ABC News: Senators Introduce Bill To Limit Harmful Effects Of Social Media On Young People 
Legislators on Wednesday introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at protecting children from the potentially harmful impacts of social media. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., came as Congress held five hearings on the dangers of social media for children and teens aged 16 or younger in recent months, including one at which a whistleblower who testified against Facebook -- now Meta -- about internalized documents that showed the tech giant prioritized profits over the mental well-being of children. (Guevara, 2/16)

Politico: California Lawmakers Pitch Major Overhaul Of Kids' Web Privacy 
Two California lawmakers are proposing a web overhaul to protect California kids when they’re online, the most sweeping privacy measure since voters approved the California Privacy Rights Act in 2020. The bipartisan proposal from Assemblymembers Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) and Jordan Cunningham (R-Templeton) is modeled after a 2020 U.K. law requiring online products that children will likely use to adjust their design and operations to improve kids’ privacy and safety. (Luthi, 2/16)

The Washington Post: Senators Unveil Children’s Online Safety Bill After Months Of Pressure On Silicon Valley
The bill also establishes an obligation for companies to prevent the promotion of self-harm, eating disorders, bullying and the sexual abuse of children. And it would allow the federal government to create a program for researchers to access data from companies so that they can do more research about tech’s potential harm of children and teens. (Zakrzewski, 2/16)

Also —

AP: Online Harassment, Real Harm: Fixing The Web's Biggest Bug 
Online harassment has become such a familiar part of the internet that it can be hard to imagine the web without it. From teen cyberbullying to authoritarian governments silencing dissent, online toxicity is a fact of life for everyone, with women, teens and religious and racial minorities the most likely to be targeted. And there is evidence the problem is getting worse. In 2014, 15% of Americans said they had faced severe or significant online abuse, defined as stalking, physical threats, sustained harassment or sexual harassment. In 2021 the number was 25%, according to studies by the Pew Charitable Trusts. (Klepper, 2/16)

In related news about kids' mental health —

WUSF Public Media: Florida Lawmakers Introduce A Bill That Would Protect Students' Mental Health
State House members on Monday advanced a bill that would allow professionals such as therapists and psychologists to authorize excused absences for students. The House Early Learning & Elementary Education Subcommittee unanimously approved the measure (HB 289). Only physicians currently are allowed to write notes attesting to illnesses or conditions that would excuse students’ absences. The House proposal would permit any “other licensed professional as determined by school board policy” to write such notes on behalf of students. (2/16)

USA Today: Youth Mental Health Is A Crisis. Why Aren't States Doing More To Help?
Young people’s mental health is in such bad shape that several of the country’s leading pediatric groups called it a national emergency last fall. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy even issued an advisory – a move reserved for the most urgent public health challenges – highlighting the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impact on the already-dire state of children’s mental health. “It would be a tragedy if we beat back one public health crisis only to allow another to grow in its place,” Murthy wrote, outlining recommendations on how agencies such as schools can take action. (Wong, 2/16)

NPR: How States Are Doing At Supporting Kids' Mental Health At School
There's a growing consensus that the pandemic has taken a big emotional toll on young people. Among other troubling signs, children's hospitals across the country have seen more kids showing up in their emergency rooms for mental health reasons, seeking care for everything from severe anxiety and eating disorders to suicide attempts. The vast majority of Americans – 87% – are concerned about the wellbeing of the next generation, according to a new poll. In response to the crisis, a group of 17 national mental health organizations are calling for a new investment in school-based mental health support for kids. The group published a new report this week rating states based on how well they are addressing the crisis through programs and services in schools. (Chatterjee, 2/16)

USA Today: More Than 50M American Households Have Received Free COVID Tests
More than 50 million American households have received free at-home COVID-19 testing kits that started going out in late January, according to a White House official. “85 percent of the initial orders are now out the door. And in the next several days, we will complete the shipping of all of the initial orders,” White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients said at a news briefing Wednesday. (Santucci, 2/17)

And President Biden names possible replacements as his science adviser —

Politico: Biden Names 2 People To Replace Eric Lander In Top Science Roles 
President Joe Biden has tapped two people to temporarily fill Eric Lander’s dual roles as the president’s top science adviser and the head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the White House announced on Wednesday. Biden named Alondra Nelson, the deputy director for science and society in the OSTP, as director of the office. The president also announced that Francis Collins, who retired in December from his role as director of the National Institutes of Health, would serve as his top science adviser and co-chair of the president’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. (Ward, 2/16)

Stat: Inside The Culture Of Fear In Eric Lander’s White House Science Office
An early sign that trouble was afoot in the White House science office came last November, when roughly a dozen of Eric Lander’s staff formed a “culture committee” aimed at improving morale. The group’s first action, five aides told STAT, was to create a “word cloud” depicting the adjectives they most often used to describe the work environment at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Of the dozens of words submitted, three in particular stood out: “hostile,” “siloed,” and “aggressive.” Three months later, Lander resigned as President Biden’s science adviser, after Politico reported a White House investigation that found “credible evidence” that he had violated workplace conduct rules. (Facher, 2/17)

In other news from the Biden administration —

AP: COVID A Wildcard As Biden Prepares For State Of The Union
President Joe Biden is hoping to use his upcoming State of the Union address to nudge the pandemic into the nation’s rear-view mirror. But it could turn into yet another disruptive display of national tensions and frustration over trying to move past COVID-19. Biden’s March 1 address to Congress will play out against what Vice President Kamala Harris has called a “malaise” over the persistence of COVID and growing public impatience to get back to normal after two years of pandemic restrictions. Even Democratic-run state and local governments are lifting restrictions as cases, hospitalizations and deaths decline. (Miller and Mascaro, 2/17)

Bloomberg: Yellen Calls For New World Bank Fund To Fight Future Pandemics
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urged her counterparts from leading industrialized countries to support the establishment of a new World Bank fund intended to prevent and prepare for future global health crises. A new “financial intermediary fund” under the auspices of the World Bank would help address gaps in preparedness, particularly among low-income countries, Yellen said, according to prepared remarks she’s scheduled to deliver virtually on Thursday to a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors from Group of 20 countries. (Condon, 2/17)

ABC News: CDC To Loosen Mask Guidance As Early As Next Week As COVID Case Numbers Drop
The upcoming guidance comes as an increasing number of Democratic governors have already announced plans to lift mask mandates at the end of February or in March. Those decisions have largely been seen as a political calculation, driven by pandemic fatigue among voters. The CDC has urged states to continue to recommend masks so long as the case number remain high, even as it considers new benchmarks. NBC News first reported on the timing of the expected guidance as early as next week. (Flaherty and Mitropoulos, 2/16)

USA Today: CDC Wants To 'Give People A Break' From Mask Wearing
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, speaking at a White House briefing on COVID-19, said her agency was assessing data and "will soon put guidance in place" that encourages prevention measures while protecting public health and hospitals. The CDC recommends indoor masking in areas with substantial or high transmission. That includes 97% of U.S. counties, Walensky said. "We want to give people a break from things like mask wearing when these metrics are better," Walensky said. "And then have the ability to reach for them again should things worsen." (Bacon, Ortiz and Santucci, 2/16)

