NBC News: Israel Sees Drop In Pfizer Covid Vaccine Protection, Still Strong In Severe Illness
Israel reported on Monday a decrease in the effectiveness of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in preventing infections and symptomatic illness but said it remained highly effective in preventing serious illness. The decline coincided with the spread of the delta variant and the end of social distancing restrictions in Israel. (7/6)

Bloomberg: Israel Sees Decline In Pfizer Vaccine Efficacy Rate
Pfizer Inc.’s vaccine was less effective at keeping people from getting the coronavirus in Israel in recent weeks, but it continues to provide a strong shield against severe Covid-19, according to government data. The vaccine protected 64% of people against the illness between June 6 and early July, down from a previous 94%. The drop was observed as the delta variant was spreading in Israel, the Health Ministry said. It also coincided with the lifting of virus restrictions at the start of June. (Odenheimer and Shepherd, 7/5)

In related news about booster shots —

Bloomberg: U.S. Ready to Deploy Booster Shots If Needed, Biden Aide Says
The U.S. government is ready to deploy booster shots if scientists and health officials determine they’re needed in the fight against Covid-19, White House pandemic response coordinator Jeff Zients said. With increases in cases in parts of the U.S. linked to low vaccination rates and the more-contagious delta variant that’s spreading throughout the nation, Zients said President Joe Biden’s administration will push ahead with encouraging young people and others to get shots. (Yang, 7/4)

The New York Times: Should People With Immune Problems Get Third Vaccine Doses?
When it came to coronavirus vaccination, the third time was the charm for Esther Jones, a dialysis nurse in rural Oregon. After two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine failed to jolt her immune system into producing antibodies, she sought out a third, this time the Moderna shot. It worked. Blood tests revealed a reasonable antibody response, although lower than what would be detected in healthy people. She received a fourth dose last month in hopes of boosting the levels even more. (Mandavilli, 7/4)

The Washington Post: You Had The Johnson & Johnson Coronavirus Vaccine. Should You Try To Get A Booster Dose Of Pfizer Or Moderna? 
Two weeks ago, virologist Angela Rasmussen received a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine to boost her immune system, which was already primed by a Johnson & Johnson shot. No U.S. health agency has recommended this vaccine combo. And Rasmussen, a research scientist at the University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization in Canada, remains confident in data that show one J&J dose will prevent her from getting hospitalized with covid-19, the illness caused by the virus. (Guarino and Chiu, 7/4)

KHN: New Research Finds J&J Vaccine Has Muscle Against Covid’s Delta Variant 
In the past two weeks, many medical experts started to question whether the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is administered in a single dose, would be as effective as the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine in protecting against the new, highly transmissible delta variant that is poised to become the dominant strain in the U.S. The reason for their doubts were studies showing that the J&J vaccine was less effective at preventing disease than the other two vaccines and also less protective against variants. In recent days, several scientists and even members of the public who originally got J&J decided to get a “booster dose” of an mRNA vaccine, Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, to bolster their immune systems. (Knight, 7/2)

Politico: Biden Ties Battle Against Covid To American Traditions 
President Joe Biden used his Fourth of July speech to declare the nation’s emergence from its pandemic nightmare a collective victory — and urged Americans to do their patriotic duty by getting vaccinated. Speaking on the White House lawn, Biden on Sunday night said, “Today we see the results of the unity of purpose.” (Cohen, 7/4)

ABC News: 'We've Lived Through Some Of Our Darkest Days': Biden Reflects On 4th Of July, COVID 
Emerging from the White House to "Hail to the Chief," President Joe Biden addressed the largest event of his administration to declare: "All across this nation we can say America is coming back together." "This year, the Fourth of July is a day of special celebration. For we are emerging from the darkness of years. A year of pandemic and isolation. A year of pain, fear and heartbreaking loss. Just think back to where this nation was a year ago. Think back to where you were a year ago. And think about how far we've come," Biden said to applause from the crowd of 1,000 military families and essential workers. (Nagle, 7/4)

NBC News: White House Looking To Next Pandemic Challenge As July 4th Signals A Reopened Nation
President Joe Biden used the July 4th weekend to tout America’s “independence from Covid-19” even as he falls short of his vaccination goal with pockets of the country still largely unvaccinated and a new more contagious variant quickly spreading. It will take Biden another month to meet his goal, and the White House is already looking ahead, assessing the next challenge the pandemic will bring and recalibrating expectations. (Pettypiece, 7/4)

Also —

CIDRAP: 20 States Reach 70% COVID-19 Vaccination Goal 
Twenty states and the District of Columbia have met President Joe Biden's Fourth of July goal of vaccinating 70% or more of adults with at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to tracking by the New York Times. Puerto Rico and Guam have also met the goal. California, Illinois, and New York have all met the goal. Vermont remains the national leader in vaccination. (Soucheray, 7/2)

CNN: Fewer Than Half Of States Have Reached The White House's July 4th Vaccine Goal As The Delta Variant Threatens The Nation's Progress 
Twenty states have reached the Biden administration's goal to partially vaccinate 70% of American adults by the Fourth of July as the Delta variant spreads and people gather for holiday celebrations across the country. White House officials acknowledged last month that they would fall short of their goal, which was set in early May when the US was vaccinating people at a much faster pace than it is now. (Elamroussi, 7/4)

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Arkansas Tops 1M Fully Immunized, Data Shows
The number of Arkansas who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus has surpassed 1 million, as Arkansas remains one of the most vaccine-hesitant states, according to numbers released Monday by the Arkansas Department of Health. So far, 1,002,802 Arkansans have been fully vaccinated, accounting for 39.2 % percent of the population 12 and older. A further 225,297 Arkansans have been partially immunized against covid-19, according to the Arkansas Department of Health. (Earley, 7/5)

AP: Arkansas Sees Another Spike In Virus Cases Over Weekend
Arkansas on Monday reported 1,246 new coronavirus cases and 23 more hospitalizations from the past three days as Gov. Asa Hutchinson warned that the state could face a “tough week” in the virus’ growth. The Department of Health said the biggest jump over the weekend came on Saturday when the state added 764 new cases. The department recently stopped reporting daily COVID-19 numbers on weekends, releasing the figures on Monday instead. (7/5)

In other news about the vaccine rollout —

Oklahoman: Oklahoma Health Officials 'Not Satisfied' With Child Vaccination Rates
COVID-19 vaccination rates for Oklahoma youth have fallen below health officials’ expectations. With a little over a month left before the next school year, the Oklahoma State Department of Health is “not satisfied” with the number of vaccinated adolescents and teenagers, said Keith Reed, deputy health commissioner. “It’s definitely been lower than our expectations,” he said. “We need many more vaccinated in order to stop transmission among this group, especially when they gather back together in school settings.” (Martinez-Keel, 7/5)

Fox News: GOP Lawmakers Split Over Mandatory Vaccines For US Military Members
Lawmakers are torn over reports that U.S. Army members may soon be required to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said in a Twitter post that he has heard from military members who say they intend to leave the service if they are forced to receive the vaccines. Massie introduced legislation in June that would prohibit any requirement that service members receive a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill currently has 23 cosponsors, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and Andy Biggs, R-Ariz. (De Lea, 7/5)

The Washington Post: Leidos's Vaccine Lottery Will Give 10 Workers A Chance At A Year’s Pay 
A Reston-based IT company is giving its employees a chance to win a year’s pay for the price of a coronavirus vaccine. Leidos Inc., a government contractor with a global workforce of 40,000, has set aside $1 million to reward 10 randomly selected workers through its vaccine lottery. The company aims to ramp up its inoculation rates, which like the rest of the country have slowed down. (Gregg, 7/5)

