Different Takes: What We Are Learning About Long Covid?; What The Science Says About Booster Shots

Chicago Tribune: Why We Need To Study Long COVID-19 
William Faulkner once wrote, “The past is never dead. It’s not even the past.” He meant that events from the past can still affect us now or in the future. He might have been referring to COVID-19 infections, for there is growing concern that the pandemic could have its own set of health consequences years or even decades from now, so-called long COVID-19, and this may ultimately exact a huge economic and social toll on the world. (Cory Franklin and Robert A. Weinstein, 9/14)

The Washington Post: The Biden Administration Must Clear Up The Confusion Over Booster Shots 
When the Biden administration first announced plans for booster shots, the rollout was to begin the week of Sept. 20. Now it appears that not all the scientific research and regulatory reviews are in place, and delay is likely. The public is confused about the reasons and the timetable for boosters. An administration that champions science-based decision-making needs to mount a strong new effort to communicate clearly with the American people. (9/13)

CNN: The Covid Virus Is Sneaky. Booster Shots Can Protect Us From It 
The United States and many other countries around the world are still debating the rollout of an additional dose, or "booster" shot, of the Covid-19 vaccine. On Friday the US Food and Drug Administration's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will meet to discuss Pfizer's application to administer a third dose of its Covid-19 vaccine to people ages 16 and older. Though a recent Lancet article advises caution in administering boosters before we have the evidence to fully support that the immunological benefits outweigh any risks, to me, the science seems clear: for those in the US who received mRNA vaccines, a third dose is the minimum we should pursue for Covid-19 protection, and people should prepare themselves for the possibility that they will need additional doses or annual shots in the months and years to come. (William Haseltine, 9/14)

Newsweek: Is Biden's Vaccination Mandate Constitutional?
President Joe Biden has issued a series of executive orders—without express legislative authority—mandating vaccination or weekly testing for a significant percentage of American workers. Since the announcement, I have been besieged with calls, emails and media requests all asking the same question: is it constitutional? Fortunately, I've just completed writing a book on precisely that subject, entitled The Case for Vaccine Mandates, in which I analyze the legal issues surrounding vaccination, masking and related mandates. (Alan Dershowitz, 9/14)

NBC News: Biden's Covid Vaccine Mandate Plan Is Constitutional, Whatever His GOP Critics Say
President Joe Biden had not even finished announcing the details of his new plan to reduce the spread of Covid-19 Thursday when the criticism started pouring in. Using executive orders and agency directives, he mandated the full vaccination of all federal employees, federal contractors and Medicaid- and Medicare-funded health care facility workers. He also directed the Labor Department to draft an emergency rule requiring private companies with 100 or more employees to ensure their workers are either fully vaccinated or take weekly Covid tests. (Jennifer D. Oliva, 9/14)

The Star Tribune: Considering Ivermectin? Enroll In Clinical Trial 
Nearly every major medical organization has warned against self-medicating with ivermectin, a deworming drug with both veterinary and human medical uses, to treat COVID-19. Nevertheless, there remains a persistent belief, particularly on social media, in this drug's curative properties. Credible medical research does not currently support a benefit. But if you're still thinking about giving it a try, please consider a far safer alternative: enrolling in a clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of ivermectin against the coronavirus. (9/14)

The New York Times: How To End The Covid Pandemic
On Monday night, The Washington Post reported that President Biden next week will host a virtual summit at which he plans to call on world leaders to recommit to ending the coronavirus pandemic, chiefly by vaccinating 70 percent of the global population by next September. Those leaders have their work cut out for them: Nine months after the first Covid vaccine was approved for use, most of the world’s 7.8 billion people have yet to receive even a single shot. (Spencer Bokat-Lindell, 9/14)

USA Today: COVID Vaccines: Tell The Truth About Why You Still Aren't Vaccinated
When it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine, I wish people would say “I don’t want it” and leave it at that. The two reasons anti-vaxxers give most often for not taking the vaccines are nonsense. The vaccines, they say, are too new and they don’t know what they’re putting in their body; and they don’t want their employers telling them they have to get a vaccine because it violates their personal freedom. (Ray Marcano, 9/14)