First Edition: Aug. 19, 2021

KHN: Covid Politics And Fatigue Work Against Contact-Tracing Foot Soldiers
Health departments nationwide scaled back their contact tracing in late spring or early summer when covid-19 cases started to decrease as vaccination efforts took center stage. Then delta hit. Now state and local health departments are trying to build back operations with depleted resources, as covid fatigue among their workers and the public alike complicate those efforts. (Gomez, 8/19)

KHN: If The Unvaccinated Want To Work, They Face A Series Of Hurdles 
With the delta variant surging, a growing number of employers are tiring of merely cajoling workers to get vaccinated against covid-19 and are following President Joe Biden’s protocol for federal workers: Either show proof of vaccination, or mask up and get regular testing if you want to work on-site. The federal government — the nation’s largest employer — will require unvaccinated employees to wear masks while working, get regular testing and take other precautions, like maintaining physical distance from co-workers and restricting work travel. Several states, including California, Hawaii, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, also say unvaccinated state workers must get regular tests. (Appleby, 8/19)

KHN: To Stoke Rural Vaccination Rates, Trusted Farmers Are Asked To Spread Word 
When he became eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in Illinois, Tom Arnold, 68, said he didn’t need any convincing. He raises cattle, hogs and chickens in Elizabeth, a small town in the state’s northwestern corner. After all, who better to understand why herd immunity matters than a herdsman? “Being a livestock producer, I’m well aware of vaccinations and vaccines,” he said. “That’s how we develop immunity in our animals. We’re always vaccinating the breeding stock to pass on immunity to the little ones.” (Herman, 8/19)

ABC News: Biden Administration To Begin Rolling Out Booster Shots The Week Of Sept. 20
The Biden administration is prepared to begin rolling out booster shots for many Americans the week of Sept. 20, the nation's top health officials announced Wednesday, citing data that show the effectiveness of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines against COVID-19 diminishes over time. "Having reviewed the most current data, it is now our clinical judgment that the time to lay out a plan for COVID-19 boosters is now," U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said at a White House briefing. (Flaherty, Haslett and Salzman, 8/18)

NPR: COVID-19 Booster Shots Will Roll Out In September In The U.S.
COVID-19 booster shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are set to become available for all U.S. adults beginning next month, the country's top health officials announced Wednesday. "We know that even highly effective vaccines become less effective over time," Dr. Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general, said at a White House briefing. "It is now our clinical judgment that the time to lay out a plan for COVID boosters is now." He added, "This includes our most vulnerable populations, like our health care providers, nursing home residents and other seniors. We will also begin delivering booster shots directly to residents of long-term care facilities." (Neuman, 8/18)

Roll Call: Biden Plots Vaccine Booster Shots 
In an abrupt change of course, President Joe Biden’s health advisers announced Wednesday that all Americans should expect to receive booster shots eight months after their last shot beginning in the fall. The White House’s top health experts — including chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky and Food and Drug Administration Acting Administrator Janet Woodcock — said that they have seen the ability of the vaccines to protect people from getting sick diminish, and worry that could be an early warning sign that protection against hospitalization and death will wane over time. (Kopp, 8/18)

The New York Times: What To Know About Boosters If You Got The Johnson & Johnson Vaccine 
“For people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, we anticipate vaccine boosters will likely be needed,” Dr. Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general, said at a White House news briefing on Wednesday. He added: “We expect more data on J.&J. in the coming weeks. With those data in hand, we will keep the public informed of a timely plan for J.&J. booster shots.” (Anthes, 8/18)

The Hill: Questions And Answers On Biden's New Booster Shot Plan
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky pointed to a range of new studies, including data from New York showing vaccine effectiveness against infection declined from 92 to 80 percent from May to July. Data from nursing homes showed a decline from 75 to 53 percent from March to July. And data from the Mayo Clinic showed a drop to as low as 42 percent for the Pfizer vaccine from January to July. While the exact percentages differ from study to study, Walensky said the trend overall is vaccine effectiveness against getting sick with COVID-19 declines over time. (Sullivan, 8/18)