The New York Times: ‘Maybe We Can Be Friends’: New Yorkers Re-Emerge In A Changed City 
For many, the three-day weekend came as an occasion to do things they had not done for more than a year. Tourists arrived, while New Yorkers themselves crammed into airports, highways and sought-after getaway spots. Some parks were empty and street parking was plentiful. But for those who stayed and gathered, nothing beat the sheer cathartic joy of being able to hug friends or elders again. (Leland, 7/5)

The Hill: Fauci: More Than 99% Of People Who Died From COVID-19 In June Were Not Vaccinated
Anthony Fauci on Sunday said more than 99 percent of the people who died from COVID-19 in June were not vaccinated, calling the loss of life “avoidable and preventable.” “If you look at the number of deaths, about 99.2 percent of them are unvaccinated. About 0.8 percent are vaccinated. No vaccine is perfect. But when you talk about the avoidability of hospitalization and death, Chuck, it's really sad and tragic that most all of these are avoidable and preventable,” Fauci told host Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” (Schnell, 7/5)

Politico: Fauci Frets 'Avoidable' Covid-19 Deaths Among Unvaccinated People
Anthony Fauci on Sunday lamented the “avoidable and preventable” deaths among people who are unvaccinated against the coronavirus now that vaccines are widely available in the United States. The nation’s top infectious disease expert was cautious to note that while “no vaccine is perfect,” it is clear that the vast majority of people who are hospitalized with or die from Covid-19 at this point are those who have not been vaccinated. (Niedzwiadek, 7/4)

Dr. Fauci and other health experts urge mask-wearing in risky areas —

Fox News: Fauci Says Vaccinated People Should 'Go The Extra Mile' And Wear Masks In Areas With Low Vaccination Rate
Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday said that Americans traveling to places with a low COVID-19 vaccination rate should "go the extra mile" and wear a mask even if they are fully vaccinated. NBC's "Meet the Press" anchor Chuck Todd said that Mississippi has the lowest vaccination rate in the United States and asked Fauci whether he would wear a mask if he was traveling there, prompting him to say, "I think there would be a good reason to do that." (Cawthorne, 7/5)

Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Fauci Said Mississippians Might Want To Consider Wearing Face Masks
The nation's leading infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said Sunday despite being fully vaccinated, if he were in Mississippi — the country's least-vaccinated state — he'd don a face mask. Along with the Magnolia State's fully vaccinated rate of 31%, falling far behind the nation's average of 47%, Fauci is concerned about the rapidly spreading COVID-19 Delta variant. “I might want to go the extra mile to be cautious enough to be sure that I get the extra added layer of protection, even though the vaccines themselves are highly effective,” Fauci told Chuck Todd during NBC's Meet the Press show. (Haselhorst, 7/5)

Fox News: St. Louis Health Officials Advise Wearing Mask Indoors Regardless Of Vaccination Status
Health officials in the St. Louis area are now advising residents, regardless of vaccination status, to mask up while indoors amid rapid spread of the Delta COVID-19 variant. In an advisory posted Thursday, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health and the City of St. Louis Department of Health cited new cases rising among the unvaccinated and children. The advisory called for face coverings in indoor public settings where other people are present, and only removing masks when eating, drinking or "when you know that others around you have been fully vaccinated." (Hein, 7/3)

AP: Ventilator Shortage As Missouri Virus Hospitalizations Spike
The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients jumped by nearly 27% over the Fourth of July weekend in a hard-hit area of Missouri where immunization rates are low, leading to a temporary ventilator shortfall and a public call for help from respiratory therapists. The Delta variant, first identified in India, is spreading rapidly, straining hospitals in Springfield and raising fresh fears that the situation could soon grow worse as holiday gatherings seed fresh cases. Missouri leads the nation with the most new cases per capita in the past 14 days. (Hollingsworth, 7/5)

AP: About One-Third Of Alabama Counties At Great Risk For Virus
About one-third of Alabama’s counties, including most of the state’s heavily populated areas, are at very high risk for COVID-19 as vaccination rates continue to lag, state statistics showed Monday. While overall caseloads and hospitalizations remain far below levels when the pandemic was at its worst early this year, the potential for infection remains elevated in areas including Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery and much of two regions, the Wiregrass of southeast Alabama and the Tennessee Valley in the north. (7/5)

San Francisco Chronicle: Delta Variant Now The Dominant Coronavirus Strain In California. Here's What That Means
For weeks, experts have warned that the highly infectious delta variant would become the dominant coronavirus strain in California. Now the latest data show their prediction has come true. According to the state’s variant tracker, the delta variant, first identified in India, has gained momentum and accounted for 35.6% of cases sequenced in June. That’s a big jump from May, when it accounted for only 5.6% of cases sequenced, and April, at 2.1%. Until now, the alpha variant, which originated in the United Kingdom, was the dominant variant. It accounted for 34.3% of cases sequenced in June, down from 58% in May and 50.1% in April. (Hwang, 7/4)

Los Angeles Times: COVID Hospitalizations Worsen For L.A.'s Black Residents
Coronavirus case and hospitalization rates are worsening for Los Angeles County’s Black residents, a troubling sign less than a month after California fully reopened its economy. Between mid-May and mid-June, the COVID-19 case rate over a two-week-period rose 18% among Black residents but declined 4% for Latino residents, 6% for white residents and 25% for Asian Americans. And the hospitalization rate for Black residents — who are less likely than other racial and ethnic groups to be vaccinated — grew by 11% while declining for Asian American residents by 12%, Latino residents by 29% and white residents by 37%. (Lin II and Money, 7/5)

In more news about the spread of covid —

Houston Chronicle: COVID Outbreak At Houston-Area Church Camp Infects More Than 125, Church Says
In-person services were canceled this week at Clear Creek Community Church after more than 125 kids and adults tested positive for COVID-19 upon returning from a five-day camp, church officials said. More than 450 people, including 6th through 12th graders, participated in Camp Creek from June 23 to June 27 in Giddings, about 100 miles west of downtown Houston, according to the Galveston County Health District. The church fears that “hundreds more” were exposed to the virus at the camp and when campers returned home. Dr. Philip Keiser, Galveston County’s local health authority, said the health district has confirmed 42 Galveston County residents who tested positive for the virus after the camp, including at least two who were fully vaccinated. He said he was not aware of any hospitalizations from the outbreak. (Gill, 7/5)

CIDRAP: Dog, Cat Owners With COVID-19 Often Pass It To Pets 
Two new unpublished studies suggest that people who have COVID-19 often spread it to their dogs and cats—particularly if they share a bed with their cats—although the pets usually have no or mild symptoms but in a few cases might have severe disease. The studies will be presented at the virtual European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) from Jul 9 to 12. (Van Beusekom, 7/2)

Fox News: Lambda Variant Raises Concern Due To ‘Unusual’ Mutations
The Lambda variant, which is believed to have been first detected in Peru about a year ago, is a new concern to scientists who say mutations could potentially be resistant to COVID-19 vaccines. The World Health Organization said the variant’s mutations could increase its transmissibility or possibly increase its resistance to "neutralizing antibodies." The health body called Lambda, or C.37, a "variant of interest." "So far we have seen no indication that the lambda variant is more aggressive," Jairo Mendez-Rico, a WHO virologist, told DW. "It is possible that it may exhibit higher infection rates, but we don't yet have enough reliable data to compare it to gamma or delta." (DeMarche, 7/5)

