Wisconsin Hospital Orders Those With Vax Exemptions To Get Novavax Shot

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Froedtert Hospital Says Employees Who Claimed COVID Vaccine Exemption Must Get New Option That Does Not Use Fetal Cell Lines
Froedtert Hospital is alerting its employees who had taken religious exemptions for COVID-19 vaccination because they had concerns about the use of fetal cell lines in their development that they must now get vaccinated using a recently-approved shot. (Shastri and Van Egeren, 9/8)

WISN: Froedtert: Employee Religious Exemptions From COVID-19 Vaccine Are No Longer Legitimate
WISN 12 News spoke to a Froedtert employee anonymously on Wednesday. ... The employee said she is Catholic and the previous vaccines were against her religious beliefs because of the ingredients. "The fact that this new vaccine doesn't use, or says it doesn't use, any cells from aborted fetuses, does that go against your religion still?" asked WISN 12 News reporter Caroline Reinwald. "Yes, just because it's my body my temple. God is within us," the employee said. "If we're uncomfortable, or not sure about something, then we shouldn't do it." (Reinwald and Wainscott, 9/8)

In other news about mandates —

AP: Lawsuit Contests Montana Vaccine Mandate Ban On Tribal Land
A federal lawsuit in Montana seeks to block a state agency from enforcing on tribal lands a legislative prohibition against COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The Glacier County Regional Port Authority filed the complaint Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Great Falls. The litigation comes after Montana Labor and Industry Department officials determined the port authority discriminated against an unvaccinated person who attempted to attend one of its meetings, in Browning. (9/8)

The Hechinger Report: For Head Start, Masks And Vaccine Mandates Are Still In Place—For Now
For much of the country, this school year started with Covid restrictions in the past: No more masking, vaccine mandates, social distancing requirements or testing regulations. But for many Head Start programs, federal requirements remain in force, complicating operations. Under a federal rule announced almost a year ago, Head Start centers must require vaccines for staff and masks for anyone 2 years or older, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the program. The federally-funded preschool system collectively serves nearly 750,000 children from low-income families. (Gilreath, 9/7)

More on the vaccine rollout —

NBC News: 'Don't Wait' To Get The New Covid Shot, White House Says
"We want Americans to know that the vaccine is here and that they shouldn't wait" to get it, a senior administration official told NBC News on Thursday. The plans urge schools across the United States to hold at least one vaccination clinic before Thanksgiving, as well as university-led vaccination campaigns this fall. (Edwards, 9/8)

Stat: Doubling Up On Covid, Flu Shots May Have Downside, Experts Say
Earlier this week, Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s chief medical adviser, put it bluntly: “Get your updated Covid-19 shot as soon as you are eligible.” For many people over the age of 12, that would be right now. There’s just one problem with the advice. It’s still early to get a flu shot. (Branswell, 9/9)

Scientific American: Why So Few Young Kids Are Vaccinated Against COVID--And How To Change That 
As summer vacations wind down, the days get shorter and children prepare to go to school, preschool and day care, they could encounter an unwelcome classmate: COVID. Yet despite the prospect of another fall surge in cases, a remarkably low percentage of young children have been vaccinated against the disease. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends children get vaccinated for COVID. So why have so few parents refrained from getting their child the shot? (Lewis, 9/7)

Bloomberg: Moderna Sees Annual US Market For Covid-19 Shots Ranging Up To $13 Billion
Annual US sales of Covid-19 shots could be high as $12.9 billion, with health officials likely recommending an annual booster, vaccine maker Moderna Inc. said in a meeting with investors. (Peebles, 9/8)

On Paxlovid and other covid treatments —

Bloomberg: Post-Paxlovid Rebounds Look Common, Contagious
A spokersperson for Pfizer, the maker of Paxlovid, describes rebounds as “uncommon and not uniquely associated with any specific treatment.” The resarchers’ findings, though, suggest a different story: Infectious disease specialists say the rebounds aren’t uncommon, and patients should watch for them. They should also feel reassured that symptoms are almost always mild when a rebound occurs. (Goldberg, 9/8)

The Boston Globe: A Paxlovid Fall Primer: Who Should Take The COVID Antiviral And When?
With many people heading back to school and the office, and cooler weather soon likely to lure more indoors, the number of COVID-19 infections this fall is expected to rise. Paxlovid, an antiviral medication shown to significantly decrease the risk of serious COVID complications, has become the most popular treatment with over 4 million prescriptions written in the United States since federal regulators authorized the drug last December. (Lazar, 9/8)

Axios: COVID Drugs Are Likely To Become Less Lucrative For Pfizer And Moderna
Dwindling public demand for COVID vaccines and private market pressures should combine to cost manufacturers billions of dollars once the federal government stops buying the shots, eating into Pfizer and Moderna's pandemic profits. (Owens, 9/9)