NBC News: As U.S. Promotes Booster Shots Against Covid, Moral Questions Arise Over Vaccine Equity
As the Biden administration formally released its plan, officials and scientists with the World Health Organization and other international public health experts forcefully pushed back at it as "immoral" and "unconscionable." "We're planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets, while we're leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket," Dr. Michael Ryan, the emergencies chief at WHO, told reporters. (Ortiz, 8/18)

Stat: U.S. Officials' Decision On Covid-19 Booster Shots Baffles Some Scientists
The Biden administration’s decision to start authorizing third doses of Covid-19 vaccine in September is being met with bafflement, concern, and even anger from a number of immunologists, vaccinologists, and people steeped in the normal way such decisions are made. Many flat-out challenged the need for booster doses at this time. Others questioned the morality of administering third shots to Americans when most people on the planet haven’t received one. And some worried that a decision had been made before the Food and Drug Administration had ruled on the need for a booster or a key vaccine advisory committee had evaluated the data — typically the way vaccine policy is set. (Branswell, 8/18)

Fox News: Data Behind US COVID-19 Booster Plan Shows Waning Vaccine Effectiveness
The data behind health officials’ plan to offer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to fully vaccinated Americans showed waning effectiveness against infection for both authorized mRNA jabs. The studies, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday and discussed during a White House COVID-19 response briefing, involved data collected in New York, U.S. nursing homes and hospitals. The study out of New York, which focused on new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations among adults between May 3 and July 25, found the age-adjusted vaccine effectiveness against diagnoses declined from 92% to 80% over time. (Hein, 8/18)

The Wall Street Journal: Pfizer’s Covid-19 Booster Shot Improves Immunity, Israeli Study Suggests
Early data from Israel suggests a booster shot of Pfizer Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine can significantly improve immunity in those aged 60 and above, as the U.S. and other countries plan additional doses to increase protection against the highly infectious Delta variant. Israel was one of the first countries late last month to authorize a third Pfizer dose for the elderly who were fully vaccinated with the recommended two shots, after indications that vaccine protection against severe illness has waned. (Lieber, 8/18)

Modern Healthcare: Biden To Require Nursing Home Staff Get COVID-19 Vaccine
The Biden administration on Wednesday unveiled plans requiring nursing home staff to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but that directive is already sparking worry in the industry. The federal government tied nursing home facilities' Medicare and Medicaid funding to staff vaccinations, which the White House said will "ensure consistent and equitable standards across the country." California, New York, New Mexico and Maryland have already mandated healthcare staff be vaccinated. But the requirement could worsen an already precarious workforce crisis and affect facilities' ability to care for residents. (Christ, 8/18)

Roll Call: Biden Ties Federal Funds To Nursing Home Vaccine Mandates 
President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that nursing homes must require their workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to continue receiving Medicare and Medicaid funds. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is expected to release an emergency rule in September affecting 1.3 million staffers in roughly 15,000 nursing homes. Federal data shows that around 60 percent of nursing home staff are currently vaccinated, although that falls as low as 44 percent in some states. (Clason, 8/18)

Indianapolis Star: Biden's Nursing Home Vaccine Order Will Cause Workers To 'Flee,' Indiana Group Says
President Joe Biden’s call for nursing homes to require COVID-19 vaccines for employees will add to staffing problems, Indiana's largest association of nursing homes said Wednesday. The Indiana Health Care Association and Indiana Center for Assisted Living, which represent 460 assisted living providers in the state, say Biden's latest COVID-19 mandate will cause some nursing home workers to leave and go to health care facilities that do not require vaccines. The groups said the directive should apply to health care workers in every setting. (Nelson, 8/18)

NBC News: Biden Says His Administration Will Take On GOP Governors Blocking Masks In Schools
President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he was directing the Education Department to use its legal authority against Republican governors who are trying to block local school officials from requiring students to wear masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Speaking at the White House, Biden said some politicians are trying to turn public safety measures into "political disputes for their own political gain" and warned that they are "setting a dangerous tone." Biden said he had directed Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to wield his oversight authority and take legal action "if appropriate." (Pettypiece, Egan and Alba, 8/18)