Also —

Modern Healthcare: A Unique Partnership Helped Austin Outperform The Rest Of Texas On COVID-19
Hospitals, local officials and academics united to create a novel system to monitor hospital capacity in Austin, Texas, that helped the capital city keep COVID-19 deaths lower than in other Texas cities. The initiative also limited disruptions caused by pandemic restrictions on the local economy. Rising COVID-19 admissions led to longer hospital stays and mounting fatalities in Austin last winter, as it did in regions across Texas and the nation. But insiders say collaborations between the public and private sectors set Austin apart, and the numbers seem to support that contention. (Gellman, 7/6)

AP: Records: Doctor Used Wrong Test To Clear Patients Of COVID
A Tennessee doctor used the wrong test to clear at least two patients of the coronavirus, according to discipline allegations before the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. Michael LaPaglia, 49, used rapid blood test kits that can detect antibodies from a previous infection but aren’t reliable in checking for a current infection, according to the allegations brought by the Department of Health and reported by The Tennessean from information obtained in a public records request. (7/5)

KHN: Journalists Discuss Long Covid, Delta Variant, Clinic For Migrants
California Healthline producer Lydia Zuraw told of her experience with long covid and how singing helped her shortness of breath on Newsy’s “Morning Rush” on Thursday. ... California Healthline reporter and producer Heidi de Marco discussed a clinic treating migrants at the Mexican border on KCET’s “SoCal Update” on Wednesday. (7/3)

News 18: New Evidence Shows Covid-19 Evolved Naturally, Scientists Write In Lancet
There is no scientifically validated evidence to support the theory that the coronavirus leaked from a laboratory in China, and more recent, peer-reviewed studies strongly suggest that the virus evolved in nature, a group of scientists wrote in The Lancet journal. The report published on Monday was compiled by two dozen biologists, ecologists, epidemiologists, physicians, public health experts and veterinarians from around the world. (7/6)

The Lancet: Science, Not Speculation, Is Essential To Determine How SARS-CoV-2 Reached Humans 
On Feb 19, 2020, we, a group of physicians, veterinarians, epidemiologists, virologists, biologists, ecologists, and public health experts from around the world, joined together to express solidarity with our professional colleagues in China.1 Unsubstantiated allegations were being raised about the source of the COVID-19 outbreak and the integrity of our peers who were diligently working to learn more about the newly recognised virus, SARS-CoV-2, while struggling to care for the many patients admitted to hospital with severe illness in Wuhan and elsewhere in China. (Calisher et al, 7/5)

Also —

Yahoo News: Lab Leak Theory, Once ‘Political Dynamite,’ Gains Credibility With Recent Publication
The rejections kept coming. The coronavirus was a topic of intense scientific fascination, yet the four Australian researchers challenging conventional wisdom about how the pandemic originated couldn’t find a publisher for their study. “We were quite stunned,” recalls one of that study’s authors, Dr. Nikolai Petrovsky, an endocrinologist at Flinders University in Australia who is also developing a coronavirus vaccine. The work he and his group had done only received what he called “blanket rejections.” That finally changed late last month, when Nature Scientific Reports published their paper, “In silico comparison of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-ACE2 binding affinities across species and implications for virus origin.” The journal is part of the prestigious Nature family of publications. Acceptance there has given greater credibility to a theory that until recently was taboo: that the coronavirus could have emerged from a laboratory. (Nazaryan, 7/2)

Fox News: VA Congressman Introduces Amendment Asking Biden To Declassify Intel Linking Wuhan Lab To COVID-19 Origins
Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., on Thursday introduced an amendment asking President Biden to declassify intelligence linking the Wuhan Institute of Virology to the origins of COVID-19. Officials revealed in May that several workers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology fell ill in mid-November 2019, about a month before the first COVID-19 case was reported in the Chinese city, giving new credibility that the virus may have accidentally leaked from the lab and prompting demands for long-awaited answers about the origins of the pandemic. (Conklin, 7/3)

Politico: Virus Lab Leak Theory Dogs Democrats Eager To Keep Focus On Trump's Covid Failings 
Congressional Democrats are having to balance escalating calls to investigate whether Covid-19 escaped from a lab in China with their efforts to highlight the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic and the ongoing push to stamp out the virus. The dilemma shows how much shaping a narrative of the health crisis ahead of the 2022 midterms is already consuming lawmakers as new outbreaks emerge in parts of the country. And it puts Democrats who control the congressional agenda in a bind, as they wrestle with the possibility of stoking potentially unprovable claims about a man-made crisis or facing accusations from Republicans of engineering a cover-up. (Ollstein, 7/4)

Axios: Surprise Billing Law May Create New Tension Between Providers And Patients 
At least one major source of tension remains unresolved regarding the new law banning surprise medical bills: what it looks like for patients to willingly waive their protections — or refuse to waive them. Why it matters: This could yet again pit providers' rights against their patients'. Driving the news: The Biden administration last week released the first rule implementing the surprise billing law passed late last year, which will take effect in January. (Owens, 7/6)

Axios: Childbirth Highly Susceptible To Surprise Medical Bills 
Nearly one in five newborn hospitalizations or childbirth deliveries have at least one surprise medical bill, especially if cesarean delivery or neonatal intensive care services are provided, according to JAMA brief out Friday. Why it matters: Childbirth hospitalizations — which often out-of-network — are the most frequent sources of surprise bills in the U.S. and new federal protections addressing this issue could benefit many families, the analysis said. (Fernandez, 7/6)

The Washington Examiner: Unexpected $36K Air Ambulance Bills Expected To Be History Under New 'Surprise Billing' Rule
The Biden administration began implementing a ban on surprise billing practices on Thursday, a step toward putting an end to unexpected charges to patients for costly healthcare services such as air ambulance rides. “This latest guidance reinforces the law’s important protections for patients facing medical emergencies, including situations where notice and consent procedures would not apply so that patients don’t become victims of a surprise bill at their most vulnerable moments,” said the lobbying group Coalition Against Surprise Medical Billing, which represents major healthcare trade groups, such as America’s Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. (Morrison, 7/4)

Fortune: Why An Ambulance Ride Could Cost You Thousands In Surprise Medical Bills 
There are few situations where you're more vulnerable than when you're being transported to an emergency room in an ambulance. The choice of having a sudden collapse or unexpected accident isn't a choice at all; it's a quirk of circumstance that requires immediate attention, and ambulatory services have an obligation to get a patient to a medical facility as fast as possible. (Mukherjee, 7/5)

Becker's Hospital Review: CMS Unveils Surprise-Billing Rule: 10 Things To Know
CMS unveiled July 2 the first in a series of rules aimed at shielding patients from surprise billing. The interim final rule addresses several provisions in the No Surprises Act passed by Congress last year. Most provisions outlined in the proposed rule will not take effect until Jan. 1, 2022. (Paavola, 7/5)

KHN: ‘An Arm And A Leg’: Tips For Fighting Medical Bills From ProPublica’s Marshall Allen
Veteran health journalist Marshall Allen has been exposing health care grifters for years. Now, he’s written a book about how to fight them. Host Dan Weissmann spoke with Allen about some of the best tips from “Never Pay the First Bill: And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win.” Allen used the skills he learned while doing health care deep dives for ProPublica to write the book, which he describes as a field guide to navigating the health system. (Weissmann, 7/6)

In other news about the Biden administration —

Politico: Skeptics Question If Biden's New Science Agency Is A Breakthrough Or More Bureaucracy 
If President Joe Biden’s last big science project was a moonshot, his new one has goals that are light years further. The proposed Advanced Research Projects Agency would deliver breakthrough treatments for cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and other diseases and reshape the government’s medical research efforts, by adding a nimble new agency modeled on the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, which laid the groundwork for the internet. (Owermohle, 7/5)