NBC News: CDC ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ About Downward Trend In Omicron Cases
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday she is "cautiously optimistic" about the downward trend in omicron-fueled Covid-19 cases. The United States is averaging about 147,000 Covid cases per day, a 40 percent decrease from the previous week, Walensky said during a White House Covid-19 Response Team briefing. (Lovelace Jr., 2/16)

AP: More Virus Rules Fall As CDC Hints At Better Times Ahead 
The nation’s leading health officials said Wednesday that the U.S. is moving closer to the point that COVID-19 is no longer a “constant crisis” as more cities, businesses and sports venues began lifting pandemic restrictions around the country. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a White House briefing that the government is contemplating a change to its mask guidance in the coming weeks. Noting recent declines in COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions and deaths, she acknowledged “people are so eager” for health officials to ease masking rules and other measures designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. (Burnett, 2/17)

The Texas Tribune: Texas Sues CDC To Stop Mask Mandates On Planes 
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Irving, are suing the Biden administration to end mask mandates on planes. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, argues that the mandate imposes a “restriction on travelers’ liberty interests” and that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not have the authority to introduce such a blanket preventive measure. First issued in January 2021, the federal mask mandate requires travelers to wear masks while using public transportation services or facilities, including airports and subway stations. Those who violate the mask mandate could be subject to fines. (Dey, 2/16)

AP: 4-Year-Old Autistic Boy Allowed To Fly Without Wearing Mask 
Lawyers representing the family of a 4-year-old boy with autism said Wednesday that they have received a temporary court order from a federal judge exempting him from having to wear a mask when flying from Florida to Boston for treatment. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti Saris in Boston scheduled an emergency hearing Wednesday after the lawyers said two airlines and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declined to grant a mask exception for the boy. His family lives in Sanford, Florida, and must travel for care at Boston Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. (2/17)

Many states and cities lift mask mandates —

AP: No Mask Mandates As Louisiana Extends Emergency Status 
With the state heading into the peak of Carnival season, Gov. John Bel Edwards extended Louisiana’s COVID-19 health emergency declaration Wednesday, but did not reinstitute long-expired mask mandates or gathering restrictions. New Orleans, however, plans to keep in place mask mandates and requirements for vaccines or negative tests for many indoor events through Mardi Gras, which falls on March 1. Carnival celebrations were largely canceled last year because of the pandemic. Officials now believe the 2020 celebration was responsible for making the city and state early Southern hot spots of the disease. (McGill, 2/16)

Detroit Free Press: Michigan Drops Mask Guidance For Schools, Other Indoor Settings
Michigan health department leaders are no longer urging local school leaders and others to require masks in many indoor settings. The new guidance takes effect immediately, reflecting improving COVID-19 trends and similar moves from other administrations across the country amid fierce pressure from critics who argue that mask recommendations at schools are unnecessary. "While Michigan hasn't had statewide mask policies since last June, this updated guidance will underscore that we are getting back to normal," Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a news release. (Boucher, 2/16)

The Washington Post: Virginia’s Youngkin Signs Law Requiring Public Schools To Make Masks Optional By March 1 
Gov. Glenn Youngkin took to the steps of the Virginia Capitol on Wednesday to ceremonially sign a bill making masks optional in public schools, proclaiming before scores of cheering supporters that “we are reaffirming the … fundamental rights all parents have to make decisions for their children.”Youngkin (R) treated the bill-signing like a major campaign event, with schoolchildren brought in as a backdrop and Republican legislators on the steps of the Capitol portico behind them. (Schneider, Vozzella and Natanson, 2/16)

AP: Omaha Lifts Mask Mandate As COVID Cases Plunge In Nebraska 
The number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations has improved enough in Nebraska that local health officials lifted Omaha’s mask mandate Wednesday, and some of the state’s largest hospitals said they were easing certain restrictions. The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus statewide has fallen steadily since hitting a peak of 767 on Jan. 28. State health officials said 436 people were hospitalized with the virus Tuesday — the lowest number since early November. (Funk, 2/16)

Some colleges and universities drop masks, too —

AP: UW System To End Mask Mandate By Spring Break
University of Wisconsin System officials said Wednesday they plan to end their campus mask mandates by spring break. UW System President Tommy Thompson announced that widespread vaccinations and waning case numbers on system campuses and across the state justify the move. Thompson said vaccines and tests will still be available on campus and students and employees can still opt to wear masks if they wish. (2/16)

AP: West Virginia University Draws Back Mask Requirements 
West Virginia University is lifting some of its masking requirements put in place to combat COVID-19 as the number of virus cases in the state is decreasing. University officials announced Wednesday that masks will no longer be required in most indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status. (2/17)

AP: Purdue To Make Masks Optional Friday In Many Indoor Spaces 
Beginning Friday, Purdue University will make face masks optional in many indoor settings on its main campus in the West Lafayette, the school announced Wednesday. The new policy does not apply to instructional, research and health care settings or where contractually required, the university said. (2/16)

In related news —

The Atlantic: The Pandemic Isn’t Over For Immunocompromised People
In the past, immunocompromised people lived with their higher risk of infection, but COVID represents a new threat that, for many, has further jeopardized their ability to be part of the world. From the very start of the pandemic, some commentators have floated the idea “that we can protect the vulnerable and everyone else can go on with their lives,” Seth Trueger, who is on immunosuppressants for an autoimmune complication of cancer, told me. “How’s that supposed to work?” He is an emergency doctor at Northwestern Medicine; he can neither work from home nor protect himself by avoiding public spaces. “How am I supposed to provide for my family or live my life if there’s a pandemic raging?” he said. Contrary to popular misconceptions, most immunocompromised people are neither visibly sick nor secluded. “I know very few people who are immunocompromised and get to live in a bubble,” says Maggie Levantovskaya, a writer and literature professor who has lupus, an autoimmune disorder that can cause debilitating inflammation across the entire body. (Yong, 2/16)

NBC News: Air Force Can’t Compel Christian Officer To Get Covid Shot, Judge Rules
A federal judge in Georgia has temporarily blocked the U.S. military from enforcing its Covid-19 vaccine mandate against an Air Force officer seeking a religious exemption. The order was handed down a month after the unnamed officer, who is a Christian, filed a lawsuit alleging that the mandate violates her religious beliefs. (Kube, 2/16)

And more on vaccine mandates —

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia Hospitals Begin Enforcing COVID Vaccine Requirements For Their Employees
Hospital systems across Georgia are taking steps to meet a new deadline for health care workers to be vaccinated, bracing for the possibility of losing workers who won’t get the shots or don’t get an exemption. By Monday, health care workers in 24 states including Georgia were required to have received their first vaccine dose or to have requested a medical or religious exemption. Under the federal vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, the final deadline to be vaccinated or possibly be fired is March 15. Many Georgia health care facilities had already put a vaccine requirement in place for workers. All metro Atlanta hospital systems except Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Northside began instituting vaccination mandates last year, even before a Supreme Court decision was made upholding the federal vaccination mandate. (Hart and Oliviero, 2/16)

Bay Area News Group: San Jose: Booster Mandate Deadline Extended After Employees Fail To Comply
San Jose has extended the deadline for its COVID-19 booster mandate after hundreds of employees failed to comply in time for the initial cutoff. The deadline for the new booster mandate — previously set to expire on Feb. 11 — has been pushed out two weeks to Feb. 25 to “allow for additional time for employees to be ‘up-to-date’ with their COVID-19 vaccination,” according to an email sent out to the city’s workforce Tuesday afternoon. While 95% of the city’s workforce is fully vaccinated, just 82% of its more than 6,000 actively working and booster-eligible employees have submitted proof of a booster shot, according to data from the city’s Office of Employee Relations. That leaves about 800 workers currently in defiance of the order. (Angst, 2/16)