Politico: Biden Hits Governors Who 'Intimidate Educators' On Mask Mandates  
President Joe Biden escalated a confrontation with Republican governors over school mask mandates Wednesday, directing the Education Department to “use all available tools” to aid local governments trying to institute the measures. ... "We're not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators protecting our children," Biden said during an address on Wednesday. ... Biden, in a memo sent Wednesday to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, said the Education Department must take action to ensure governors and other officials are allowing a safe return to classrooms and “not standing in the way of local leaders making such preparations.” (Quilantan, 8/18)

The Washington Post: Biden Orders Education Department To Move Against Governors Banning School Mask Mandates 
President Biden ordered Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on Wednesday to take action against governors who have banned universal masking in public schools, taking a tough stand against those who he said are trying to “block and intimidate” local schools officials. At a news conference, Biden said his administration would not “stand by” and allow governors to prevent local districts from “keeping students safe” with masking mandates for the new academic year as cases from the delta variant of the coronavirus are skyrocketing. (Strauss, 8/18)

The New York Times: E.P.A. to Block Pesticide Tied to Neurological Harm in Children
The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that it is banning a common pesticide, widely used since 1965 on fruits and vegetables, from use on food crops because it has been linked to neurological damage in children. The Environmental Protection Agency said this week it would publish a regulation to block the use of chlorpyrifos on food. One of the most widely used pesticides, chlorpyrifos is commonly applied to corn, soybeans, apples, broccoli, asparagus and other produce. (Davenport, 8/18)

NPR: EPA Will Ban A Farming Pesticide Linked To Health Problems In Children
A pesticide that's been linked to neurological damage in children, including reduced IQ, loss of working memory, and attention deficit disorders, has been banned by the Biden administration following a years-long legal battle. Environmental Protection Agency officials issued a final ruling on Wednesday saying chlorpyrifos can no longer be used on the food that makes its way onto American dinner plates. The move is intended to better protect the children and farmworkers, according to the agency. (Romo, 8/18)

CNN: Chlorpyrifos: EPA To Ban Pesticide Tied To Children's Health Problems, Reversing Trump-Era Decision 
A widely used pesticide that could cause potential health issues in children will no longer be used on food in the US, the Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday, reversing a Trump-era decision not to ban the controversial chemical. "Today EPA is taking an overdue step to protect public health. Ending the use of chlorpyrifos on food will help to ensure children, farmworkers, and all people are protected from the potentially dangerous consequences of this pesticide," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement. (Cole and Stark, 8/18)

The New York Times: Richard Sackler Says Family And Purdue Bear No Responsibility For Opioid Crisis 
Deep into the third hour of testimony in federal bankruptcy court by Dr. Richard Sackler, a former president and co-chairman of the board of directors of Purdue Pharma, a prescription opioid manufacturer founded by Sackler family members, a lawyer posed a chain of questions: “Do you have any responsibility for the opioid crisis in the United States?” “No,” Dr. Sackler, 76, replied faintly. “Does the Sackler family have any responsibility for the opioid crisis in the United States?” Again, “No.” And finally: “Does Purdue Pharma have any responsibility for the opioid crisis in the United States?” More firmly: “No.” (Hoffman, 8/18)

AP: Ex-Chair Of Purdue Denies Responsibility For Opioid Crisis
The former president and board chair of the company that makes OxyContin told a court Wednesday that he, his family and the company did not cause the opioid crisis in the United States. Richard Sackler, a member of the family that owns Purdue Pharma, was asked under oath during a federal bankruptcy hearing whether he, his kin or the company bear responsibility. For each, Sackler answered simply: “No.” (Mulvihill, 8/18)

Stat: Sackler Refuses To Pay Opioid Settlement Without Immunity
Amid a contentious bankruptcy court trial, a member of the Sackler family that owns Purdue Pharma said they would not proceed with plans to contribute more than $4.3 billion to settle massive litigation over the opioid crisis unless they are granted immunity from all existing and future legal claims. David Sackler, 41, who is a former Purdue board member and grandson of one of the founders of the drug maker, acknowledged the family has a “moral responsibility to try and help, and that’s what this settlement is designed to do.” But he also maintained that without receiving a global release from legal liability, the carefully crafted settlement would fall apart. (Silverman, 8/18)

