccinated in Nashville, Tennessee, with the help of country singer Brad Paisley later Tuesday evening. (Willingham, 6/23)
The New York Times:
With Mass Vaccination Sites Winding Down, It’s All About The ‘Ground Game’
There were only six tiny vials of coronavirus vaccine in the refrigerator, one Air Force nurse on duty and a trickle of patients on Saturday morning at a federally run mass vaccination site here. A day before its doors shut for good, this once-frenetic operation was oddly quiet. The post-vaccination waiting room, with 165 socially distanced chairs, was mostly empty. The nurse, Maj. Margaret Dodd, who ordinarily cares for premature babies at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, had already booked her flight home. So had the pharmacist, Heather Struempf, who was headed back to nursing school in Wyoming. (Stolberg, 6/22)
AP:
4 People Win $250K Apiece In New Mexico Vaccine Sweepstakes
State health officials announced Tuesday that four people have each won $250,000 prizes as part of the New Mexico vaccine sweepstakes. They were the first four winners of Vax 2 the Max Sweepstakes. The $10 million cash sweepstakes is funded by federal stimulus and intended to incentivize COVID-19 vaccinations. (6/22)
USA Today:
Walgreens COVID Vaccine Giveaway: $25, Gift Cards For New Vaccinations
Walgreens, one of the nation's two largest drugstore chains, plans to give $25 in store credit to anyone who gets a COVID-19 vaccination there in the next several days. The move comes amid a flurry of COVID-19 vaccine incentives nationwide, including giveaways at Walgreens archrival CVS, million-dollar sweepstakes in states like Ohio and free food or drinks from restaurants like Krispy Kreme. Walgreens said it will provide its incentive in one of two forms: $25 in store credit loaded onto the customer's myWalgreens account or if they don't have one, a $25 Walgreens gift card. (Bomey, 6/22)
USA Today:
Houston Hospital Workers Fired Or Resigned Over COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement
More than 150 employees at a Houston hospital system have been fired or resigned after the medical system implemented a mandate requiring a COVID-19 vaccine and a judge dismissed an employee lawsuit over it. The hospital system had previously required employees to complete their immunization by June 7. 178 employees were suspended for two weeks without pay for not complying. And after the suspension period ended Tuesday, 153 employees either resigned or were terminated for not completing their inoculations, a spokesperson for Houston Methodist Hospital system told the Associated Press. (Aspegren, 6/22)
CNN:
Students Sue Indiana University Over Vaccine Mandate
A potential showdown is looming between eight students who want to come to the Indiana University campus in August but think the school's Covid-19 vaccine mandate is unconstitutional. The mandate requires students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated or get an exemption for religious or medical reasons before starting the fall term. (Riess and Almasy, 6/22)
AP:
Arkansas Has Biggest 1-Day Jump In Virus Cases Since March
Arkansas on Tuesday reported 485 new coronavirus cases, its biggest one-day jump in more than three months. The Department of Health said it was the biggest one-day increase since the state reported 570 new cases on March 5. The state has had 346,180 cases since the pandemic began last year. (6/22)
Albuquerque Journal:
NM Reports Girl Under 10 Among COVID Deaths
New Mexico’s coronavirus death toll now includes a child under 10. The Department of Health on Tuesday reported what may be the state’s youngest victim of the pandemic so far – a Doña Ana County girl who was 9 or younger. She is one of just a handful of pediatric deaths related to COVID-19 in New Mexico. The state last fall reported the deaths of a teenage girl in Eddy County and a 12-year-old boy from Albuquerque. An individual under 17 also died in May, according to state coronavirus records. The girl whose death was reported Tuesday had underlying health conditions, and she had been hospitalized. But the Department of Health didn’t release other details, citing health privacy regulations. (McKay, 6/22)
Bloomberg:
Secret Service And Covid: Nearly 900 Employees Tested Positive For Virus In Year
Almost 900 active U.S. secret service employees -- most of them responsible for protecting government officials and buildings -- were diagnosed with Covid-19 in the year ending in March. Special Agents, who protect the president, vice president, and their families, made up more than half of the 881 employees who were infected, according to government records obtained by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. The uniformed division, which guards the White House and other federal buildings, made up the next largest group of infections. (Ford, 6/22)