Indianapolis Star: House Bill 1001 Vaccine Mandate Bill Weakened By Indiana Senate
Lawmakers voted to water down a bill Wednesday that restricts private vaccine mandates in Indiana, placing less of a burden on businesses. The restrictions in the amended bill also would no longer apply to most health care employers, in order to comply with federal rules, or those that operate a professional sports organization or entertainment venue. The changes in the Senate Health and Provider Services committee were so significant in the eyes of supporters and opponents of the bill that their positions flipped. (Lange, 2/16)

KHN: As Politics Infects Public Health, Private Companies Profit 
For some counties and cities that share a public health agency with other local governments, differences over mask mandates, business restrictions, and other covid preventive measures have strained those partnerships. At least two have been pushed past the breaking point. A county in Colorado and a small city in Southern California are splitting from their longtime public health agencies to set up their own local departments. Both Douglas County, Colorado, and West Covina, California, plan to contract some of their health services to private entities. (Ramachandran, 2/17)

In other news —

AP: King County Ending Vaccine Requirements At Bars, Restaurants 
Washington’s most populous county will no longer require COVID vaccination checks to enter restaurants, bars, theaters and gyms beginning March 1. King County officials made the announcement Wednesday. The Seattle Times reports from March 1, businesses will be free to impose their own vaccination requirements if they choose, but there will be no countywide requirement. (2/16)

The Hill: 'Yellowstone' Actor Won't Attend Awards Ceremony Over COVID-19 Rules 
“Yellowstone” actor Forrie J. Smith will not attend the Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony later this month because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19 and the event requires that all attendees are fully inoculated. Smith, in a video posted to Instagram this week, announced that he would not be in attendance at the awards ceremony, which is scheduled for Feb. 27. (Schnell, 2/16)

ABC News: COVID-19 Live Updates: Deaths Increasing In 15 States 
The U.S. is reporting an average of 2,200 lives lost to COVID-19 each day. Fifteen states are reporting at least a 10% increase in daily death rates over the last week: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia. (Shapiro, Winsor and Deliso, 2/16)

Los Angeles Times: L.A. County Marks 30,000 Dead From COVID-19
Los Angeles County has marked its 30,000th death related to COVID-19. The milestone came on Wednesday, when 102 deaths were reported, the second-highest daily death toll recorded in 11 months. There have now been five days since late January when daily death tolls have reached triple digits. Daily death tallies are still high and have yet to begin a sustained drop, even as daily coronavirus cases and hospitalizations have started to decline. Over the past several weeks, L.A. County has been averaging 63 to 73 COVID-19 deaths a day, according to a Times analysis of county data. (Lin II and Money, 2/16)

And Maryland has a backlog of autopsies —

The Hill: Baltimore Parking Garage Turned Into Morgue For Over 200 Bodies
A parking garage in Baltimore has been converted into a morgue for more than 200 bodies because of a backlog of autopsies. Staffing shortages and an increase in deaths — caused by violence, COVID-19 and drug overdoses — are contributing to the backlog of autopsies in Maryland, according to The Washington Post. (Schnell, 2/16)

The Baltimore Sun: With ‘Bodies Piling Up,’ Contractors Clearing Backlog At Maryland Medical Examiner’s Office For $850 An Autopsy
A yearslong staffing crisis in the state medical examiner’s office in Baltimore is leading to unprecedented delays in autopsies, an emergency request to federal officials for help and now a legislative push for more workers. To deal with “bodies piling up,” one lawmaker said the statewide agency that investigates sudden and unexpected deaths has turned to a ready source of labor — contractors “flown in from out of state” and recent retirees earning $850 per autopsy. (Cohn, 2/17)

In other news about the spread of covid —

AP: Estimated 73% Of US Now Immune To Omicron: Is That Enough?
The omicron wave that assaulted the United States this winter also bolstered its defenses, leaving enough protection against the coronavirus that future spikes will likely require much less — if any — dramatic disruption to society. Millions of individual Americans’ immune systems now recognize the virus and are primed to fight it off if they encounter omicron, or even another variant. (Johnson, 2/17)

The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Adds 24,800 Reinfections To COVID-19 Dashboard As State Approaches 1 Million Cases 
Maryland health officials confirmed Wednesday what many Marylanders learned the hard way — thousands of people are being reinfected with COVID-19 since the omicron variant emerged. The Maryland Department of Health said it now counts 24,800 such infections among the total cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, in its public dashboard. (Cohn, 2/16)

Bloomberg: Covid Survivors Deal With Mental-Health Issues Months After Infection
Early Covid-19 survivors were at higher risk of anxiety, depression and a raft of other mental health problems up to a year after their infections, according to a large U.S. study that widens the scope of the pandemic’s economic and societal impact. Even patients who were never sick enough to be hospitalized for Covid were still 68% more likely than their non-infected counterparts to be diagnosed with a sleep disorder, 69% more likely to have an anxiety disorder, and 77% more likely to have a depressive disorder. The relative risk of developing the conditions was significantly higher still in patients hospitalized for Covid, and translates into dozens of additional mental health conditions for every 1,000 coronavirus cases. (Gale, 2/16)

Reuters: Antacid Shows Promise Against COVID-19 Symptoms
In non-hospitalized, unvaccinated adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, treatment with a high dose of the antacid drug famotidine helped speed resolution of symptoms and inflammation in a small randomized controlled trial. Roughly half of those in the 55-patient trial took famotidine - the main ingredient in Johnson & Johnson's widely used over-the-counter Pepsid heartburn drug - three times a day for two weeks. The others took a dummy pill. Patients in the famotidine group had faster resolution of 14 of 16 symptoms assessed in the study, including loss of smell and taste, difficulty breathing and abdominal pain. (2/17)

Reuters: Moderna Eyes COVID Booster By August, Not Clear Yet If Omicron-Specific Needed
An Omicron-specific booster could be ready by August, the CEO of U.S. biotech firm Moderna (MRNA.O) told Reuters, but the firm is still gathering clinical data to determine whether that vaccine would offer better protection than a new dose of the existing jab. Last month Moderna began clinical trials for a booster dose specifically designed to target Omicron but initial results from studies in monkeys show the Omicron-specific shot may not offer stronger protection than a new dose of the existing vaccine. (Guarascio, 2/17)

Reuters: Pfizer And BioNTech Omicron-Targeted Vaccine Delayed - BioNTech CEO 
Delivery of Pfizer and BioNTech SE's vaccine to combat the Omicron COVID-19 variant was delayed by several weeks due to a slower-than expected data gathering process, BionTech Chief Executive Ugur Sahin told Germany's Bild on Thursday. Once the vaccine is ready, the company would assess whether it was still needed, Sahin said. (2/16)