USA Today: Washington State Implements Strict Teacher Vaccine Mandate
Washington state is expanding its COVID-19 vaccine mandate to include all public, charter and private school teachers and staff — plus those working at the state's colleges and universities. Those who are not fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 risk losing their jobs, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Wednesday. The policy is the strictest vaccine mandate announced to date for teachers. In other sectors, San Francisco, New York and New Orleans are all requiring vaccines to get into venues. (Aspegren, 8/19)

The New York Times: Washington State Sets Highest Bar Yet For School Vaccine Mandates 
All teachers and school personnel in Washington State — including coaches, bus drivers and volunteers — will need to be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment, under a new policy announced by Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday. The requirement applies to staff regardless of the type of school in which they work: public, charter or private. The policy is the strictest vaccine mandate imposed to date by any state for teachers and other staff members in schools, allowing for only a few exceptions. School staff must be vaccinated by Oct. 18 or face possible dismissal. (Goldstein, 8/19)

Modern Healthcare: Nurses Are Pro-COVID-19 Vaccines And Boosters, Survey Finds
The vast majority of nurses not only support COVID-19 vaccines, but most also back healthcare worker vaccine mandates, according to the findings of a new survey conducted by the American Nurses Association (ANA). The ANA poll, part of its COVID Vaccine Facts for Nurses education campaign, found that 88% of the 4,900 nurses surveyed were vaccinated or planned to get vaccinated and that 79% felt comfortable discussing vaccines and educating patients. According to the survey, 59% of nurses support vaccines mandates in the workplace, while another 12% are in favor of vaccinate mandates for customer-facing employees only. (Christ, 8/18)

New York Post: Unvaccinated NYPD Officers Will Be Disciplined For Not Wearing Masks
The NYPD will discipline unvaccinated cops who don’t mask up while on the job — regardless if they are indoors or outdoors — as city officials try to prevent a surge of serious coronavirus cases in response to the highly infectious Delta variant, The Post has learned. The department’s new guidance for masking was shared with the entire police force Tuesday evening in an administrative bulletin that spelled out instructions for officers to provide proof of the vaccination with the NYPD’s Medical Division, according to a copy of the bulletin obtained by The Post. (McCarthy, 8/18)

AP: Sheriff: New Vegas Police Hires Have To Get COVID-19 Vaccine
New Las Vegas police employees are being required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo told a newspaper. The elected head of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Republican candidate for governor told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in an interview that it was his duty to protect new hires by ensuring they’re inoculated against the coronavirus. (8/19)

The Washington Post: ‘It’s The Height Of Hypocrisy’: After Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Contracts Covid-19, Democrats Ramp Up Calls For Mask Mandates
The news that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has tested positive for the coronavirus has prompted well-wishes from members of both parties — but also calls from some Democrats for Abbott to drop his opposition to mask and vaccination mandates for schools and businesses in his state. ... “I wish Governor Abbott well — no one deserves to be sick or to suffer from this unyielding virus,” Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement Wednesday. “My hope is that the governor will realize how vulnerable we are in the face of this health crisis, stop playing politics, and do what is necessary for the health of all Texans.” (Sonmez and Moravec, 8/18)

Houston Chronicle: Texas School Districts Grapple With How To Enforce Mask Mandates
As students return to campus across Texas, some school districts are requiring masks in defiance of Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on such orders — with little consensus about how to ensure students and staff comply. Houston ISD is among those taking a hardline approach to enforcing their mask mandates, with threats of being sent home and disciplinary action for students who refuse to cover their faces. Other districts said they have no such plans and are hopeful that all students and staff members will abide by the face covering requirement without stirring up drama. (Scherer, 8/18)