CIDRAP:
Rare Cases Of Guillain-Barre Syndrome Detailed After COVID Vaccine
Two studies this month in the Annals of Neurology describe Guillain-Barre syndrome in seven Indian patients and four English patients, both within 22 days of receiving the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, which has already been linked to rare but severe clotting. The researchers described the seven cases in Kerala, India, where symptom onset occurred within 2 weeks after receiving the first dose of the vaccine. (6/22)
CIDRAP:
Racial Disparities Noted In Children With COVID-19
Non-White children may receive less COVID-19 testing and experience higher COVID-19 infections, COVID-19 severity, and hospitalization duration, according to a study yesterday in JAMA Pediatrics. ... White children received the most COVID tests (17.1%), followed by Asians (13.6%), those of mixed or other races (12.9%), and Black children (8.3%). Minority children had significantly higher COVID-19 infections, ranging from 6.3% (mixed/other races) to 10.8% (Asian) versus the 5.8% identified in White children. (6/22)
Houston Chronicle:
Houston Paid $1.7M For Counterfeit N95 Masks Earlier This Year
The city paid $1.7 million for allegedly counterfeit N95 masks earlier this year, and federal prosecutors have seized the money from the company that provided them, according to court documents. Houston police are investigating the company, Med-Tech Resources LLC, for felony trademark counterfeiting. Homeland Security investigators also are involved, according to affidavits and police reports filed in the case to seize the money. No charges have been filed to date. (McGuinness, 6/22)
Modern Healthcare:
ASCO: Cancer Patients Should Be Included In Vaccine Trials
Cancer patients have largely been excluded from COVID-19 vaccine trials, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology is asking drug manufacturers to change that in an effort to deduce whether the safety and effectiveness extends to these often-immunocompromised patients. The request, issued in a joint policy statement with the Friends of Cancer Research, also asked government agencies like the Food and Drug Administration to create incentives for drug companies to do so. (Gillespie, 6/22)
Bloomberg:
Parasite Drug Analyzed As Possible Covid Treatment In U.K. Trial
A drug used to treat parasite infections in humans and livestock will be investigated as a possible treatment for Covid-19 in a large U.K. study at the University of Oxford. The medicine, known as ivermectin, has antiviral properties and initial preliminary studies have shown it can reduce viral load, the amount of virus in the respiratory tract, and the length of symptoms in those with a mild infection, according to a statement from the university. (Gemmell, 6/23)
The Washington Post:
FDA Releases Fresh Details On Internal Debate Over Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday released fresh details on why it approved a controversial Alzheimer’s drug in hopes of quelling a fierce debate over whether the agency should have cleared the costly treatment. But the new information, included in interviews with agency officials and 83 pages of internal documents, might not quiet a furor over the drug Aduhelm that has drawn in Alzheimer’s doctors and patients, members of Congress, Medicare officials, and the agency itself. (McGinley, 6/22)
Stat:
Documents Reveal The FDA’s Unprecedented Path To Approving Aduhelm
Chastened after a decisively negative review from outside advisers, the Food and Drug Administration convened a series of internal meetings in March and April where top officials hammered out a plan to approve Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm. The meetings were revealed in a series of documents released Tuesday by the FDA to explain its decision to use a truncated pathway, called accelerated approval, to approve Aduhelm. (Herper, Garde and Feuerstein, 6/22)
Bloomberg:
Alzheimer’s Therapy Sparked Behind-Scenes FDA Clash On Approval
Statisticians at the Food and Drug Administration who had a thorough look at the clinical-trial data didn’t support approval of Biogen Inc.’s Alzheimer’s therapy, internal documents released by the agency show. The documents released on Tuesday show how top FDA officials weighed the concerns of their staff against the need of patients suffering from a serious fatal disease with no treatments that can halt its progression. (Edney and Langreth, 6/22)
