Latest KFF Health News Stories
Royal Caribbean Cruise Hit With Over 40 Covid Cases
The cruise ended in Miami on Saturday, with at least 44 people on board testing positive for covid. The New York Times reports on how surging covid is impacting holiday travel plans, and outgoing National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins said travel for unvaccinated people was not “a great idea.”
Moderna Finds Third Vaccine Shot Boosts Protection Against Omicron
Preliminary lab data finds that a booster half dose of Moderna’s covid vaccine raises antibody levels against the variant by 37 times, the drugmaker said in a statement. The company is still moving forward with plans to develop a vaccine modified for omicron.
Pfizer Trials For Young Kids Miss Immunity Marks; More Testing Needed
Two shots of a low-dose Pfizer covid vaccine did not produce an adequate immune response in children ages 2 to 5 participating in a clinical trial. Pfizer and BioNTech say they will next test a third dose.
CDC Miscounted Number Of Americans Who Have Received First Covid Shot
The CDC says the number of people 65 and older with at least one shot is 95%, lowered from 99.9%. Bloomberg reported that the move acknowledged what state officials have discovered: The U.S. has counted too many shots as first doses when they are instead second doses or booster shots.
Manchin Derails Biden’s Spending Bill; Democrats Scramble To Revive It
Democrats erupted in anger over Sen. Joe Manchin’s surprise announcement Sunday that he would not support the $2 trillion legislation after 5 months of negotiation, while Republicans hailed the “maverick” move. The White House did not mince words, calling it “a breach of his commitments to the president and the senator’s colleagues in the House and Senate.”
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages examine these public health issues.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KHN finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on melioidosis, HPV, suicide, “The Biggest Loser,” covid and more.
Omicron Is Impacting Holiday Plans Globally
News outlets cover how the infectious omicron covid variant is reshaping, at the last minute, travel and booster shot plans around the world. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared its 13th Ebola outbreak over, and The Washington Post covers a US-built cancer hospital in Iran.
Opinion writers delve into these covid and vaccine issues.
Oracle Trying To Buy Medical Records Firm Cerner In Possible $30 Billion Deal
Meanwhile, OSHA’s emergency covid prevention standards may lapse in less than a week, and Modern Healthcare reports stakeholders aren’t sure what’s next. Prospect Medical is reportedly seeking buyers, Acadia partners with Fairview for a new hospital in Minnesota, hospital “facility” fees and more.
Prosecutors Close Arguments In Elizabeth Holmes Case
Media outlets cover the closing arguments, saying Elizabeth Holmes “willfully lied” about the blood testing technology at the core of Theranos’ business. Calls for drug supply chain restructuring, an FDA rebuke for Endo, demotions at Amazon Pharmacy and CMS’ “breakthrough device” rules are also reported in health industry news.
Navy’s Water-Contaminating Hawaii Jet Fuel Facility To Stay Open
The Navy is reportedly not considering closing the jet fuel storage facility, which dates from World War II, even after it was found to have contaminated local water supplies. A link between rural poverty and a state’s decision to not expand Medicaid and a proposal to split Alaska’s health budget in two are also in the news.
Judge Tosses Purdue Pharma’s Opioids Deal That Shielded Sacklers
At issue for the federal judge: a measure in the bankruptcy settlement in the opioids lawsuits that would have protected members of the Sackler family from facing individual litigation. Purdue Pharma plans to appeal the ruling.
Commencement Canceled, Booster Shots Mandated: Covid Hits Schools
The University of Maryland has had to cancel its winter commencement after over 100 covid cases hit its campus. Meanwhile, Emory University and Stanford University are mandating booster shots as omicron looms. Other covid news in education is also reported.
NFL, NBA Revise Covid Protocols As Infections Rise
The professional basketball league enhanced its safeguards through the holiday season with more testing and a return of masks for many situation. And the football league is making it easier for fully vaccinated players who test positive but are asymptomatic to return to the field.
Courts Deal More Setbacks To Federal Vaccine Mandates
Meanwhile, the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to lift a lower court block on the vaccine mandate that impacts health workers in about half of the states. And members of the military are dismissed for refusing to get the shot.
Hospitals Delay Surgeries, Treat People At Home As Covid Surges
In rural Arizona, the strain on hospital staff has caused a plea for federal help. Axios reports on how some medical staff are at “breaking point.” And a KHN report covers how some paramedics are being pressed into transferring patients between overstretched hospitals instead of tackling emergencies.
Severe Covid More Than Doubles Patient’s Risk Of Dying Inside A Year
In other sobering covid research news, scientists have found infections can cause long-term impacts to the brain. But AstraZeneca announced a lab study of its antibody drug Evusheld worked against the omicron variant of covid, and a separate study suggests shark antibodies may be useful in the battle against the virus.
Main Flu Strain Has Mutated; Current Flu Vaccines May Not Prevent Infection
It’s bad news for the vaccine, said Scott Hensley, a professor of microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania who led the study. Flu vaccines protect against four strains: H3N2, H1N1 and two strains of influenza B. The study covers just H3N2, but that happens to be the main circulating strain.