Houston Chronicle: Experts Predict Texas COVID Deaths Will Peak In Coming Weeks
As the delta variant of the coronavirus infects more than 10,000 Texans a day and strains the resources of hospitals, state officials must now look toward the final stage of the third COVID wave: fatalities. While hospitalization numbers are nearing the heights they reached during the state’s most fatal surge in January, public health projections indicate that the latest wave will result in fewer deaths — mostly because senior citizens are widely vaccinated and hospital patients are now much younger. Still, state health officials are preparing for the worst, preemptively ordering a fleet of five mortuary trailers from the federal government in case infections spiral. (Harris, 8/18)

Politico: Miami, Tampa Schools Defy DeSantis On Masks Despite Threats
Two of the largest school districts in Florida and the nation on Wednesday bucked the DeSantis administration by passing mask mandates for all students just one day after other school districts in the state were put on notice for taking similar action. By requiring masks, the school districts encompassing Miami and the Tampa area are violating emergency rules from Gov. Ron DeSantis and state agencies meant to thwart local Covid-19 mandates. The Republican governor has shown no desire to turn down the heat on defiant school districts, leaving them open to dire sanctions like officials being ousted from office. (Atterbury, 8/18)

AP: New York Can Require Masks In School, Says Lt. Gov. Hochul
Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday the state has the authority to mandate masks at schools. Hochul, a Democrat, is set to take office as New York’s first female governor on Aug. 24, when Gov. Andrew Cuomo will resign in the wake of an independent investigation that found he sexually harassed at least 11 women. Her assertion about masks in schools is in contrast to guidance from Cuomo, who earlier this month said he lacks the legal authority to impose mask mandates on his own. (Villeneuve, 8/18)

AP: Tennessee's Most Populous County Renews Mask Mandate
The health department in Tennessee’s most populous county reinstituted a face mask requirement Wednesday for indoor public places such as restaurants, bars and other businesses as a surge in COVID-19 cases strains hospital resources and causes concern in schools. A news release from the health department in Shelby County, which includes Memphis, said the mask requirement begins Friday and also applies to gyms, event venues and common areas of hotels and multi-residential buildings. The order also includes businesses such as retail shops, grocery stores and laundries, Shelby County Health Department spokeswoman Joan Carr said. (Sainz and Mattise, 8/18)

The Advocate: As School Starts, More Students Have COVID In Louisiana Schools Than Last Year, New Data Shows
More Louisiana schoolchildren reported testing positive for the deadly coronavirus last week than during any week last school year, which ended in May. It’s yet another indicator of the alarming prevalence of the virus, particularly the more infectious delta variant that has come to dominate the state. The Louisiana Department of Health released this information Wednesday in a weekly report on COVID-19 cases in K-12 schools. That reporting was suspended over the summer but has resumed with the start of the 2021-22 school year. (Lussier, 8/18)

AP: Gulf Coast's Beloved 'Redneck Riviera' Now A Virus Hotspot
Tourists and servers alike dance atop tables and in the aisles at one restaurant on the “Redneck Riviera,” a beloved stretch of towns along the northern Gulf Coast where beaches, bars and stores are packed. Yet just a few miles away, a hospital is running out of critical care beds, its rooms full of unvaccinated people fighting for their lives. On maps that show virus “hot spots” in red, this part of the U.S. coast is glowing like a bad sunburn. And a summer of booming tourism that followed the lockdowns and travel restrictions of 2020 is making the turn toward fall with only a few signs of slowing down. (Reeves, 8/19)

AP: 191 Inmates Test Positive For COVID At Alabama Prison
Nearly 200 inmates tested positive for COVID-19 at a state prison after officials implemented mass testing in the wake of an outbreak at the facility. The Alabama Department of Corrections said in a news release that all Elmore Correctional Facility inmates not currently exhibiting symptoms were tested last week. Out of the 960 asymptomatic inmates, 191 tested positive for COVID-19. Elmore is a medium-security prison that houses about 1,000 inmates. (8/19)