Modern Healthcare:
CMS Offers $20M To State-Based Insurance Marketplaces
CMS plans to distribute $20 million in grants to state-based marketplaces that will finance technology upgrades to improve performance and the consumer experience. The grants, part of the American Rescue Plan Act, are meant to assist SBMs in complying with federal marketplace requirements and in providing quicker insurance enrollment and eligibility determinations. For states with currently approved SBMs, these grants will act as a form of federal maintenance funding, said Adam Block, a New York-based health economist and former CMS regulator. (Devereaux, 6/22)
Stat:
Key Science Officials Detail Their Plans For A New Research Agency
Two key federal health officials are pitching a new branch of the National Institutes of Health that would take on higher-risk research than the rest of the agency, in a bid to “transform important areas of medicine and health.” The new vision, from Biden science adviser Eric Lander and NIH Director Francis Collins, fleshes out new details for an initiative President Biden pitched as a new research agency intended to “end cancer as we know it.” (Florko and Cohrs, 6/22)
Crain's Detroit Business:
Spectrum Health Services More Expensive Than Beaumont, Study Shows
As Beaumont and Spectrum explore a merger, executives from both health systems work to stabilize costs, improve care and are attracting and retaining talent. But payer costs remain a critical concern for employers and private insurers across the state. Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids is considerably more expensive for payers than Beaumont, according to a study published by the Rand Corp. in September. The Rand data compares what Medicare pays for hospital services, including facility and professional fees for inpatient and outpatient care, with what private payers pay for the same hospital services at the same facility. (Walsh, 6/22)
CBS News:
Defense Secretary Supports Taking Decision To Prosecute Sexual Assault Cases Out Of Chain Of Command
[Austin] said he will also support the inclusion of other special victims' crimes inside this independent prosecution system, including domestic violence, because of the correlation between these crimes and sexual assault. (Watson, 6/22)
ABC News:
Pentagon Chief Supports Removing Chain Of Command From Sexual Assault Cases
The move is a stunning turnaround by the Pentagon to support a change championed by members of Congress and advocates of sexual assault victims as a way to stem sexual assault in the military. (Martinez, 6/22)
USA Today:
Drinking 3 To 4 Cups Of Coffee A Day Reduces Risk Of Liver Cancer, Study Suggests
Drinking three to four cups of coffee a day may reduce your risk of liver cancer and other alcohol-related liver diseases, according to a new study. Researchers looked at the coffee habits of more than 494,000 people in the UK Biobank, a biomedical database, and monitored their liver health over 11 years. Participants ranged from 40 to 69 years old, with 384,818 saying they were avid coffee drinkers, and 109,767 saying they were not. People who drank ground caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee saw the most benefits, while some reduction in risks was also found in instant coffee drinkers. (Miranda, 6/22)
The New York Times:
Morning People May Be At Lower Risk Of Depression Than Night Owls
If you are a morning person, you may be at reduced risk for major depression, a new study suggests. Several studies of the body’s circadian sleep-wake cycle have shown that being an early bird is associated with a lower risk for depression. But those studies were observational so could not prove cause and effect. (Bakalar, 6/21)
Stat:
Study: Prenatal Exposure To Ultra-Fine Particles Raises A Child's Asthma Risk
When Rosalind Wright started analyzing data on prenatal exposure to air pollution in mothers and children in Boston, she had a notion that ultra-fine particles could be even more harmful than the slightly larger particles she’d studied before. “If the effect is strong enough, we’ll find it,” Wright, a pulmonary physician and professor of pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, remembered thinking. (Sohn, 6/23)
Fox News:
Screen All Kids For Heart Problems, Pediatricians Say