In updates on the vaccine rollout —

The Baltimore Sun: Federal, State Agencies Investigating Whether Maryland Department Of Health Retaliated Against Whistleblower 
Federal and state agencies are investigating allegations that the Maryland Department of Health retaliated against a whistleblower after she pushed health officials to notify potentially more than 1,000 patients who may have received spoiled vaccine doses and insisted they remediate problems at vaccine clinics. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the state Department of Budget and Management’s whistleblower division have been conducting interviews, according to the whistleblower and her attorney, related to reports that health officials took punitive action against a deputy director overseeing vaccine and testing compliance by removing her from her position and instructing her not to communicate with colleagues involved in assessing the compliance of clinical operations. (Deville, 2/17)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 3 Milwaukee Police Officers Under Investigation For Fake Vaccine Cards
Three Milwaukee police officers are being investigated for allegedly creating fake COVID-19 vaccination cards to attend out of state training. The investigation was acknowledged by the Police Department in a press release Wednesday following the publication of a story about the probe by WTMJ-TV (Channel 4). The allegations are also being investigated by the city of Milwaukee Inspector General Ronda Kohlheim, who confirmed to the Journal Sentinel her investigation remains active. (Hughes, 2/16)

KHN: Teen Traveled To Philly To Get Vaccinated Against His Parents’ Wishes 
High school junior Nicolas Montero stays busy. He runs track, works night and weekend shifts at Burger King, and keeps on top of his schoolwork at Neshaminy High School in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. But Nicolas’ packed schedule is also strategic: It’s a way to stay out of the house. Nicolas and his parents are separated by a widening political and cultural rift: His parents are a part of a small but vocal minority who oppose covid-19 vaccinations and have refused to let him get the shots. (Feldman, 2/17)

NBC News: Pregnant During Covid, Women Struggle To Reconcile Conflicting Advice
Ashley Mink, a physician assistant in Dayton, Ohio, became eligible for her Covid-19 vaccination in December 2020. Pregnant with her third child at the time, she had kept a close eye on the vaccine trials and knew that pregnant women hadn’t been included in them — a concern she took to her obstetrician. “You’re not supposed to eat turkey lunch meat,” Mink said of her feelings at the time, “but you’re recommending that I get a vaccine that hasn’t been studied yet.” (Hazlett, 2/16)

Also —

CIDRAP: COVID Vax–Related Myocarditis May Be Milder Than That Of Other Causes
While cardiac imaging shows that COVID-19 vaccine–associated myocarditis has a similar pattern as that from other causes, the abnormalities are less severe and result in less functional impairment, suggests a study yesterday in Radiology. Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) after vaccination is rare, but some cases have been reported after receipt of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. (2/16)

Politico: Trump-Era Medicare Program Under Increased Scrutiny 
The Biden administration is debating whether to overhaul a major Trump-era program tied to Medicare as soon as this week in the face of rising pressure from prominent progressive Democrats, more than a half-dozen people familiar with the matter told POLITICO. The Trump program — known as a direct contracting model — allows private companies to participate in Medicare as part of a broader health department effort to improve care while limiting the government’s costs. (Levy and Cancryn, 2/16)

In other Medicare news from Montana and Ohio —

Billings Gazette: Montana State Hospital Placed On 'Immediate Jeopardy' After Federal Inspection
Federal inspectors have placed the state psychiatric facility on "immediate jeopardy" status, the most serious deficiency designation that carries serious sanctions for facilities receiving federal reimbursement dollars. While details of what triggered the designation have not yet been released, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services revisited the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs last week after the Montana State News Bureau questioned how the federal agency approved an inspection of the facility in September that found staffing numbers were below the level needed to prevent patients from falling. Inspectors found patients had fallen 113 times between June and August 2021, and employees told inspectors staffing documentation had been altered to not list patients whose needs required one-on-one attention from staff. (Larson, 2/16)

Columbus Dispatch: OrthoNeuro, Others, Improperly Billed For Shoulder Surgeries
Three Columbus-area healthcare companies have agreed to pay about $3.2 million for charging Medicare and the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation for surgeries that may not have happened. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Mount Carmel Health System, New Albany Surgery Center and Orthopedic & Neurological Consultants (also known as OrthoNeuro), were involved in the improper billing. OrthoNeuro surgeon and partner Robert Nowinski billed for shoulder surgeries that were outside normal standards "or did not occur at all," according to a news release from the Justice Department's Southern District of Ohio office. (Weiker, 2/16)

In Medicaid news from Wisconsin and Georgia —

AP: Wisconsin Assembly To Vote On Tightening Public Benefits 
The Wisconsin Assembly was scheduled to pass a package of Republican-authored bills Thursday designed to force more people into the workforce by tightening eligibility for unemployment benefits and Medicaid coverage. The bills, which are expected to be taken up in the Senate before the session ends next month, are almost certainly headed for vetoes by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers should they pass the full Legislature. (Richmond, 2/17)

Georgia Health News: House Panel Endorses More Transparency In Health Plans’ Data 
A House committee Tuesday approved a bill that would require more public disclosure about Georgia health plans serving Medicaid patients and state employees and teachers. House Bill 1276, if it becomes law, would require the main state health agency to post reports showing how many primary care providers these insurance plans offer in a county, along with data on the insurers’ hospital costs and prescription drug spending. Members of the House Health and Human Services Committee did not voice any objections to the measure, which now goes to the Rules Committee in that chamber. (Miller and Grapevine, 2/15)

Georgia Health News: Insurance Industry Chief: Not Opposed To Medicaid Spending Requirement
The CEO of an insurance industry trade group said Wednesday that insurer members are not opposed to the medical spending requirements for Medicaid managed care plans contained in a mental health parity bill. Among its provisions, the high-profile House Bill 1013 would set up a minimum level of medical spending of at least 85 percent of the dollars that Medicaid insurers receive from the program. Jesse Weathington, president and CEO of the Georgia Association of Health Plans, told GHN that insurers have met the 85 percent the last two years through a financial reconciliation process with the government. He spoke to a reporter after testifying at a House committee hearing on the mental health bill. (Miller and Grapevine, 2/16)

CIDRAP: Physician Survey Reveals Cracks In The US Drug Supply Chain
Seven of 10 US physicians say that the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened drug supply chain problems, limiting their ability to provide quality patient care, according to a new US Pharmacopeia (USP) survey. "Physicians on the front lines observed the impact first-hand, navigating shortages in medicines, personal protective equipment and other supplies, on top of the demands of providing care to an unprecedented volume of patients," USP, an independent global scientific organization, said in the survey report. (Van Beusekom, 2/16)

In related news about the costs of prescription drugs —

Modern Healthcare: Certain Specialty Pharmacy Drugs Double In Price At Hospitals, Study Finds
Hospitals, on average, charge double the price for the same drugs sold by specialty pharmacies, according to research from America's Health Insurance Plans. Upon analyzing the 10 drugs that amounted to the highest Medicare Part B spend from 2018-2020—and were purchased, stored and administered in a healthcare setting—an AHIP study published Wednesday found that drug treatments given in hospitals were marked up an average of $7,000, when compared to those purchased through specialty pharmacies. As these drugs typically do not have biosimilars or generics that provide cost competition, specialty pharmacies are responding to a crucial market need to lower drug prices, said Sergio Santiviago, vice president of drug policy at AHIP. (Devereaux, 2/16)

Stat: AstraZeneca Wins One Round In An Escalating Battle Over The 340B Program
In the latest twist in a closely watched legal battle, a U.S. judge ruled Wednesday that a federal agency incorrectly threatened AstraZeneca (AZN) with penalties for curtailing discounts to a controversial prescription drug discount program that serves mostly low-income patients. At issue is the 340B program, which requires drugmakers to offer discounts that are typically estimated to be 25% to 50% — but could be much higher — on all outpatient drugs to hospitals and clinics that serve low-income populations. There are approximately 12,400 so-called covered entities, including 2,500 hospitals, participating in the program, a number that has grown substantially in recent years. (Silverman, 2/16)