The Washington Post: An Alabama Doctor Watched Patients Reject The Coronavirus Vaccine. Now He’s Refusing To Treat Them.
In Alabama, where the nation’s lowest vaccination rate has helped push the state closer to a record number of hospitalizations, a physician has sent a clear message to his patients: Don’t come in for medical treatment if you are unvaccinated. Jason Valentine, a physician at Diagnostic and Medical Clinic Infirmary Health in Mobile, Ala., posted a photo on Facebook this week of him pointing to a sign taped to a door informing patients of his new policy coming Oct. 1.“Dr. Valentine will no longer see patients that are not vaccinated against covid-19,” the sign reads. (Bella, 8/18)

San Francisco Chronicle: COVID In California: COVID Hospitalizations Reach Winter Surge Levels In Sonoma County
Mass vaccination sites and high demand for shots could soon return to the Bay Area following the White House announcement that booster shots will be available for fully vaccinated people. With federal funds on tap, pressure is mounting for San Francisco to keep its COVID homeless hotels open. Passengers will be required to wear masks on the nation’s trains, buses, airplanes and airports through Jan. 18 in the Bay Area and across the nation under a federal mandate extended Tuesday by the Biden administration. San Francisco will reopen a mass coronavirus testing site amid a rise in new cases, mostly among the unvaccinated. (Vaziri, Beamish and Fracassa, 8/18)

The Hill: 1K Beds In Mississippi Empty Due To Staff Shortage As State Sees Record Hospitalizations
Mississippi health officials said nearly a thousand hospital beds that could be used to treat patients are empty due to staff shortages. “We’re still nowhere near the staff we need for the beds we need,” senior deputy for the Mississippi Department of Health Jim Craig said on Wednesday according to The Associated Press. According to Craig, 73 Mississippi hospitals have requested 1,451 staff members to treat patients. Over 250 people were waiting in emergency rooms for hospital beds as of Wednesday morning the AP reported. (Choi, 8/18)

Bloomberg: NYC Was Unprepared For Pandemic, Lacked Plans, Equipment: Comptroller Stringer
New York City was unprepared to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic and was hampered by a lack of planning and coordination, according to a report issued Wednesday by the city Comptroller. “The failure of the city to better prepare and plan for a pandemic inevitably impacted its ability to respond to Covid-19,” said Comptroller Scott Stringer in the report. Stringer, the city’s chief financial officer, ran unsuccessfully in the June Democratic primary for mayor to replace Bill de Blasio, who is term limited and will leave office at the end of the year. (Wahid, 8/18)

Crain's Detroit Business: Insurers To End No-Fee Programs For COVID-19 Treatment On Oct. 1
With the current COVID-19 surge not expected to peak until mid-October, treatments for the deadly virus are set to cost much more for those infected. Michigan's large health insurers—including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Priority Health—are sunsetting their programs that waived all costs to patients treated for COVID-19. The waiving of cost-sharing for patients expires on Sept. 30 for the two insurers. More than 2 million Americans have checked into hospitals to get treated for severe cases of COVID-19 and many, thanks to insurers and government programs, have received no bills in the mail. (8/18)

Philadelphia Inquirer: COVID-19 Vaccine Is Free, But Medical Bills Or Fear Of Cost A Barrier To Vaccination For Some
Martin Gola knew the COVID-19 vaccine was supposed to be free. So he was surprised when, in July, he received a $32 bill from Nazareth Hospital in Northeast Philadelphia, where he’d gotten the two-dose Moderna vaccine. A few days later came another bill, this one for $79. The 59-year-old Philadelphia resident ignored the bills, but he got worried when weeks later Trinity Health, which owns Nazareth, called to collect on his overdue account. “I said: ‘It’s for COVID, it’s a free shot. I’m not paying that bill.’ They didn’t say anything and we hung up,” Gola recalled. (Gantz, 8/18)

NBC News: Proof Of Vaccination In A Tap? Smartphone Developers Want To Make It That Easy
Smartphone developers are gearing up for a world where users can store their Covid vaccination proof in their phones’ digital wallets, making it easy to simply tap their phones when they enter new buildings. ... Google, Apple and Samsung have all recently announced plans to offer a feature that readily calls up a QR code that can be scanned to quickly verify a user’s vaccination status. (Collier, 8/18)