All children, regardless of their athletic status, should be screened for risk of cardiac arrest, the American Academy of Pediatrics said in a policy statement Monday. The group included four questions to incorporate into the screenings, including two pertaining to family history of heart issues. "The unexpected death of a seemingly healthy child is a tragedy not only for the family but for the family community as well," the AAP said in a statement regarding the policy, which will be published in the July issue of Pediatrics. "Multiple studies have looked at sudden deaths in young people either as a whole or by individual disease processes. However, most of these studies are published in cardiology journals. The goal of the AAP-PACES policy is to present expanded information to pediatricians and other primary care providers." (Hein, 6/22)
Cincinnati Enquirer:
Pandemic Triggered More Smoking By Cincinnati's Smokers, Relapse In Those Who Quit: Survey
The novel coronavirus pandemic appears to have triggered more smoking among smokers in the Cincinnati region and prompted 1 of 10 former smokers to light up again, a newly released survey shows. Tobacco use by Cincinnati area adults had declined for more than 20 years, from 35% in 1999 to 19% in 2018. "But the COVID-19 pandemic stalled progress," officials at Interact for Health said in a news release Tuesday. The percentage of adult current smokers in the region was stable between 2018 (19%) and 2020 (21%), the organization said. (Demio, 6/22)
Bloomberg:
Nine Months After Lockdowns, U.S. Births Plummeted By 8%
Nine months after the declaration of a national emergency due to the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, U.S. births fell by 8% in a month. The December drop marked an acceleration in declines in the second part of the year. For the full year, the number of babies born in the country fell 4% to about 3.6 million, the largest decline since 1973, according to a Wednesday report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Tanzi, 6/23)
NBC News:
Back To Not-So-Normal: Psychologists Eye Pandemic Stress As U.S. Reopens
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on Americans' mental health since the first cases were recorded at the beginning of last year. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey from December found 42 percent of Americans reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, a major increase from the 11 percent who reported experiencing those symptoms prior to the pandemic. Psychologists are worried about the ramifications, and some say there could be a connection between these mental health issues and behavioral changes that are starting to manifest across the country. (Benson, 6/22)
CBS News:
Ciara Wants Black Women To "Be Your Best Self" With Cervical Cancer Awareness Campaign
Ciara is serving facts and "cerving confidence" to Black women across America with a new campaign to encourage them to see their OB/GYN for annual appointments and build awareness of the impact cervical cancer has on Black women. The Grammy-winning singer, dancer and businesswoman joined "CBS This Morning" on Tuesday to unveil the "Cerving Confidence" initiative, in partnership with Project Health Equality and the Black Women's Health Imperative. (6/22)
ABC News and Good Morning America:
Chadwick Boseman's Death Inspires Young Reporter To Document His Colonoscopy
Chadwick Boseman's death last year due to colon cancer led one man to take charge of his own health and try to inspire others to do the same. Nicholas St. Fleur, a reporter for STAT News, a health, medicine and science-focused publication, decided to get a colon cancer screening and document it from start to finish. (Kindelan, 6/22)
The Wall Street Journal:
As U.S. Cruises Resume, Operators Outfit Ships With Contact-Tracing Tech
Cruise operators, whose U.S. operations have been suspended for more than a year amid the Covid-19 pandemic, are betting on technology to help keep passengers safe when they finally start leaving U.S. ports this summer. Royal Caribbean Group, MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages are among the cruise companies looking to smartphone apps, wearable devices, artificial intelligence and other technologies to keep passengers distanced, which lessens the chance of airborne transmission of the virus, and to provide contact-tracing if anyone does get sick. (McCormick, 6/21)
CBS News:
Peloton Turned A Free Feature On Its $4,000 Treadmill Into A $39 Monthly Subscription
Peloton announced that owners will need to sign up for a $39 monthly subscription to use its $4,000 treadmill because it made changes to its product after a voluntary recall that was linked to dozens of incidents and a child's death. (Larkin, 6/22)
CNN:
When And How To Talk About Puberty With Kids