Stat: A Federal Appeals Court Once Again Casts Doubt On 'Skinny Labels'
A U.S. appeals court upheld a ruling that throws into question the ability of generic companies to “carve out” uses for their medicines and supply Americans with lower-cost alternatives to pricey brand-name drugs. And the generic maker on the losing end of this legal battle, Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA), now plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the decision. At issue is skinny labeling, which is when a generic company seeks regulatory approval to market its medicine for a specific use, but not other patented uses for which a brand-name drug is prescribed. For instance, a generic drug could be marketed to treat one type of heart problem, but not another. In doing so, the generic company seeks to avoid lawsuits claiming patent infringement. (Silverman, 2/16)

Axios: PBMs Won't Adopt Humira Biosimilars Quickly 
The companies that purchase drugs for employers and government programs don't anticipate switching quickly to cheaper copycats of the popular immunology drug Humira. Humira, one of the world's most-used drugs that registered $20.7 billion in global sales in 2021, fended off competition for years for this very reason — to keep its U.S. market share high for as long as possible. Pharmaceutical analysts at Bernstein interviewed eight executives who work at large pharmacy benefit managers about how they will handle Humira in 2023. (Herman, 2/17)

In updates on the opioid crisis —

Stat: Lawmakers Ask Justice Dept. To Explore Criminal Charges Against Sacklers
Several lawmakers have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to explore whether criminal charges should be brought against members of the Sackler family who control Purdue Pharma, which has been blamed for helping to trigger the widespread opioid crisis in the U.S. The lawmakers noted that, in late 2020, Purdue pleaded guilty to three felonies related to the sale and marketing of the OxyContin painkiller as part of an $8.3 billion settlement that also resolved civil charges against the company. At the time, federal authorities indicated criminal charges against individuals had not been ruled out and an investigation remained ongoing. But criminal charges were never filed. (Silverman, 2/16)

The Texas Tribune: Texas Gets $1.17 Billion In Opioid Case Settlement 
Texas and some of its largest counties will receive $1.17 billion in opioid relief money as part of a nationwide settlement from three large pharmaceutical distribution companies, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Wednesday. The money comes from a $26 billion settlement signed by 52 American states and territories that Texas joined in July. Paxton has pushed for cities and counties to join the settlement with three pharmaceutical companies — McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen — that have been accused of exacerbating the opioid crisis by overlooking the number of opioid pills that pharmacies ordered in the past two decades. (Zhang, 2/16)

AP: Report Finds Long Wait Times For Some Medical Specialists
Wait times for new patients to see a medical specialist in Vermont averaged 61 days during part of the pandemic, according to a state report released Wednesday. Vermont state government officials started investigating in the fall after Seven Days reported on long wait times for medical appointments. (Rathke, 2/16)

In other health care industry news —

Chicago Tribune: Cafeterias And Food Vendors In 9 Chicago Hospitals Failed Inspections In 2021 
A Chicago Department of Public Health inspector discovered about 50 flying insects in the food preparation, dry storage and dishwashing areas in the food facility at Swedish Hospital, according to city inspection reports. The preparation area provides food for patients. Swedish Hospital failed two food inspections on Oct. 20, 2021. It failed another on Oct. 27, when an inspector reported approximately 25 cockroaches on the floor and wall behind the cooking equipment and in storage cabinets in front of the cook’s line. (Leane and Starshak, 2/16)

Louisville Courier Journal: University Of Louisville Hospital Plans Expansion With 9-Story Tower
University of Louisville Health is planning a massive new expansion of its downtown hospital, as well as key improvements to other local facilities. An ordinance filed Tuesday by Metro Council President David James would approve a $415 million bond that would help fund the project. Plans included in the documents James filed call for a nine-story tower to be built at the northeast corner of Jackson Street and East Chestnut Street, next to the current University of Louisville Hospital at 530 S. Jackson St. (Aulbach, 2/16)

Oklahoman: Mercy Hospital OKC Claims Reverend Sent 'Online Attacks' Over COVID
Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City has tightened security and locked down its intensive care unit in response to what it called social media attacks and said the hospital has taken legal action against a local religious leader. An evangelical group, the Ekklesia of Oklahoma, protested outside the hospital on W Memorial Road last week, calling on Mercy to administer a certain dosage of a steroid for one of the group’s members, who was in the hospital with COVID-19. The patient, Robert Barth, was critically ill and being treated in the intensive care unit on a ventilator, court records say. (Branham, 2/16)

Houston Chronicle: FBI Searches Houston Health Department Offices Amid Vendor Investigation
The FBI is investigating a marketing vendor and employee conduct at the Houston Health Department, according to federal authorities. Federal agents carried several boxes out of the health department building following a search warrant Wednesday at the administrative offices before driving away. Officials from the Houston field office confirmed an investigation but offered few details into what prompted the search warrant. (Hensley and McGuinness, 2/16)

In updates from the insurance industry —

Sacramento Bee: Pennsylvania’s Insurance Chief To Become Covered CA Leader
Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman will succeed Peter V. Lee as the leader of Covered California, the agency charged with ensuring state residents get quality insurance coverage at an affordable price. Lee, the California insurance exchange’s founding executive director, leaves after more than a decade of service. “We have made tremendous progress in California and across the nation as a result of Peter’s vision, passion and leadership — and because of the great team he has brought together and our state’s commitment to work together on behalf of all Californians,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of California’s Department of Health and Human Services. “That work has improved the lives of millions of Californians and meant that Covered California has served as a national proving ground. (Anderson, 2/15)

Modern Healthcare: Blue Cross Of Louisiana Faces Class-Action Over National BlueCard Program
A Blue Cross and Blue Shield company faces a class-action lawsuit over a national program that requires providers contracted with Blue Cross Blue Shield Association members to accept rates negotiated by Blues plans from other states. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana must defend itself against a lawsuit representing providers from the Pelican State, Judge John Conery ruled Monday when he upheld a previous denial of the insurer's request for summary judgment. (Tepper, 2/16)

USA Today: Organ Transplants During COVID Set Records In 2021, UNOS Data Show
But the dearth didn't last for long. Last year, a record-breaking 41,354 transplants were performed, according to preliminary data from United Network for Organ Sharing, the first time the U.S. has ever exceeded 40,000 transplants.  Dr. Matthew Cooper, president of the UNOS Board of Directors, said the organization continues to see transplantation “increase substantially." “There was a period of early March to the end of April (in 2020) where it was just crisis mode and nobody was doing anything,” said Jill Grandas, executive director of DCI Donor Services, which make up three organ procurement organizations in Tennessee, New Mexico, and California. “Things were pretty abysmal at that point. But in May, our donor programs quickly rebounded and transplantation began again.” (Rodriguez, 2/17)

In related news —

Axios: Bionic Eye Recipients Left In The Dark With Obsolete Tech 
A nightmare scenario: A cutting-edge, life-changing device embedded in your body fails and the company behind it is all but gone. It happened to more than 350 people who are blind around the world who received artificial eyes only to be abandoned by the company that invented them, Second Sight Medical Products, the technology journal IEEE Spectrum writes. (Muller, 2/17)