Sacramento Bee: A Pill For COVID-19? UCSD Scientists Say They’re Able To Deliver Remdesivir In A Capsule
Scientists at University of California, San Diego, have developed a way to put remdesivir and other intravenous COVID-19 treatments into a capsule that patients could safely take orally at home, according to a paper in an online issue of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Since the pandemic began, scientists worldwide have been seeking a treatment that people infected with COVID-19 can take before they are so severely ill that they have to go to a hospital, and the need for it remains pressing as many people are opting not to get the vaccine and are falling ill with variants of the respiratory illness. (Anderson, 8/17)

Modern Healthcare: J&J Partners With AI Startup To Identify Early Lung Cancer Cases
A Johnson & Johnson division focused on developing tools to combat lung cancer is partnering with a clinical decision-support startup that recently achieved regulatory clearance for an early detection tool, the companies announced Wednesday. The Lung Cancer Initiative, a program that cuts across Johnson & Johnson's consumer, diagnostic, medical device and pharmaceutical businesses, has entered into an agreement with Optellum, a startup that uses artificial intelligence to flag patients with early-stage lung cancer, so that clinicians can intervene with treatments sooner. (Kim Cohen, 8/18)

The Washington Post: Airbnb Will Block Some Halloween Reservations To Stave Off Parties 
Airbnb will block some people from making one and two-night reservations for Halloween weekend in the United States and Canada for the second year in a row, after it introduced stricter anti-party policies as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Users who don’t have “a history of positive reviews” will be prohibited from booking one-night reservations for entire properties during Halloween weekend, meaning that one-night stays at “shared” accommodations won’t be impacted. (Pietsch, 8/18)

AP: Appeals Court Upholds Texas Law To Ban Abortion Procedure
A Texas law outlawing an abortion method commonly used to end second-trimester pregnancies was upheld Wednesday by a federal appeals court in New Orleans. The 2017 law in question has never been enforced. It seeks to prohibit the use of forceps to remove a fetus from the womb — what supporters of the law call a “dismemberment abortion” — without first using an injected drug or a suction procedure to ensure the fetus is dead. (McGill, 8/19)

The Hill: Federal Appeals Court Upholds Texas Ban On Standard Abortion Procedure 
Abortion advocates have argued that dilation and evacuation is one of the safest abortion methods in the second trimester of pregnancy, and that fetuses are not able to feel pain during the pregnancy period specified in the Texas law. Amy Hagstrom Miller, president of Whole Woman’s Health, which is one of the plaintiffs in the case, on Wednesday argued that the Texas ban “is about cutting off abortion access, and nothing else.” “In no other area of medicine would politicians consider preventing doctors from using a standard procedure,” she said in a statement. “It should never be a crime for doctors to use their best medical judgment and follow the most current science.” (Castronuovo, 8/18)

The New York Times: Texas Can Ban Common Form Of Second-Trimester Abortion, Appeals Court Rules 
A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld a Texas law banning the most common form of second-trimester abortion, ruling that a lower court had erred in finding that the law imposed “an undue burden on a large fraction of women.” At issue is a Texas law that was passed in 2017 but has not yet been in effect because of legal battles. The law, known as Senate Bill 8, prohibits a dilation-and-evacuation abortion method and requires doctors to use alternative abortion methods, according to Wednesday’s decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. (Paybarah, 8/18)

San Francisco Chronicle: Santa Clara County Wants To Close Airport Tied To High Lead In Kids. Will FAA Let It?
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday night to speed up the closure of Reid-Hillview Airport in East San Jose following a study that found high levels of lead in thousands of children living near the airport. But county officials will need the federal government’s permission to do so.“ This is about environmental justice, public health and equity for ... residents living around Reid-Hillview Airport,” Supervisor Cindy Chavez said in a statement. (Narayan, 8/18)

AP: Nevada Senator Seeks New Ideas To Address Wildfire Smoke
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto is urging firefighters, scientists, teachers and moms to help form new strategies to deal with increasingly unhealthy air quality in Nevada caused by wildfires that continue to worsen and no relief in sight in the years ahead. “This is something that’s happening all the time now,” the Nevada Democrat said at a roundtable gathering in Reno Wednesday with experts who shared their challenges and frustrations on numerous fronts. (Sonner, 8/19)

