Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
First Covid-19 Vaccine Vial Used In The US Becomes A Museum Piece
AP: Smithsonian Obtains Vial From 1st US COVID-19 Vaccine Dose
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has acquired the vial that contained the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine administered in the United States as part of its plans to document the global pandemic and “this extraordinary period we were going through.” The acquisition, along with other materials related to that first vaccine dose, was announced by the museum on Tuesday to mark the upcoming one-year anniversary of the pandemic. Associated Press journalists were given an exclusive backstage look at the newly obtained materials, which include vials, special shipping equipment and the medical scrubs and ID badge of the New York City nurse who was America’s first coronavirus vaccine recipient. (Khalil, 3/19)
Fox News: Coronavirus Face Mask Use Safe During Intense Exercise, Early Research Suggests
Early research suggests that face masks used to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus are safe to use even during intense exercise, and could help to curb the spread of COVID-19 at indoor gyms. In a paper published this week in the European Respiratory Journal, researchers with the Monzino Cardiology Centre (CCM) in Milan and the University of Milan studied the breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels of 12 healthy people, six women and six men, as they rode exercise bikes. They studied these levels in three rounds, while the participants did not wear a mask, while they wore a surgical mask, and while they wore an FFP2 mask, which is similar to the N95. (Farber, 3/9)
KHN: For Covid ‘Long Haulers,’ Battling For Disability Benefits Adds Aggravation To Exhaustion
Rickie Andersen took a brief break from work in March after she fell ill. Her cough, fever and chills were typical covid-19 symptoms, but coronavirus tests were so scarce she could not obtain one to confirm the diagnosis. After Andersen returned to her job as an information systems project manager in the San Francisco Bay Area, she struggled with profound fatigue, cognitive difficulties and other disabling complaints. For six months, she tried to keep awake during meetings and finish basic tasks that took much longer than before. (Tuller, 3/10)
In other public health news —
CNN: Bodybuilding Steroids Linked To Long-Term Testicular Damage, Study Finds
Men who use anabolic steroids to build muscle for that "perfect bod" may be harming their testicular function for years after they stop taking the drugs, according to a new study of nonathletic bodybuilders. "It has been unclear whether illicit use of anabolic steroids caused a long-lasting or even persistent impairment of the testosterone production in the testicles," said study author Dr. Jon Rasmussen, a scientist at Rigshospitalet, a highly specialized hospital affiliated with the University of Copenhagen. "These results suggest a long-lasting testicular dysfunction," Rasmussen said via email. (LaMotte, 3/9)
KHN: Texas Winter Storm Exposes Gaps In Senior Living Oversight
When the big, red and extremely loud fire alarm went off in Maria Skladzien’s apartment, the 74-year-old ventured into the hallway with fellow residents of her Houston-area senior living community. The brutal winter storm that swept through Texas had knocked out power, which, in turn, disrupted water to the four-story building. The blaring alarms raised fears of fire. The building’s elevators were unusable without power. Dependent on her wheelchair, Skladzien went back inside her second-floor apartment. She watched as residents gathered in the subfreezing temperatures outside, wondering if she would have to “throw herself out the window” to survive. (West, 3/10)