Stat: Altering The Blood Type Of Lungs Raises Potential For Universal Organs For Transplants
It was 4 a.m. on a humid night in St. Catharines, Ontario, and Elizabeth Ostrander couldn’t breathe. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, complicated by pneumonia, was suffocating her, doctors told her that day in 2016. If she hadn’t gotten to the hospital when she did, she would have died, Ostrander remembers them saying. She was in her early 50s. She would spend the next five years hooked to an oxygen tank, cords tangling around her in her sleep. The incurable disease worsened until she had just 25% of her lung capacity left. It was so difficult to breathe that she could barely lug groceries from her car to her kitchen, much less be the “avid camper” she was before. She had to stop working, and was placed on the lung transplant waiting list. (Cueto, 2/16)

Dallas Morning News: UT Southwestern Completes $1 Billion Campaign For Brain Research
UT Southwestern Medical Center completed a $1 billion campaign to support its brain research institute, the medical center announced Wednesday. The five-year campaign for the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute includes $500 million in investments in facilities and programs from UTSW and $500 million in community philanthropic support for research, technology enhancements and faculty recruitment. Funding will go toward advancing research on the underlying mechanisms of brain disease and enhancing clinical care. The campaign is one of the largest brain-focused investments at a U.S. academic medical center, UTSW said in a press release. (Wolf, 2/16)

In case you missed it —

ProPublica: He Donated His Kidney And Received A $13,064 Bill In Return 
The email arrived in Elliot Malin’s inbox from his cousin’s mom. “Scott needs a kidney,” the subject line read. The message matter-of-factly described Scott’s situation: At 28 years old, Scott Kline was in end-stage renal failure. He wasn’t on dialysis yet. But he probably should have been. His mom was reaching out to as many people as she could, asking them to be screened as a potential donation match. ... Living organ donors are never supposed to receive a bill for care related to a transplant surgery. The recipient’s insurance covers all of those costs. This rule is key to a system built on encouraging such a selfless act. And for most uninsured patients in end-stage kidney failure, Medicare would pick up the tab. But in Malin’s case, he would end up facing a $13,000 billing mistake and the threat of having his bill sent to collections. (Damon, 2/11)

USA Today: A Record 7.1% Of US Adults Now Identify As LGBTQ
The number of U.S. adults who identify as LGBTQ has rocketed to a record 7.1%, and young people are again steering the increase, a poll released Thursday shows. The 7.1% is double the percentage from 2012 when Gallup first measured identity and is up over last year's poll that showed 5.6% of adults identify as LGBTQ. In a 2017 poll, that number was 4.5%. The upswing is significant, Gallup Senior Editor Jeff Jones told USA TODAY. "I think it speaks to society changing in terms of acceptance of people with different sexual orientations and gender identities and people’s willingness to identify that way," he said. (Miller, 2/17)

NBC News: Percentage Of LGBTQ Adults In U.S. Has Doubled Over Past Decade, Gallup Finds
Gallup found that the increase is due to ​​”high LGBT self-identification, particularly as bisexual, among Generation Z adults,” who are 18 to 25. It asked more than 12,000 U.S. adults how they identify during telephone interviews last year. It found that younger U.S. adults are much more likely to identify as LGBTQ than older generations. More than 1 in 5, or 21 percent, of Generation Z adults identify as LGBTQ, Gallup found. That’s almost double the proportion of millennials, who are 26 to 41, at 10.5 percent, and nearly five times the proportion of Generation X, who are 42 to 57, at 4.2 percent. (Yurcaba, 2/17)

In other public health news —

North Carolina Health News: Accessing MAT In Jail Uphill Battle For Pregnant People 
The opioid epidemic has continued to worsen across North Carolina, and it has impacted all kinds of people — including people who are pregnant or will become pregnant. Much of the fallout from the opioid crisis has trickled down to county jails and other carceral institutions, as 85 percent of the prison population was incarcerated for a crime related to or has a substance use disorder, according to federal data. This means that pregnant people with opioid use disorder are also being sent to jails. (Thompson, 2/17)

Dallas Morning News: Flu Season In Dallas County Turned Out To Be Mild, Despite Recent Omicron Surge
Throughout the pandemic, health experts have warned of the disastrous impacts from a severe flu season coupled with a COVID-19 surge on an already overwhelmed health care system. And although people for some time feared “flurona,” or getting the flu virus and COVID-19 at the same time, health experts say it’s been a relatively rare occurrence. So far this year, Dallas County has had a mild flu season despite the rapid spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19 over the past several weeks. County and state trends mirror what’s been seen across the country — nationally, only 2.6% of all influenza tests since Oct. 3, 2021, have come back positive, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Marfin, 2/16)

Fox News: Attractive People Have Better Immune Systems, Study Says
There are associations between facial attractiveness and immune function, according to researchers. In a study published Wednesday in the academic journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, a team from Texas Christian University looked at 159 participants who were students at the university or members of the surrounding community. The men and women were screened in advance to ensure that they were without a history of mental illness or chronic depression, non-obese, free from acute illnesses, not using hormonal contraceptives, willing to abstain from steroidal and anti-inflammatory medications, exercise and alcohol consumption for two days prior to participation and willing to fast the morning of participation. (Musto, 2/16)

HuffPost: Sofia Jirau Makes History As First Victoria's Secret Model With Down Syndrome 
Puerto Rican model Sofía Jirau has made history as the first person with Down syndrome to model for Victoria’s Secret. Jirau, 24, is featured in the lingerie brand’s new campaign for its Love Cloud undergarment collection. ... The campaign comes after Victoria’s Secret announced a major overhaul of its branding and executive team last year, following years of criticism from advocates who had asked it to increase size offerings and show more diverse bodies. (Harvey, 2/16)

Miami Herald: FL House Approves 15-Week Abortion Ban. Senate Action To Come 
The Florida House on Wednesday passed a historic and controversial bill banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. In a nearly party-line, 78 to 39 vote, lawmakers dealt a stinging blow to abortion rights in Florida, which has some of the strongest protections in the South for those seeking the procedure. At the same time, Republicans delivered a long-sought victory for opponents of abortion. (Wilson, 2/17)

AP: Arkansas Senate Tables Efforts For Texas-Style Abortion Ban
The Republican-dominated Arkansas Senate tabled efforts Thursday to enact an abortion ban modeled on Texas’ restrictive law, thus dimming prospects for it to come back up during this year’s session. The Senate voted 20-11 to table resolutions that would have allowed lawmakers to consider banning abortion except to save a mother’s life. Like the Texas law, the ban would be enforced by private citizens filing lawsuits. (2/16)

KHN: State Constitutions Vex Conservatives’ Strategies For A Post-Roe World
Republican lawmakers in a handful of conservative states have stumbled on a roadblock to what they thought would be a clear path to setting new restrictions on abortion if the Supreme Court upends the landmark Roe v. Wade decision: right-to-privacy protections enshrined in their own state constitutions. In states where courts have ruled that their constitutions’ explicit privacy rights extend to the right of a woman to have an abortion, the procedure would continue to be legal even if the Supreme Court’s 1973 ruling is overturned, legal scholars and abortion-rights advocates said. (Ehli, 2/17)

