Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
A Fall Covid Surge Likely Coming, Fauci Forecasts
CNN: US Likely To See A Surge Of Covid-19 In The Fall, Fauci Says
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on Wednesday that he thinks there will be an uptick in cases of Covid-19 over the next few weeks and that it is likely that there could be a surge in the fall. "I think we should expect, David, that over the next couple of weeks, we are going to see an uptick in cases -- and hopefully there is enough background immunity so that we don't wind up with a lot of hospitalizations," Fauci said when asked by Bloomberg TV's David Westin about the prospect of another wave of Covid-19 from BA.2 or another variant, given the level of immunity believed to exist in the US today. (Thomas, 4/7)
In other news about the spread of covid —
The Hill: The Five States With The Highest Number Of COVID-19 Cases
While case rates remain low across the country, a handful of states still have elevated risk levels. Here are the five states with the highest levels of new cases per 100,000. (Choi, 4/7)
Salt Lake Tribune: Utah Reports Nearly 700 New COVID-19 Cases; Sewage Shows Increased Virus Levels At 6 Sites
Utah has recorded nearly 700 new COVID-19 cases in the past week and 16 more deaths, including two Utah County men under age 45, the state Department of Health reported Thursday. State officials expected that case counts would decline as they shuttered testing locations, and data shows that the 7-day testing average has dropped by 4,869 on March 31 to 3,492 on Wednesday. Because of that presumption and those closures, officials said they would switch their focus to monitoring sewage, hospitalizations and emergency room visits to judge coronavirus’s spread. (Harkins, 4/7)
AP: Arizona Reducing Dashboard Data On COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Arizona is scaling back updates of COVID-19 hospitalization data displayed on the state’s coronavirus dashboard in the wake of the diminishing of the outbreak and Gov. Doug Ducey’s recent end of the state of emergency that he declared over two years ago. Department of Heath Services Director Don Herrington said Thursday in a blog post that a surveillance order requiring hospitals to report specific COVID-19 data is no longer in effect. (4/7)
AP: Sarah Jessica Parker Sidelined As Broadway Fights Virus
The second shoe has dropped at “Plaza Suite” on Broadway. First Matthew Broderick tested positive for COVID-19 and a few days later his wife and co-star, Sarah Jessica Parker, has done so herself. Parker tested positive Thursday and the show has been canceled. What happens with future performances “will be announced as soon as possible,” according to producers. (Kennedy, 4/7)
Also —
Bloomberg: Long Covid Treatment Bill Pushed By Tammy Duckworth, Ayanna Pressley
A bill to increase funding for Long Covid treatment and clinics marks the latest push from lawmakers to confront chronic health problems related to the coronavirus that affect millions of Americans. The Treat Long Covid Act is a joint effort from Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, and Representative Ayanna Pressley, a Massachusetts Democrat. Both have been involved in efforts to bolster federal support for Long Covid research, treatment and education. (Muller, 4/7)
CIDRAP: Home Use Of Pulse Oximeters For COVID-19 Not Linked To Better Outcomes
Asking COVID-19 patients to use a pulse oximeter at home to measure oxygen levels was no better than asking if they experienced shortness of breath in determining outcomes, according to new research in the New England Journal of Medicine. (4/7)
CIDRAP: Fluvoxamine May Reduce The Odds Of COVID-19 Patient Hospitalization
A new systematic review and meta-analysis of three randomized clinical trials with 2,196 patients suggests that early use of the antidepressant fluvoxamine reduces the risk of all-cause hospitalization in symptomatic adult outpatients. Fluvoxamine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor used to treat conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder, also activates the sigma-1 receptor, which quells inflammation, the researchers noted. (4/7)
USA Today: COVID Testing Chain Center For COVID Control Hit With Oregon Lawsuit
The nationwide coronavirus testing chain under scrutiny from the FBI and several states was hit with a scathing lawsuit Thursday – one that provides new insight into alleged deceptive trade practices and garish spending by company executives. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum sued Illinois-based Center for Covid Control and its primary lab, Doctors Clinical Lab, for "deceptively marketing testing services" and violating the state's Unlawful Trade Practices Act. The lawsuit alleges Illinois residents Aleya Siyaj and Akbar Ali Syed, the married couple who founded Center for COVID Control, "funnelled millions of dollars received from the federal government and insurance companies for testing to themselves," according to the Oregon attorney general's office. (Hauck, 4/7)