Charleston Gazette-Mail: Federal Judge Rules Private Insurance Company Is Subject To Anti-Discrimination Provision Of Affordable Care Act
A federal judge last week ruled that The Health Plan of West Virginia is subject to compliance to a specific provision under the Affordable Care Act that prohibits sex discrimination, including against transgender Americans. The Health Plan of West Virginia is a private company that provides health insurance services for the state. U.S. District Judge Robert Chambers on June 28 denied a motion from The Health Plan to dismiss a lawsuit from two transgender men who say their state-funded health insurance won’t cover hormone replacement therapy solely because they are transgender. Christopher Fain and Zachary Martell filed a lawsuit challenging blanket exclusions of coverage for gender-confirming health care in West Virginia’s health plans, the state’s Medicaid program and the Public Employees Insurance Agency, or PEIA, in November 2020. (Pierson, 7/5)

In other health care industry news —

Stat: For Sickle Cell Patients, Specialized Centers Offer Far Better Care Than The ER
People with sickle cell disease who were experiencing acute pain crises received far better care at specialized infusion centers than emergency departments, with faster access to pain medication and lower rates of hospital admissions, researchers reported Monday. Their new study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, highlights how the barriers to quality treatment in emergency rooms can lead to worse outcomes for patients with sickle cell disease. (Joseph, 7/5)

Dallas Morning News: Plano Home Health Services Company Signs Deal With United Healthcare
Plano-based Resilient Healthcare announced Thursday that it has partnered with United Healthcare, making its services in network for United Healthcare patients. The company specializes in home health care for patients with serious illnesses. The services include physician services, nursing care, therapy, social work, dietitian services, IV infusions, telemonitoring and X-rays. Resilient says it’s the first health care company that specializes in home-based, interdisciplinary care to partner with United. “We’re the first in the country with that type of an agreement with United Healthcare,” said Jackleen Samuel, Resilent’s president and CEO. “And definitely the first provider in Texas to be bringing that level of care to patients’ homes. (Gonzales, 7/5)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Health-Care Workers Cope With Burnout, Fractured Community As COVID Pandemic Wanes
Patients with COVID-19 aren’t filling hospitals anymore. Fears of bringing the virus home and infecting loved ones has largely passed. For Bill Engle, though, a nurse at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Langhorne, the emotional wounds inflicted by the pandemic remain close to the surface. “If I start talking about it, and I start to think what it was like, then it affects me,” he said, his voice cracking. “Every day going in to work and knowing I was going to be in that N95 and seeing these people struggle and how scared they were and the physical toll that they took, it was next level.” He is hardly unique. (Laughlin, 7/6)

KHN: Rural Ambulance Services Are In Jeopardy As Volunteers Age And Expenses Mount
Vern Greyn was standing in the raised bucket of a tractor, trimming dead branches off a tree, when he lost his balance. He fell 12 feet and struck his head on the concrete patio outside his house in this small farming town on the central Montana plains. Greyn, then 58, couldn’t move. His wife called 911. A volunteer emergency medical technician showed up: his own daughter-in-law, Leigh. But there was a problem. Greyn was too large for her to move by herself, so she had to call in help from the ambulance crew in Power, the next town over. (Bolton, 7/6)

In updates on teletherapy —

Modern Healthcare: Teletherapy Startups Gain Momentum As Payers, Employers Sign On
So far this year, Kristen Engleman has cycled through three therapists in six months. Engleman, 41, signed up for Talkspace in February, after breaking up with her partner, contracting COVID-19 and facing an unexpected pregnancy the year before. She had heard about the teletherapy provider through friends and decided to give it a try. Because the fine-dining restaurant where Engleman works does not offer insurance, she paid $275 per month for access to a Talkspace therapist. (Tepper, 7/6)

Modern Healthcare: Teletherapy Apps Promise Increased Access. Could They Actually Deepen Care Disparities?
A key piece of teletherapy companies’ value proposition is their ability to increase access. But some experts wonder if these startups will eventually make it harder for individuals to see mental health providers in person. “It would be ironic, right, that these technologies that have the potential to bring equity to mental health could actually do the opposite,” said Dr. John Torous, director of the digital psychiatry division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. (Tepper, 7/6)

Fox News: First Migraine Drug To Both Block, Tackle Headaches ‘Shifts Paradigm’ Of Treatment
Most of Lilly Rockwell’s earliest childhood memories are plagued with severe headaches to the point of vomiting. Her migraine disease worsened into adulthood as she worried over the impact it would have on her career and personal life. Rockwell, 37, of Austin, Texas, joined her mother in a clinical trial for Biohaven’s Nurtec ODT (rimegepant) as a preventive migraine treatment. The dissolvable tablet won expanded FDA approval on May 27 for the first dual indication as an acute and preventive migraine treatment. Biohaven's findings for its late-stage trial of rimegepant, a calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist, were published in The Lancet, and according to a company release, the drug dropped migraine days by 30% after a week when taken every other day while about half of participants saw at least a 50% decline in moderate-to-severe migraine days at three months. The drug works by blocking a receptor associated with the cause of migraines. (Rivas, 7/3)

NPR: Wegovy's Promise As An Effective Treatment For Obesity Now Depends On Insurers
When a promising new drug to treat obesity was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for sale in the U.S. last month, it was the first such treatment to gain approval since 2014. In clinical trials, weekly injections of semaglutide — or Wegovy, as it's been branded -- helped people drop an average of 15% of their body weight. That's an average of about 34 pounds over 16 months, before their weight plateaued, a far greater weight loss, obesity specialists say, than achieved with other drugs on the market. At least as important, Wegovy raised none of the alarm bells with the FDA or obesity doctors that it might trigger serious side effects of the sort experienced by some people taking fen-phen or some previous medical treatments for obesity. (Noguchi, 7/6)

The New York Times: Juul Is Fighting To Keep Its E-Cigarettes On The U.S. Market 
Sales have plunged by $500 million. The work force has been cut by three-quarters. Operations in 14 countries have been abandoned. Many state and local lobbying campaigns have been shut down. Juul Labs, the once high-flying e-cigarette company that became a public health villain to many people over its role in the teenage vaping surge, has been operating as a shadow of its former self, spending the pandemic largely out of the public eye in what it calls “reset” mode. Now its very survival is at stake as it mounts an all-out campaign to persuade the Food and Drug Administration to allow it to continue to sell its products in the United States. (Kaplan, 7/5)

In biotech news —

Reuters: Smart Foam Material Gives Robotic Hand The Ability To Self-Repair
Singapore researchers have developed a smart foam material that allows robots to sense nearby objects, and repairs itself when damaged, just like human skin. Artificially innervated foam, or AiFoam, is a highly elastic polymer created by mixing fluoropolymer with a compound that lowers surface tension. (Teo and Shan, 7/6)

Stat: If Apple Takes On Fall-Prevention, Will The Rest Of The Health System Hear It?
Using troves of data from iPhone users, Apple thinks it’s cracked an elusive problem: Identifying when older people are on the cusp of a devastating fall injury. Later this year, the iPhone will begin tracking a new metric called Walking Steadiness, and will use it to warn users that may fall. The feature targets a tremendous and often overlooked problem for older adults, accounting for some 3 million emergency room visits each year. But it remains an open question whether such information and loose guidance about what to do with it will prevent falls without robust links to the health care system. (Aguilar, 7/6)

And the controversy over a new Alzheimer's drug continues to swirl —

Stat: Is Alzheimer's Association Really Pushing Biogen To Lower Aduhelm’s Price?
The Alzheimer’s Association stunned Washington last month when it urged Biogen to lower the price of it’s new Alzheimer’s drug — an extremely rare rebuke on drug pricing from a patient advocacy group, most of which normally sidestep the topic. (Florko, 7/6)