In other news from across the U.S. —

New Orleans Times-Picayune: Nursing Home Owner Bob Dean Claims Dementia, Memory Loss Amid Legal Battles
Notorious nursing home operator Bob Dean has “significant dementia and cognitive impairment” and should not be forced to sit for depositions in the various lawsuits targeting him, according to letters recently penned by two Georgia doctors. The letters from a neurologist and hematologist were filed last month under seal in federal court, where Dean faces a slew of lawsuits over his decision to evacuate seven nursing homes for Hurricane Ida and warehouse their 843 residents in squalid conditions in Tangipahoa Parish. (Simerman and Gallo, 2/17)

Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Mayor Ginther Declares Gun Violence Public Health Crisis
After 2021 became the second-consecutive record year for homicides in the city, Mayor Andrew J. Ginther and other city leaders announced Tuesday that they are taking the significant step of declaring gun violence a public health crisis within the city. For the first time in the city's history, Columbus Health Commissioner Myshieka Roberts will coordinate with other city departments to address the problem of gun violence from a public health perspective, Ginther said. (Lagatta, 2/15)

AP: Jury Seated To Try Ohio Doctor Charged In Hospital Deaths 
A jury was seated Wednesday in the case of an Ohio doctor accused in multiple hospital deaths, with the long-awaited trial scheduled to begin next week. William Husel is accused of ordering excessive painkillers for patients in the Columbus-area Mount Carmel Health System. He was indicted in cases involving at least 500 micrograms of the powerful painkiller fentanyl. (2/16)

NBC News: Cuts To California Cannabis Taxes Would Harm Low-Income Youths, Advocates Say
Amid concerns that California’s cannabis industry is overtaxed and on the brink of collapse, children’s and youth advocates say cutting marijuana taxes could put badly needed social service programs in jeopardy. Small cannabis farmers and business owners have repeatedly asked the state to overhaul the industry's tax system as they struggle to stay afloat with rising operating and regulatory costs. (Lozano, 2/16)

Stat: BioNTech Plan For Covid Vaccine Production In Africa Met With Skepticism
Amid escalating concern over global access to Covid-19 vaccines, BioNTech (BNTX) disclosed details about its plans to boost production in Africa. But the effort was met with a mixed reaction because the approach snubs a parallel effort by the World Health Organization. The plan calls for shipping versions of a vaccine factory in sea containers from Europe to be established in Rwanda, Senegal, and potentially, South Africa. These modules will be equipped to manufacture vaccines based on mRNA technology, including shots to protect against Covid-19, tuberculosis, and malaria, which BioNTech is in the process of developing. (Silverman, 2/16)

In other global covid news —

The Washington Post: WHO Says Global Case Decline Affected By Drop In Testing, Deaths Still Alarmingly High
Newly reported coronavirus cases are dropping worldwide, but World Health Organization officials urged caution Wednesday, saying that a drop in testing may be contributing to that decline and that covid deaths remain alarmingly high. During the week starting Feb. 7, health officials reported 16.3 million new infections globally, an 18.2 percent drop from the prior week, according to WHO figures. Deaths, though, inched higher in the same period, to above 73,000, an increase of 0.5 percent from the previous week. (Jeong, Hassan and Timsit, 2/17)

AP: Israel To Scrap COVID Passport System As Omicron Wanes 
Israel’s prime minister says the country’s coronavirus vaccination “green pass” system will be suspended as new daily cases of COVID-19 continue to decline. Naftali Bennett said Thursday after meeting with health officials that Israel’s omicron wave “has been broken” and that additional reductions in coronavirus restrictions were forthcoming. (2/17)

The Washington Post: Malaysia, South Korea Face Record Coronavirus Cases Amid Asia-Pacific Omicron Surge 
As coronavirus cases and restrictions fall in the United States and Europe, parts of Asia and the Pacific are in the thick of a surge driven by the omicron variant, with Malaysia and South Korea reporting new daily records Thursday. Malaysia logged 27,831 new cases on Thursday, the country’s highest tally of the pandemic, according to the World Health Organization. South Korea reported 93,135 new infections on the same day, also its daily record. Indonesia and New Zealand marked new daily records Wednesday, while Vietnam, Singapore, Japan and Thailand all remain in the grasp of omicron with high case counts. (Jeong, 2/17)

Bloomberg: Hong Kong Plans Mass Testing Of The Entire City To Control Covid Outbreak
Hong Kong is planning a testing blitz of the entire city, deploying a tactic used to root out Covid-19 cases on the mainland as the financial hub struggles to get control over its most challenging outbreak of the pandemic. Chinese medical experts will likely be brought in to assist in the effort, according to people familiar with the administration’s thinking, and government vans currently used for vaccinations will be converted to mete out tests, one of the people said. Officials are still deciding whether to make the mass testing compulsory, the people said, with Sing Tao Daily reporting those who refuse may be subject to a HK$10,000 ($1,280) fine. The push will begin in early March and be conducted over weeks, other local media said. (Lui Siu and Marlow, 2/16)

NBC News: Chinese Students Stranded In U.S. By Coronavirus
Tim Fan was so close to getting home. For the first time since before the pandemic, he was on a plane to China, looking forward to seeing his family and celebrating his recent graduation from a college in Washington state. But halfway into the 12-hour flight from Seattle to Shanghai in late December, the Delta Air Lines plane made a sudden U-turn back to the United States. The airline cited burdensome new disinfection procedures at the airport in Shanghai, which Chinese officials disputed. Almost two months later, Fan is still in Seattle, his journey home hindered by a lack of flights, exorbitant ticket prices and his own Covid-19 infection. Chinese rules prevent him from entering the country until well after he is recovered. (Chen and Yang, 2/16)

In other news from around the world —

Stat: Toxic Levels Of Pharmaceuticals Threaten The Health Of The World's Rivers
In one of the first attempts to examine pharmaceutical pollution in rivers around the world, a new study found numerous medicines at potentially toxic levels in more than one-quarter of the waterways, indicating the contaminants pose a global threat to environmental and human health. Moreover, the most contaminated sites were located in low-to-middle-income countries. In particular, the most troubling pollution was seen in areas with pharmaceutical manufacturing, poor wastewater, and inadequate infrastructure for waste management, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. (Silverman, 2/16)

ScienceDaily: MRI Sheds Light On COVID Vaccine-Associated Heart Muscle Injury
Vaccine-associated myocarditis shows a similar injury pattern on cardiac MRI compared to other causes of myocarditis, but abnormalities are less severe, according to a new study. (Radiological Society of North America, 2/15)

The Lancet: Geriatric Risk Factors For Serious COVID-19 Outcomes Among Older Adults With Cancer: A Cohort Study From The COVID-19 And Cancer Consortium
Older age is associated with poorer outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection, although the heterogeneity of ageing results in some older adults being at greater risk than others. The objective of this study was to quantify the association of a novel geriatric risk index, comprising age, modified Charlson comorbidity index, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, with COVID-19 severity and 30-day mortality among older adults with cancer. (Elkrief, M.D., et al, 2/14)

ScienceDaily: Model Of The Human Nose Reveals First Steps Of SARS-CoV-2 And RSV Infection 
Researchers report the development of a versatile human nose organoid -- a laboratory representation of the cells layering the inside of the nose where the first events of a natural viral infection take place -- where they studied SARS-Cov-2 and RSV infections. (Baylor College of Medicine, 2/15)