When my oldest child turned 11, I figured it was time to talk birds and bees and bodily changes, and purchased a couple of books that friends had recommended. When I tried to read the books with her, or get her to read them herself, or otherwise talk about puberty, she either covered her ears or tossed the books across the room -- or walked out of it. Oops. Many of us have tried broaching the subject -- or subjects -- of puberty with our tweens, only to discover that they're already too uncomfortable to engage. (Davis, 6/22)
ABC News and Good Morning America:
Male Doula Aims To Be An Advocate For Women During Childbirth
One California resident wants to make childbirth a safer process for moms while bringing men into the fold as well. Dustin Young, 37, from Carson, California, became a certified doula in 2020. His experience helping his youngest sister, Alexis Pitts, with her pregnancy led him to pursue the job, which involves providing support to moms during and after pregnancy. (Azari, 6/22)
Fox News:
'Jeopardy!' Viewers Upset Over 'Misogynistic,' 'Outdated' Clue About A Medical Condition
"Jeopardy!" viewers are upset with the show after it included a medical clue that many argue is incorrect and even offensive. The clue had to do with a condition known as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a manageable condition that many in the U.S. and around the world suffer from. However, because so many people are familiar with POTS, many were quick to notice something didn't hold water on Monday's episode. (McCarthy, 6/22)
ABC News:
Traffic Deaths Increased Among Black People More Than Any Other Race During Pandemic: Study
The number of Black people killed in traffic crashes rose 23% in 2020 compared to the year prior, according to early estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Out of the 38,680 people that were killed in traffic crashes last year, 7,494 of them were Black -- the highest percentage increase out of any race. White people had the largest number of traffic deaths last year at 29,092, but the number increased by just 4% from the year prior. (Maile and Kaji, 6/22)
AP:
Medical Marijuana Producers Seek Tax Refund Worth Millions
A major business in New Mexico’s burgeoning market for marijuana wants the state to refund millions of dollars in taxes that were levied in recent years on sales of medical marijuana but not against most prescription medications. Integrated cannabis provider Ultra Health said Tuesday that it has asked the state Supreme Court for the opportunity to provide arguments in a legal dispute between another medical marijuana company and the state Taxation and Revenue Department. (6/22)
Des Moines Register:
Iowa Court Blocks Abortion Law Mandating 24-Hour Waiting Period
An Iowa judge has permanently blocked a state law requiring women to wait 24 hours before getting an abortion. In his order, filed Monday afternoon, District Court Judge Mitchell Turner held that the 2020 law is unconstitutional and cannot be enforced on two grounds: that the Legislature violated the "single-subject rule" of the Iowa Constitution when lawmakers passed the measure as an amendment to an unrelated bill; and that the law violates a 2018 Iowa Supreme Court decision that protects abortion rights. (Morris and Gruber-Miller, 6/22)
Reuters:
India Says New COVID Variant Is A Concern
India on Tuesday declared a new coronavirus variant to be of concern, and said nearly two dozen cases had been detected in three states. The variant, identified locally as "Delta plus", was found in 16 cases in the state of Maharashtra, Federal Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan told a news conference. The ministry said Delta plus showed increased transmissibility and advised states to increase testing. (Acharya and Kumar, 6/22)
The Wall Street Journal:
Covid-19 Delta Variant Threatens To Set Back Europe’s Recovery
The Delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading rapidly across continental Europe, raising the risk of a rebound in infections and a delay to the region’s economic comeback. The variant, first discovered in India late last year, has prompted Portugal to seal off its capital city of Lisbon on weekends. In Germany, where Delta is still rare, scientists expect it to make up the majority of Covid-19 infections in the coming months. In France and Italy, the prevalence of the variant is still below 5%, according to official figures, but has at least doubled in recent weeks. (Sylvers and Kowsmann, 6/22)
AP:
New Zealand On Edge After Virus-Infected Australian Visits