Axios: Physicians Will Feel Pressure As Gatekeepers Of Aduhelm 
The FDA's approval of Alzheimer's treatment Aduhelm puts physicians in a difficult position: They hold the prescribing power over a drug that most say is unproven. But desperate patients and families may not know or care about the lack of evidence and will want the prescription anyway. What they're saying: "The public message has to be clear: This is not a cure, and it's not even clear this is going to make substantial changes to someone's disease course," said Sharon Brangman, an Alzheimer's expert and geriatrician at Upstate University Hospital in New York. (Herman, 7/6)

The Washington Post: The Controversial Approval Of An Alzheimer’s Drug Reignites The Battle Over The Underlying Cause Of The Disease
Neurologist Matthew S. Schrag was surprised when he heard the Food and Drug Administration had approved a controversial Alzheimer’s drug. There was scant evidence the treatment worked, in his view. Even more concerning to Schrag: the FDA’s apparent embrace of a long-debated theory about Alzheimer’s disease, which afflicts more than 6 million Americans. The amyloid hypothesis, which has dominated the field for decades, holds that toxic clumps in the brain, called amyloid beta, are the main driver of the disease and that removing them will slow cognitive decline. (McGinley, 7/5)

KHN: Paying Billions For Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug? How About Funding This Instead?
If you could invest $56 billion each year in improving health care for older adults, how would you spend it? On a hugely expensive medication with questionable efficacy — or something else? This isn’t an abstract question. Aduhelm, a new Alzheimer’s drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration last month, could be prescribed to 1 million to 2 million patients a year, even if conservative criteria were used, according to Biogen and Eisai, the companies behind the drug. (Graham, 7/6)

The New York Times: Tyson Foods Recalls 8.5 Million Pounds Of Frozen Chicken 
Tyson Foods is recalling nearly 8.5 million pounds of frozen chicken that may have been contaminated with listeria, the Agriculture Department said. The voluntary recall was issued after Agriculture Department investigators were notified last month about two people who had been sickened with listeriosis, the department said in a statement on Saturday. (Lukpat, 7/4)

USA Today: Walmart, Publix, Wegmans Among Stores That Sold Tyson Chicken Products Recalled For Possible Listeria Risk
Walmart, Publix, H-E-B and Wegmans are among the retailers that sold Tyson Foods' recalled chicken products. The retailers each posted recall notices on their websites, following Tyson Foods' announcement Saturday that it was voluntarily recalling approximately 8.5 million pounds of frozen, cooked chicken products for possible listeria contamination. The recall includes Tyson branded fully cooked and frozen products and private label products for restaurants, including Jet’s Pizza, Casey’s General Store, Marco’s Pizza and Little Caesars. (Tyko, 7/6)

The tick population is on the rise —

Fox News: New York Reports Increase In Anaplasmosis, A Rare Tick-Borne Illness
Health officials in New York’s Onondaga County are alerting residents about a rare tick-borne illness that could cause severe disease after noting an uptick in recent cases. The county’s health commissioner said Thursday that there have been six cases of anaplasmosis already reported in 2021, compared to just three cases reported over the last five years. Anaplasmosis is a bacterial disease spread to people through tick bites, primarily involving the blacklegged tick and the western blacklegged tick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Symptoms typically appear within one to two weeks after a bite, and may include fever, chills, severe headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. (Hein, 7/3)

Axios: Ticks And Poison Ivy Are On The Rise, Experts Warn
Americans looking to enjoy their summer outside after a pandemic year now have other threats to worry about. The big picture: Experts are warning that ticks are on the rise and poison ivy may be more abundant this year. That means hikers, campers and anyone else excited to get outside after months of pandemic confinement should take extra precautions to avoid both. (Gonzalez, 7/4)

CNET: Tick Time Bomb: 15% Population Jump Means You Need To Check Your Dog Before It Comes Inside. Everything To Know 
A tick time bomb could already be upon us. Entomologists have noted that the tick population has climbed 15% since last year, making Lyme disease more prevalent this year -- Lyme disease can cause chronic pain and swelling in dogs and in humans. The tick population spurt is possibly even more significant for dogs, cats and other furry pets that come inside your house. The number of people reporting ticks on their dogs jumped 30% from April to March, organization Grist reported. (Teague, 7/3)

NPR: How To Avoid Ticks — And What To Do If You Get Bitten 
Your personal disease risk is highly dependent on your location. Tick prevalence hinges on a number of local factors that make sweeping generalizations tricky, says Dr. George Dempsey of East Hampton Family Medicine and Bay Area Lyme Foundation's National Lyme Biobank. That's why he's skeptical when he hears predictions for upcoming tick seasons. "Every year they say it's going to be a big year - either because of acorns or cold winters or warm winters..." he says, but all of those factors vary from one location to the next. (Eldred, 7/4)

And beaches in Texas and Washington see a jump in fecal bacteria —

Houston Chronicle: Almost All Texas Beaches Had At Least One Day Of Unsafe Fecal Bacteria Levels In 2020, Report Says
There's a chance it will be unsafe to swim at Texas beaches if you are headed to the coast this weekend, according to a report released Thursday. An analysis of fecal bacteria found in state costal waters by the Environment Texas Research and Policy Center found that 55 out out of 61 Texas beaches had at least one potentially unsafe swimming day in 2020. Swimming in contaminated water can cause serious illnesses like gastrointestinal illness, respiratory disease, ear and eye infection and skin rashes. (Silmi, 7/5)

KOMO: 10 Beaches Closed Because Of High Fecal Bacteria Levels, Heat Wave Could Be To Blame
The recent historic heatwave could be to blame for an "unprecedented" number of beach closures across Puget Sound. In all, 10 beaches across four counties have closed due to high fecal bacteria levels. (7/3)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Penn Finds A Surprising Benefit To Wisdom Tooth Surgery: Better Taste
Having wisdom teeth removed has long been associated with at least a temporary loss of the ability to taste, but no one had studied what happened long-term. Richard Doty, director of Penn Medicine’s Smell and Taste Center, decided to use his center’s extensive database to find out. He and Dane Kim, a third-year student at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, were surprised by the results. When they analyzed taste tests of people who had had wisdom teeth removed decades earlier, they found that those who had had surgery actually were better able to detect key flavors — salt, sugar, bitter, and sour — than patients who still had their wisdom teeth, also known as third molars. (Burling, 7/3)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Study: Southern Diet May Raise Risk Of Sudden Cardiac Death
The good news is that a Southern diet is delicious and makes us happy. The bad news is that it might raise the risk of our dying early. The other good news is that switching to a Mediterranean diet might reduce that risk. Sudden cardiac death, which is the abrupt loss of heart function that leads to death within an hour of symptom onset, accounted for 1 in every 7.5 deaths in the United States in 2016, or nearly 367,000 deaths, according to 2019 American Heart Association statistics. (Clanton, 7/2)

In other public health news —

ABC News: Why A Focus On Mental Health Is Essential For Students Returning To School In The Fall, Experts Say 
It's been a school year like no other in recent memory -- combining the challenge of remote and hybrid learning for millions with the agony and strain of a pandemic that has killed more than 600,000.Mental health has taken a toll on many students and staff alike. (Deliso, 7/5)

The Boston Globe: Hand Sanitizer Is Here To Stay, But It’s Not Without Risks. Here’s What Doctors Have To Say 
From stores to schools to restaurants, hand sanitizer dispensers have become a fixture of our lives amid the COVID-19 pandemic. At first, the product was hard to come by. A national shortage in March 2020 caused it to disappear from shelves and forced stores to limit the amount customers could buy. The demand was so great that numerous local distilleries became temporary producers. All told, hand sanitizer sales boomed more than 620 percent in 2020, totaling about $1.45 billion, according to NielsenIQ. Manufacturers like GOJO Industries, the maker of Purell, expanded their operations to meet consumers’ needs. Demand for it has tailed off, but it is expected to remain a fixture in stores and households even as the pandemic abates in many areas. (Caldera, 7/5)