ScienceDaily: Gene Editing Now Possible In Ticks 
Researchers have successfully used CRISPR-Cas9 to edit the genomes of the black-legged tick. To accomplish this feat, they developed an embryo injection protocol that overcame a major barrier in the field. (Cell Press, 2/15)

Nature Medicine: A Solid Start For Gene Therapy In Tay–Sachs Disease 
Tay–Sachs disease (TSD) is an inherited condition caused by mutations in the genes encoding β-hexosaminidase A (HexA), an enzyme responsible for the recycling of GM2 gangliosides, glycosphingolipids and oligosaccharides. Without this enzyme, these products accumulate in the lysosomes of nerve cells, among other cells, causing progressive neurodegeneration. (Timothy W. Yu and Olaf Bodamer, 2/10)

ScienceDaily: Clearance Of Protein Linked To Alzheimer's Controlled By Circadian Cycle
The brain's ability to clear a protein closely linked to Alzheimer's disease is tied to our circadian cycle, according to new research. The research underscores the importance of healthy sleep habits in preventing the protein Amyloid-Beta 42 (AB42) from forming clumps in the brain, and opens a path to potential Alzheimer's therapies. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2/10)

ScienceDaily: Calorie Restriction Trial Reveals Key Factors In Extending Human Health 
Decades of research has shown that limits on calorie intake by flies, worms, and mice can enhance life span in laboratory conditions. But whether such calorie restriction can do the same for humans remains unclear. Now a new study confirms the health benefits of moderate calorie restrictions in humans -- and identifies a key protein that could be harnessed to extend health in humans. (Yale University, 2/10)

ScienceDaily: A Microbial Compound In The Gut Leads To Anxious Behaviors In Mice 
A new study shows how a particular molecule, produced by gut bacteria, affects brain function and promotes anxiety-like behaviors in mice. (California Institute of Technology, 2/14)

The Baltimore Sun: Still Unvaccinated? Here’s What COVID Can Look Like In Your Lungs 
Despite being one of the first countries in the world to offer the COVID-19 vaccine, the United States ranks 18th among all the countries in the world for its percentage of population who are vaccinated. As of last month, approximately 63.5% of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which means one in three Americans remains unprotected. Cuba, Chile and Iran all rank higher than the U.S. (Omer Awan, 2/16)

San Diego Union-Tribune: It's Wise To Relax California's Mask Mandate And Respect Mask Decisions That Follow Rules 
As the Omicron surge of the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, cases plummet and the death rate drops, the state’s decision to ditch its mask mandate for most indoor settings on Wednesday makes sense. Omicron is more contagious than earlier variants but not as severe, especially for the vaccinated. And given the mask rule was being ignored by so many Californians, including the governor and mayor of Los Angeles, something had to change. Having sweeping edicts go unenforced undermines public officials’ credibility as much as hypocrisy does. (2/16)

DW: Germany Relaxes COVID Measures, Even As Risks Remain
Was that it for COVID in Germany? That's almost the impression you could get. Although the numbers of new infections are still alarmingly high, they have been falling as of late and seem to be past their peak. And that's why the pandemic seems to be fading more and more into the background for most people. (Jens Thurau, 2/16)

Bloomberg: What Happened to Britain’s 7 Million Missing Patients?
How long are you willing to wait for the doctor? If, you need, say, a hip replacement, the wait in some parts of the U.K. is measured in years. Apart from the impact of debilitating pain on life and work, longer waits are associated with poorer outcomes. A cataract may not be so bothersome, but an extended delay in treatment could result in permanent sight loss. Routine scans might not seem not particularly time-sensitive, but in Britain (where cancer outcomes lag many other countries) a quarter of cancer diagnoses are picked up from GP referrals for other complaints. (Therese Raphael, 2/17)

East Bay Times: What We Can Learn About Fighting Cancer From COVID Approach
As an oncologist, I recognize the arduous path to make a new drug. It is a hard trek that lies between the bench and the patient’s bedside. Ordinarily, it takes five or more years just to get a new drug into the clinic for testing. Similar time is needed for clinical trials. Then comes Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, followed by the time it takes for licensing, manufacture, distribution and adoption by physicians. Ordinarily, this means that 12 or more years might pass before the FDA even begins its evaluation of a new drug or regimen. This is before any therapy becomes part of our disease-fighting armamentarium. (Ethan Dmitrovsky, 2/16)

Newsweek: We Can't Save Children's Lives Alone 
A child under the age of five dies somewhere in the world every six seconds, largely from preventable diseases. More than 5 million patients need cleft care. Over 5 billion people—more than 63 percent of the world's population—lack access to safe surgical care. Even as countries mobilize resources against COVID-19, essential health services for women and children are still being diverted and deprioritized. The opposite needs to happen. This is a call to action: We cannot let children worldwide continue to die preventable deaths. (Bill Magee and Wafaa Mradmi, 2/16)

The Boston Globe: Bridgewater Hospital Was Improving. What Happened? 
The medium-security facility for men suffering from mental illness who have been ordered incarcerated, civilly committed, or are being held pending trial, had been the subject of one expose after another, dating back to its starring role in the 1967 documentary “Titicut Follies,” and right through a 2014 class action lawsuit over conditions and use of restraints and seclusion. But in 2017, while Bridgewater remained under the terms of that legal settlement, the Baker administration swapped out correction officers (who now only patrol the perimeter) for a private company that would essentially run the facility, providing security and clinical services. A host of glowing media reports followed, such as this one from the Globe: (2/17)

The New York Times: The Moral Danger Of Declaring The Pandemic Over Too Soon 
The early 1990s were in many ways the most terrible of those first years of the AIDS epidemic in America. Research on the disease was in high gear, but drug after drug failed to stop H.I.V. Funerals for friends and family in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s continued unabated, and many of us at risk for getting sick had given up hope of a normal life. My friends and I, most of us just a few years out of college, lived in the moment because we weren’t sure of how much time we had left. (Gregg Gonsalves, 2/17)

Kansas City Star: AG Derek Schmidt, Expand Medicaid To Help Rural KS Hospitals 
Nine years ago, the head of the Sumner County Regional Hospital in rural, south-central Kansas told The Star that the state needed to expand Medicaid. “It has to happen,” said Leonard Hernandez. Without it, he warned, the hospital’s tough financial challenges could not be met, and it would go out of business. Medicaid expansion didn’t happen, as you may know. The hospital did close, in 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to escalate. Dozens of hospital beds were lost. (2/17)

The Tennessean: Being A Caregiver Is A Lifelong Calling And Vocation
Caregiving is not just my profession. It is my lifelong passion, and I would say the same is true for others in my field. I wake up every morning energized to use my instincts of loving and caring for those around me to serve our patients at Blakeford Senior Life. (Kenyatta Wade, 2/16)

Stat: Pharma In 2022: Building Trust And Extending Collaboration 
The past two pandemic-dominated years have delivered a lifetime of unexpected lessons, from the challenging and difficult to the surprising and joyful. Through this time, the pharmaceutical industry learned that listening more closely, working more collaboratively, and setting clear priorities helped bring about some of its biggest and best accomplishments: Covid-19 vaccines. The industry must carry these lessons forward by emphasizing compassion, embracing shared goals, and committing to flexibility and agility. These themes will propel the industry to do more for patients, global communities, and society in general. (Ramona Sequeira, 2/17)