After enjoying nearly four months without any community transmission of the coronavirus, New Zealanders were on edge Wednesday after health authorities said an infectious traveler from Australia had visited over the weekend. New Zealand has taken a zero-tolerance approach to the pandemic and continues to pursue an elimination strategy. (Perry, 6/23)
AP:
UAE's Capital Apparently Offering COVID Vaccines To Tourists
The capital of the United Arab Emirates has apparently started offering free coronavirus vaccines to tourists flying into the emirate, a move that could entice travelers and help revive the country’s struggling tourism industry. While Abu Dhabi has made no official announcement on the matter, the health authority’s phone application showed updated criteria for vaccine access on Tuesday, saying visitors to the capital could now get the COVID-19 shot by presenting their passports. (Debre, 6/22)
AP:
Guam Launching COVID-19 Vaccine Tourism Program
Guam is launching a vaccine tourism program to encourage citizens of neighboring countries and Americans living in East Asia to come get inoculated against COVID-19. The Pacific Daily News reports the first group of three travelers was arriving on a charter flight from Taiwan. The Guam Visitors Bureau says this is a prelude to bigger groups to come. (6/23)
The New York Times:
They Relied On Chinese Vaccines. Now They’re Battling Outbreaks
Mongolia promised its people a “Covid-free summer.” Bahrain said there would be a “return to normal life.” The tiny island nation of the Seychelles aimed to jump-start its economy. All three put their faith, at least in part, in easily accessible Chinese-made vaccines, which would allow them to roll out ambitious inoculation programs when much of the world was going without. But instead of freedom from the coronavirus, all three countries are now battling a surge in infections. (Wee, 6/22)
Reuters:
AstraZeneca Vaccine Effective Against COVID-19 Variants Identified In India
AstraZeneca Plc’s COVID-19 vaccine is effective against Delta and Kappa variants, which were first identified in India, the company said on Tuesday, citing a study. The study by the Oxford University investigated the ability of monoclonal antibodies in blood from recovered people and from those vaccinated to neutralize the Delta and Kappa variants, the statement said. (6/22)
The New York Times:
A Month Before The Olympics, How Is Japan Faring With Covid?
With a month to go until the Tokyo Olympics and a state of emergency freshly lifted in most of the country, Japan is seeing relatively low coronavirus case counts after a surge last month. But the country’s low vaccination rate, especially compared with other rich countries, and variants on the rise there have prompted some public health experts in recent weeks to express concerns about the Games or call for them to be canceled. (Leatherby, 6/23)
Bloomberg:
Japan Reaches Suga’s Target Of A Million Vaccine Doses Per Day
Japan has surpassed 1 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine administered on a single day, meeting Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s target as the inoculation drive accelerates ahead of the political pressure points of the Tokyo Olympics and a general election. The milestone was achieved on June 14, according to data compiled by Bloomberg using figures released from the prime minister’s office on Wednesday. There’s a considerable lag in the reporting of vaccination data by local authorities, so much so that vaccine minister Taro Kono has been reported to suggest the government might skip shipments of shots to municipalities that are slow to report. (Jackman, 6/23)
The Washington Post:
Pressure Builds To Open U.S.-Canada Border
A Florida man takes out ads to call out the U.S. and Canadian governments for failing to lift border restrictions. Lawmakers use salty-ish language. Business owners worry about losing a second lucrative summer season. As restrictions on nonessential travel across the U.S.-Canada land border enter their 16th month this week, pressure is rising on both sides for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Biden to crack it open — even a little — or to provide something, anything, about what a reopening plan might look like. (Coletta, 6/22)
CIDRAP:
Manitoba Reports H3N2v Flu Case
Public health officials in Manitoba, Canada, yesterday reported a swine-related variant H3N2 (H3N2v) flu case involving a patient in the southern part of the province, according to a government statement. The illnesses was detected in early June when the patient sought testing after experiencing a flulike illness. They had mild symptoms and recovered. Tests were negative for COVID-19, but the virus was later identified as H3N2v as part of routine flu surveillance. (6/22)