The Washington Post: Sunburn And The Dangers Of Skin Cancer 
Each year, more than 33,000 people seek emergency room treatment for sunburn, according to the National Cancer Institute. Overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays causes sunburn, which can be painful because of the reddened, swollen and sometimes blistered skin that it creates. But beyond the discomfort, sunburn comes with longer-term health risks. It accelerates the aging of your skin and increases your risk for skin cancer. Essentially, the more often you have sunburn, the more likely you are to develop skin cancer, the most common type of cancer. (Searing, 7/4)

The Washington Post: Mold Can Trigger Allergies, Asthma, Other Health Issues. Here Are 6 Ways To Keep It Out Of Your House 
Dampness brought on by rain, flooding and humidity can increase the likelihood that mold will take up residence indoors. This home invader can trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks, and even if you’re not allergic, it can irritate your eyes, nose and throat. Plus, mold can damage the surfaces that it grows on. Because mold needs moisture to thrive, keeping water from collecting where it doesn’t belong inside your home is key. (7/5)

Also —

ABC News: Opera Singer Delivers Her Own Baby In The Car While Husband Drives 
One woman was prepared for every aspect of her daughter's birth -- except for the location. Emily Geller Hardman, 35, was 37 weeks pregnant when she attended a family wedding in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Travis Hardman. Still far enough out from her projected due date, she figured it was fine to attend and felt nothing out of the ordinary during the wedding. Just hours later, when they were back in their hotel room, however, the opera singer said her water broke. But she didn't rush to the hospital. (Azari, 7/5)

AP: Motorcycle Parade Held For Mississippi Girl With Brain Tumor
A motorcycle club held a holiday weekend parade to celebrate a Mississippi girl suffering from a brain tumor. WLOX-TV reports about 50 members of the Asgard Motorcycle Club held the event Saturday for seventh-grader Jami Mosley, who has a condition that causes abnormally large increases in her heart rate, in addition to the brain tumor. (7/5)

The Wall Street Journal: Deadly Heat Wave In Pacific Northwest Overwhelmed Healthcare System
As the temperature in Portland, Ore., soared past 100 degrees last week, Penny Clark’s body temperature rose as well. After sitting inside all day without air conditioning, the 79-year-old was running a fever of 102, and the friend she was staying with called 911. Mrs. Clark, whose daughter said she had a weak heart, died of hyperthermia in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. “It just didn’t have to happen,” said Shelley Robertson, her daughter. (McCaffrey, Lovett and Vieira, 7/5)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Excessive Heat Watch For Las Vegas Region Begins Wednesday
A nearly week-long excessive heat watch for the entire Las Vegas region has been issued by the National Weather Service. Temperatures are expected to reach up to 128 degrees in Death Valley and between 108 and 115 across the western Mojave Desert. Some decades-old high temperature records could be matched. The heat watch runs from Wednesday morning through next Monday evening. “We’ve been watching the potential heat for a few days now,” said weather service meteorologist Chelsea Peters, noting that the coming weekend could be among the hottest days of the six-day stretch. Wednesday’s forecast high is 113, with the existing record for July 7 being 116, set in 2013. (Clemons, 7/5)

In other news from Wisconsin, Colorado and California —

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: The Milwaukee County Sheriff Has Established A Team To De-Escalate Mental Health Situations
The Milwaukee and West Allis police departments operate Crisis Assessment and Response Teams — special units that pair behavioral health specialists with uniformed officers to respond to 911 calls for people in a mental health crisis. Now, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office is creating three deputy sheriff positions to deploy with mental health specialists to respond to such crises in the 17 Milwaukee County communities without such services. The new units will not affect the county tax levy because the $300,000 needed for the positions is being shifted from the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division to the sheriff's office — a controversial approach that met with some pushback with county supervisors but ultimately passed on a 13-5 vote of the County Board. (Cahill, 7/2)

NBC News: Police Response To Mentally Ill People Is Under Scrutiny. Denver May Offer Way Forward
The calls come into 911 every day: A homeless man is standing outside a liquor store screaming and acting aggressive. A woman is having a mental health crisis and says she can’t feel her body or face. A man who was escorted away by police 90 minutes ago has returned and is exposing himself and urinating on buildings. Instead of being routed to police, this type of call is handed over to STAR, short for Support Team Assistance Response, a year-old program that sends a social worker and paramedic to low-level emergency calls. Of the 1,351 calls STAR responded to over the last year, not one had to request backup from the Denver Police Department. (Collins, 7/4)

San Francisco Chronicle: How A Fierce Lobbying Effort Amid COVID Boosted California Health Funding
After more than a decade of fruitless entreaties from public health advocates, Democratic lawmakers have secured a landmark agreement that promises $300 million a year in new state funding to fortify and reimagine California’s hollowed-out public health system, a complex network of services shouldered largely by the state’s 61 local health departments. The deal, outlined last week as the Democratic-controlled Legislature approved a record $262.6 billion state budget for fiscal year 2021-22, marked a dramatic reversal for Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had rebuffed requests the past three years to bolster annual spending on public health, arguing that federal funding would suffice. At Newsom’s insistence, the infusion for public health won’t kick in until July 2022. (Hart, 7/3)

NPR: Boris Johnson Announces England Will Lift Most COVID Restrictions By July 19
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has outlined plans to formally end nearly all of England's remaining coronavirus restrictions by the end of July, even as the nation is experiencing a surge in new cases from the highly transmissible delta variant. In a press conference from London on Monday, Johnson said the success of the nation's vaccination rollout has put it on course to further relax restrictions starting July 19, though the prime minister said a final decision would not be made until July 12. (Breslow, 7/5)

AP: Johnson Says Restrictions To Ease, UK Must Live With Virus
Britain plans to scrap laws requiring face masks and social distancing later this month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed Monday, even as he acknowledged that lifting the restrictions will drive surging coronavirus cases higher. Johnson said legal controls will be replaced by “personal responsibility” when the country moves to the final stage of its lockdown-lifting roadmap. That’s scheduled to happen on July 19, though Johnson said a final decision would come on July 12. (Lawless, 7/5)

Bloomberg: U.K. Says Covid Cases May Reach 100,000 A Day As Rules Relax
U.K. Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned that new coronavirus cases could rise to 100,000 a day over the summer as the country prepares to relax rules and “get back to normal” on July 19. “By the time we get to the 19th, we would expect case numbers by then to be at least double what they are now, so around 50,000 new cases a day,” Javid said on the BBC Radio “Today Programme” on Tuesday. “As we ease and go into the summer, we expect them to rise significantly and they could go as high as 100,000 case numbers.” (Donaldson and Morales, 7/6)

In other covid news from Europe —

Bloomberg: Scotland Tops Europe’s Covid Hotspots as Delta Infections Surge
Scotland is recording the highest rates of coronavirus cases in Europe a little over a month before the government plans to lift most restrictions on society and the economy. The regions covering the cities of Dundee and Edinburgh were top of the World Health Organization’s latest heat map, the BBC reported, as the delta variant rips through the country. Scotland last week reported daily infections exceeding 4,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic. (Jefferson, 7/5)

