Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Emerging Covid Variant Is No More Severe Than Its Predecessor, CDC Says
CBS News: "No Evidence" New COVID Variant LB.1 Causes More Severe Disease, CDC Says
There are no signs so far that the new LB.1 variant is causing more severe disease in COVID-19 patients, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, as infections have begun to accelerate in this summer's wave around the country. The LB.1 variant currently makes up 17.5% of new COVID cases, the CDC projected Friday, and could be on track to overtake its sibling, the KP.3 variant, which has also been growing in recent weeks. (Tin, 6/25)
North Carolina Health News: Mask Bill Questions Swirl As N.C. Lawmakers Weigh Veto Override
Rep. John Torbett, a Republican from the small Gaston County town of Stanley, lingered with reporters after a June 11 legislative meeting to talk about a law that would govern when and where people can wear face masks in North Carolina. Republicans in the state Senate had overhauled one of his bills earlier in the session to ban face coverings in public, even for public health purposes. (Blythe, 6/26)
The Washington Post: Federal Covid Spending Helped Students Recover From Educational Losses
When Congress sent tens of billions of dollars to schools — an unprecedented sum — to battle the pandemic, it seemed like reopening campuses was going to be the toughest thing. Or maybe keeping teachers and students covid-free. But it turns out the hardest thing was helping students recover from severe academic losses sustained during the depths of the pandemic. Schools reopened. Students and teachers were, for the most part, kept safe from covid. But what about academic recovery? Did the money help kids get back on track? Two new reports offer the same answer: Yes. (Meckler, 6/26)
Reuters: Philippines Seeking U.S. Clarification On Anti-Vax Propaganda Operation
The Philippines is still seeking clarification from the Pentagon about a secret U.S. propaganda operation that aimed to cast doubt among Filipinos about Chinese vaccines at the height of the COVID pandemic, a foreign ministry official said on Tuesday. A Reuters investigation on June 14 detailed how the Pentagon ran a clandestine influence campaign in 2020 and 2021 to denigrate the Sinovac vaccine and other pandemic aid from China across the developing world. (6/25)