Oklahoman: Oklahoma Names Its Fourth Medical Marijuana Director In Three Years
Adria Berry is being named the new director of the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. She will be the agency's fourth director in less than three years. Berry is replacing Kelly Williams, who worked as director for nearly a year. Berry, who most recently worked for the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma, will begin as OMMA director on Aug. 30, she said. Berry, an attorney, also advised Gov. Kevin Stitt on marijuana policy during her time as a counselor to the Oklahoma Secretary of State. As OMMA director, Berry said she wants to provide clear direction for the organization, and help make sure that direction is communicated to Oklahomans across the state. (Dishman and Denwalt, 8/18)

The New York Times: Israel, Once The Model For Beating Covid, Faces New Surge Of Infections 
Last spring, Israel’s remarkably swift vaccination campaign was seen as a global model. Coronavirus infections plummeted, an electronic pass allowed the vaccinated to attend indoor concerts and sporting events, and distancing rules and mask mandates were eventually scrapped. Israel offered the world a hopeful glimpse of the way out of the pandemic. No longer. A fourth wave of infections is rapidly approaching the levels of Israel’s worst days of the pandemic last winter. The daily rate of confirmed new virus cases has more than doubled in the last two weeks, making Israel a rising hot spot on the international charts. (Kershner, 8/18)

Bloomberg: Mexico Covid Cases Rise By Record 28,953 Amid Third Wave
Mexico reported a record daily rise in Covid-19 cases with 28,953, bringing the total to 3,152,205, the Health Ministry said in its daily report Wednesday. The ministry reported 940 new Covid-19 deaths for a total of 250,469. Mexico had vaccinated 61% of adults as of Aug. 16 with at least one dose, a little more than half having received complete vaccination, Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said on Twitter on Tuesday. Of Mexico’s Covid-19 deaths in 2021, 95.5% were unvaccinated people, 2.5% were partially vaccinated and 2% vaccinated, Lopez-Gatell said. (Orozco, 8/18)

AP: US Urges Over 150 World Leaders Not To Come To UN Over COVID
The United States is urging the more than 150 countries planning to send their leader or a government minister to New York to speak in person at the U.N. General Assembly next month to consider giving a video address instead to prevent the annual high-level week from becoming “a super-spreader event.” A note from the U.S. Mission sent to the 192 other U.N. member nations also called for all other U.N.-hosted meetings and side events to be virtual, saying these parallel meetings that draw travelers to New York “needlessly increase risk to our community, New Yorkers and the other travelers.” (Lederer, 8/19)

Stat: WHO Urges Roche To Ensure Equitable Access Of Covid-19 Treatment
The World Health Organization and Unitaid called on Roche (RHHBY) to ensure that existing doses of its Actemra medicine, which is being used to treat Covid-19 patients, are equally available to low and middle-income countries in the face of a global shortage. In a joint statement, the global health agencies praised the drug maker for addressing the shortage by working with contract manufacturers and distributors to manage production and supplies. But the agencies want the company to transfer technology, as well as share know-how and data, to increase the number of qualified manufacturers. The WHO is soliciting interest from other companies. (Silverman, 8/18)

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Officials In Germany Hit By Havana Syndrome 
At least two U.S. officials stationed in Germany sought medical treatment after developing symptoms of the mysterious health complaint known as Havana Syndrome, U.S. diplomats said. The symptoms, which included nausea, severe headaches, ear pain, fatigue, insomnia and sluggishness, began to emerge in recent months and some victims were left unable to work, the diplomats said. They are the first cases to be reported in a NATO country that hosts U.S. troops and nuclear weapons. (Pancevski, 8/18)

CIDRAP: World Flu Activity Stays Sporadic; Flu B More Common Than Flu A
Global flu activity remained at very low levels, as it has for much of the COVID-19 pandemic, with influenza B the most commonly detected strain, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest update, which covers the last half of July. Flu is still at interseasonal levels in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Sporadic detections were reported in some parts of the world, including western and eastern Africa and in some South Asian countries, including India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. (8/18)