AP: Spain Restricts Nightlife As Virus Surges Among The Young
Faced with soaring numbers of new coronavirus infections among unvaccinated young people, some Spanish regions are reinstating curbs on nightlife only weeks after dropping them. Fearing that the surging contagion could strain health care services as stressed employees try to go on summer holidays, health officials in several parts of the country are also rushing to get COVID-19 vaccine shots to people under 30. (Parra, 7/5)

Axios: Italy Holds Overnight Vaccine Drive For Homeless People, Undocumented Migrants 
Health authorities in Italy are attempting to vaccinate "people on the margins of society, the most fragile," by holding overnight vaccine drives in the Lazio region, which includes Rome, the New York Times reports. Why it matters: Italy's National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty has estimated there are at least 700,000 people in the country who are not registered with the national health service and may lack access to the country’s coronavirus vaccination campaign. (7/5)

The New York Times: Luxembourg’s Prime Minister In ‘Serious’ Condition With Low Blood-Oxygen Levels 
Prime Minister Xavier Bettel of Luxembourg, who is suffering from Covid-19 symptoms, was in “serious but stable” condition on Monday at a hospital, the State Ministry in Luxembourg said. The prime minister had low oxygen levels in his blood, an acute concern for people with Covid-19. (Hassan, 7/6)

In other news from across the pond —

CBS News: Researchers Deem Four-Day Workweek Trial An "Overwhelming Success" In Iceland 
Trials of a four-day workweek in Iceland were called an "overwhelming success" by researchers on Sunday. The Association for Sustainable Democracy (Alda) in Iceland, along with the UK-based thinktank Autonomy, published their findings of two large-scale trials of the program undertake from 2015 to 2019 of a reduced working week with no cut in pay. ... Workers who participated in the trials worked 35-36 hour per week. According to Alda, "worker wellbeing dramatically increased across a range of indicators, from perceived stress and burnout, to health and work-life balance." At the same time, "productivity and service provision remained the same or improved across the majority of trial workplaces." (Howard, 7/5)

Stat: Many European Countries Don't Ensure That Clinical Trial Data Are Available
Amid ongoing concerns over clinical trial transparency, a new report finds “notable gaps” in the quality and availability of clinical trial data in a European registry, pointing to inconsistent and often inadequate oversight by regulators in individual countries. (Silverman, 7/4)

AP: Vatican: Pope Alert And Well A Day After Intestinal Surgery
Pope Francis was “in good, overall condition, alert” and breathing on his own Monday, the Vatican said a day after the pontiff underwent a three-hour operation that involved removing half of his colon. Francis, 84, is expected to stay in Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic, which has a special suite reserved for popes, for about seven days, assuming no complications, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. (D'Emilio, 7/5)

The New York Times: A Closer Look At The Colon Condition That Hospitalized The Pope 
Despite its intimidating name, symptomatic stenotic diverticulitis is a relatively common and treatable disorder. It begins as a mild condition called diverticulosis, which is essentially a collection of pouches in the colon wall, usually on the left side. Diverticulosis is extremely common: About two out of three people have the pouches once they get to their 60s or 70s. (Mandavilli, 7/5)

AP: EXPLAINER: What Kind Of Surgery Did Pope Francis Have?
Pope Francis has had surgery to remove part of his left colon in what the Vatican has described as a planned procedure. Doctors say the bowel problems that the 84-year-old pope was experiencing are very common in older people, although only about 10% to 20% of people with similar problems require surgery. Here’s a look at what we know about the operation and what the pope’s doctors will be watching out for. (Cheng, 7/5)

In developments from Indonesia, India, Singapore, Fiji and Brazil —

The Wall Street Journal: Deaths, Hospitalizations Surge As Delta Variant Deals Blow To Poor Countries 
The fast-spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus is driving up infections in developing countries that are dangerously short on Covid-19 vaccines to battle deadly surges and whose healthcare systems are struggling to cope. Indonesia, where Covid-19 cases have reached new highs, has reported about 500 deaths a day in the past week—almost triple the daily levels recorded in early June—data from its health ministry shows. Authorities are racing to add hospital beds as medical workers in parts of the country face shortages of ventilators and isolation rooms. Patients are traveling for hours for proper medical care, said the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which runs a hospital in West Java province and recently set up emergency tents on-site to accommodate the flow.  (Enmont, 7/5)

Bloomberg: Indonesia To Ship Oxygen From Neighbors On Covid Cases Spike
Indonesia is preparing to import liquid oxygen from neighboring countries to meet surging need as the country struggles with a rapid spike in coronavirus infections. Producers Linde Group, Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Air Liquide SA and Iwatani Corp are ready to ship liquid oxygen to the country from facilities in Singapore and Malaysia, which would take one week to arrive, Fridy Juwono, director for upstream chemicals at the Industry Ministry, said by phone on Tuesday. (Listiyorini, 7/6)

CBS News: Thousands Get Fake COVID Vaccine Shots In Alleged Scam In India 
Indian authorities have arrested 14 people and cordoned off a private hospital as they investigate an alleged vaccination scam that purportedly saw thousands of people given shots of saline solution when they thought they were getting coronavirus vaccines. At least 2,000 people in the Indian financial capital of Mumbai and 500 in the eastern state of Bengal may have fallen prey to the elaborate scam, authorities said. (Zargar, 7/5)

Bloomberg: Singapore Advises Avoiding Exercise for Longer After Vaccination
Singapore’s government recommended that vaccinated people avoid strenuous physical activity for a week after getting the shots, as a few cases surfaced of mostly young men experiencing heart problems from receiving jabs while a teenager suffered from cardiac arrest. The Health Ministry updated its guidance on Monday for all those seeking vaccinations, particularly adolescents and men below 30 years, to avoid strenuous exercise for week after either the first or second dose as a “further precautionary measure.” Initially, it was a 12-24 hour period for refraining from exercise and on June 11, it was extended to one week after getting the second dose. (Koswanage, 7/5)

Bloomberg: Fiji’s Covid Cases Hit Record as Virus Threatens Once-Safe Pacific Islands
Fiji is at the frontline of the battle against Covid-19 in the Pacific Islands as the nation faces its biggest challenge since the pandemic began and races to vaccinate its 900,000-strong population. The tropical nation, whose tourism-dependent economy has already been smashed, posted a record 522 new cases and three deaths on Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University data. While new infections dipped to 352 on Monday, Fiji has now recorded more than 6,500 cases and 33 deaths. (Hussainpoor and Scott, 7/6)

Bloomberg: Brazil Top Court Authorizes Bolsonaro Probe Related To Vaccines
Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Rosa Weber authorized the start of an investigation into President Jair Bolsonaro for possible negligence in the handling of corruption allegations related to the purchase of vaccines from India. The authorization was published on the top court’s website on Saturday, a day after the prosecutor general office’s request to investigate the president following the federal government’s erratic response to the pandemic. (Lara, 7/3)

The Boston Globe: Out Of Luck — COVID-19 Vaccination Lotteries Don’t Work 
The United States has missed President Biden’s July 4 goal of vaccinating 70 percent of eligible Americans against COVID-19. This is no surprise. Vaccination rates have been declining for months. With the spread of the highly transmissible and deadly Delta variant, the situation is worrisome. To counter this decline in vaccinations, Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio announced, on May 12, a weekly $1 million lottery for people who got the vaccine. That day Ohio was administering about 15,000 COVID-19 vaccines daily. Two days later, the rate was nearly double, at 33,000 per day. This lottery-style incentive was celebrated as a huge success. NPR ran a podcast titled “Ohio’s Vaccine Lottery Proves an Effective Incentive.” Even President Biden described it as “creative” and highlighted other state lottery programs. (Ezekial J. Emanuel, Patricia Hong and Matthew Guido, 7/6)

USA Today: Speed Up COVID Vaccine Approval Process To Reduce Hesitance, Save Lives
Even as Broadway reopens and the nation's stadiums fill with fans, the pandemic is far from over. Every week, over 2,000 people continue to die from COVID-19 in the United States – more than one every five minutes. Tragically, almost all of these deaths are preventable. Of the more than 18,000 people who died in May from COVID-19, just about 150 – less than 1% – were fully vaccinated. (Jerome Karabel, 7/6)

Dallas Morning News: Women Are The Secret To Boosting Vaccination Rates
Women have received more shots than men. They also account for 65% of American adults still undecided about whether to get the coronavirus vaccine. It’s time to help get these women off the sidelines so the country can meet its goal of getting at least one dose of vaccine to 70% of adults, something President Joe Biden had hoped to do by July 4, and is necessary to reach herd immunity. Roughly 47% of all eligible Texans have received at least one inoculation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 60% of those 18 and older. About 40% are fully vaccinated compared to over 50% in New York, California and Pennsylvania. (Ana Kreacic, 7/4)

The New York Times: U.S. Covid Vaccine Numbers Are Great. Keep Going. 
For all the missteps during its early days, the American coronavirus vaccination campaign is poised to go down as a triumph of science and public health. Seven months after the first shots were authorized for emergency use, 66 percent of adults — more than 100 million people — have received at least one dose. That’s not the 70 percent President Biden was aiming to reach by July 4, but it’s close, and it’s an impressive figure. This progress has enabled the nation to edge its way back to something resembling normal. Daily case counts and death tolls are falling steadily in most places. Restaurants and theaters and barbershops are open. Mask mandates are being lifted. So far, most of the vaccines seem to work well against the dangerous Delta variant and all of its known cousins. What’s more, the latest research suggests that for most people, vaccine boosters will not be needed anytime soon. (7/3)

NBC News: The Covid Wuhan Lab Leak Theory Is Being Twisted To Validate Conspiracy Theories
We are hearing a lot about how science and scientists got the lab leak theory wrong. This (mostly) partisan narrative, especially powerful among conservatives, is being used to discredit both science and science-informed public health officials. And it's both misinformed and shortsighted. Unlike what people like Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Alex Jones may lead you to believe, the lab leak theory isn't an I-told-you-so movement. An admission of uncertainty isn't a condemnation of science or a validation of conspiracy theorists. In fact, it is how science works. There are ambiguity, the emergence of new evidence and the shifting of individual and collective perspectives. (Timothy Caulfield, 7/6)

The Atlantic: COVID-19 Did Not Affect Mental Health The Way You Think 
You’ve probably heard that the coronavirus pandemic triggered a worldwide mental-health crisis. This narrative took hold almost as quickly as the virus itself. In the spring of 2020, article after article—even an op-ed by one of us—warned of a looming psychological epidemic. As clinical scientists and research psychologists have pointed out, the coronavirus pandemic has created many conditions that might lead to psychological distress: sudden, widespread disruptions to people’s livelihoods and social connections; millions bereaved; and the most vulnerable subjected to long-lasting hardship. A global collapse in well-being has seemed inevitable. (Lara Aknin, Jamil Zaki and Elizabeth Dunn, 7/4)

Bloomberg: Is A Blood Test For Multiple Cancers Hope Or Hype? 
More than half a million Americans die of cancer each year, matching the toll of Covid-19 to date on an annual basis and making it one of the nation's biggest killers. But now there’s hope that a simple blood test could change that by detecting tumors earlier when they’re easier to treat. Grail Inc., a biotechnology startup, launched a blood test called Galleri in the U.S. in June and published data validating its ability to detect otherwise hard-to-find tumors. While blood tests already exist for individual cancers, Grail's caught 13 types of the disease in a real-world experiment. If these tests prove out it could slash cancer's burden so unsurprisingly, the news got a lot of attention. But is it more hype than hope? There’s promise, for sure. It's essential, though, to acknowledge some realities of cancer screening that may hold these tests back. (Max Nisen, 7/5)

Newsweek: Never Let A Crisis Go To Waste: Preventing The Next Pandemic
The old saying, never let a crisis go to waste, has never been so relevant. COVID-19 is certainly a crisis of historic proportions. Its dangers to health and prosperity are graphically demonstrated by the number of deaths, currently heading to 4 million, and the lost output, projected to reach $22 trillion. But the dangers are not limited to the present crisis. Today's global pandemic was predictable and predicted. Eleven separate reports proposed important changes to the global approach to health security that would have mitigated or even snuffed out this crisis at an earlier stage. And today there is real threat that as vaccines beat variants in the richer parts of the world, the crisis does go to waste. (David Miliband, Jim O'Neill and John-Arne Rottingen, 7/3)

Stat: Patient Advocacy Groups And Innovators Need To Partner 
People living with debilitating conditions and life-threatening diseases are often put in the terrible position of having to wait — even though they lack the luxury of time — for scientific advances that take years to reach the market, preventing them from accessing their much-needed benefits. A remedy is coming from an unexpected and long-underutilized source: partnerships between patient advocacy groups and pharmaceutical and medical device companies. (Margaret Goldberg, 7/6)

The Baltimore Sun: Psychiatry Is Moving Patients Through At The Same Pace Amazon Moves Packages
On my street, Amazon Prime and FedEx trucks screech to a stop all day, drivers hastily delivering packages and jumping back in their vehicles. It calls to mind the pace of my own profession in medical care, particularly in my specialty of psychiatry. In older times, patients stayed in the hospital for weeks and months at a time, as needed. Nowadays, the average length of stay (abbreviated ALOS) is days, sometimes weeks. Discharge planning starts upon admission. (John R. Lion, 7/5)

The Baltimore Sun: COVID Was The Primary Killer Last Year, But Deaths From Other Diseases Rose As Well, And That’s Unacceptable
If we needed any more proof about how unhealthy the American population is, and how bad the health care system is at addressing it, COVID-19 provided it. The lives taken by the virus itself made for the country’s deadliest year in history. But also contributing to the unfortunate milestone were increases in deaths from what have become some of the most chronic, yet preventable, diseases. Most notably, the number of people who died of diabetes and heart disease increased by the biggest rate in two decades, up 14% and 3% respectively, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The death rate for other diseases also jumped: Alzheimer’s up 8%, Parkinson’s up 11% and stroke up 4%. (7/5)

Scientific American: The Health Care System Is Shortchanging Non-English Speakers 
The COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the innumerable ways our health care system can rise to the challenge—and also how we fall short in caring for our most vulnerable patients. In March 2020, as cases of COVID began to climb, I spoke with staffers of the Family Van, a mobile health clinic that provides preventive health services in some of Boston’s most underserved neighborhoods. They emphasized the difficulty of finding multilingual COVID information and how this made it difficult for non-English speaking patients to protect themselves. At the time, neither the CDC nor the state health department had released COVID information in languages other than English, Spanish and Chinese, leaving community health organizations scrambling to pull together multilingual information on short notice. (Pooja Chandrashekar, 7/2)

Modern Healthcare: Persistent Myths Could Send Telehealth Back To Pre-Pandemic Regulation
When asked about the prospects for long-term telehealth coverage, I often hear people say that permanent expansion is inevitable because "the genie is out of the bottle" or "Congress never takes benefits away. "The truth is they can, and they will, unless we effectively break down persistent misconceptions about the impact of telehealth policy changes. If we can't do it quickly, we should pivot to asking Congress for an extension of the pandemic flexibilities, thereby affording the industry more time to support the formal publication of government studies and peer-reviewed research that bears out the cost-effectiveness, quality and access expansion of telehealth. (Krista Drobac, 7/2)