First Edition: Dec. 20, 2021
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KHN:
Local Pharmacists Fill Rx Void As Big Brands Pull Out Of Rural Areas
Bill Mather, a pharmacist in the small Iowa city of Greenfield, wanted to make sure his neighbors could fill their prescriptions without driving long distances or enduring long wait times. So when pharmacy chains and big-box stores began expanding into rural markets, he sold his drugstore in 2007 to Pamida, a grocery chain owned by the Shopko department store company, hoping that would keep his practice alive. Then, in 2019, when Shopko declared bankruptcy, shuttering more than 360 stores, he and another Shopko pharmacist helped open a new drugstore for the city of about 2,000 people. (Hawryluk, 12/20)
KHN:
The Vaccine Rollout Was A Success. But Events Within And Beyond Biden’s Control Stymied Progress
Eleven months ago, President Joe Biden assumed office during one of the most critical moments of the covid-19 pandemic. Case counts and death rates were shockingly high. The vaccine rollout, which had started under former President Donald Trump, was disjointed. People were generally sequestered in their homes, and kids were relegated to remote learning. Biden promised to change all that. He said he would differ from Trump in that he would listen to the scientists, encourage the use of masks and give the federal government a stronger role in addressing the pandemic. He also pledged to deliver the “most efficient mass vaccination plan in U.S. history” and to get 100 million covid shots administered in his first 100 days. (Knight, 12/20)
KHN:
Vaccine Promoters Struggle To Get People Boosted In California’s Fields
Since the start of the pandemic, Luz Gallegos and her team of 56 advocates for immigrants have battled the scorching sun, illiteracy and deadly propaganda in the fields and fruit groves of the Coachella Valley. As they fanned out to educate farmworkers on how to protect themselves from covid-19, they quickly learned that rumors and disinformation often account for most of the news farmworkers in the area are getting about the disease. The need for boosters and the looming threat of the omicron variant have made covid communication extra challenging. (de Marco, 12/20)
KHN:
Journalists Review Public Views On Vaccines And The Arc Of Covid Testing
KHN correspondent Rachana Pradhan discussed how the public opinion of vaccines has changed in the past year with Newsy on Tuesday and how supply chain disruptions hurt hospital care with KCRW’s “Press Play” podcast. ... KHN interim Southern bureau editor Andy Miller discussed the health and economic benefits of testing incarcerated people for HIV on WUGA’s “Georgia Health Report” on Dec. 10. (12/18)
The New York Times:
Manchin Pulls Support From Biden’s Social Policy Bill, Imperiling Its Passage
Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia, said on Sunday that he could not support President Biden’s signature $2.2 trillion social safety net, climate and tax bill, dooming his party’s drive to pass its marquee domestic policy legislation as written. The comments from Mr. Manchin, a longtime centrist holdout, dealt the latest and perhaps a fatal blow to the centerpiece of Mr. Biden’s domestic agenda, barely a day after senators left Washington for the year after Democrats conceded they could not yet push through any of their top legislative priorities, from the social policy bill to a voting rights overhaul. (Cochrane and Edmondson, 12/19)
The Hill:
White House Says Manchin Went Back On His Word
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) opposition to President Biden's social spending package was "a breach of his commitments," calling his reversal on the bill "inexplicable." "Senator Manchin’s comments this morning on FOX are at odds with his discussions this week with the President, with White House staff, and with his own public utterances," Psaki said in a statement on Sunday shortly after Manchin told Fox's Bret Baier that he was a "no" on the legislation. (Gangitano, 12/19)
Politico:
White House Lights Up Manchin After He Crushes Biden's Megabill
With an evenly split Senate, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer needs every Democrat to go along with the legislation, which only requires a simple majority vote. That dynamic gives Manchin enormous leverage over Biden's agenda, allowing him to single-handedly sink a priority that Democrats have spent much of the year working on. Manchin’s rollout on Fox News infuriated Democrats Sunday morning. Psaki said that the senator had brought Biden an outline of a bill similar in size and scope that "could lead to a compromise acceptable to all." (Everett, Wu and Lemire, 12/19)
NBC News:
Democrats Plot Next Steps After Manchin Knifes Biden's Build Back Better Act
Democrats, stunned and angry at Sen. Joe Manchin's move Sunday to knife the Build Back Better Act, are grappling with whether President Joe Biden's signature legislation can be salvaged in a smaller form. Based on remarks by Manchin, D-W.Va., some lawmakers see a glimmer of hope that the roughly $2 trillion bill could still be restructured to meet his demands, albeit with painful sacrifices. Put another way: The patient may not have a heartbeat, but they believe it can still be resuscitated. (Kapur, 12/20)
Politico:
How 14 Policies Could Survive — Or Die — After Manchin’s ‘No’
Here‘s where Manchin stands on individual pieces of the president’s plan: What’s in it: Expanded Medicare benefits to include dental, vision and hearing. That coverage would be phased in over most of the next decade. Manchin's take: Manchin objected to adding new benefits, warning the entitlement program is headed toward insolvency in its present form. He eventually acceded to a pared-back plan to cover just hearing, but then said that even those benefits may be a problem — citing concerns about the program’s cash flow. (Scholtes, Bustillo and Choi, 12/19)
Bloomberg:
Goldman Cuts US GDP Forecast After Manchin Rejects Biden's $2 Trillion Bill
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. cut its forecast for U.S. economic growth after Senator Joe Manchin rejected the Biden administration’s roughly $2 trillion tax-and-spend program, leaving Democrats with few options for reviving the economic agenda. (Heath and Chua, 12/19)
NBC News:
Moderna Says Covid Booster Effective Against Omicron, But Will Still Develop New Shot
The drug company said its currently FDA-approved 50 microgram booster was found to increase neutralizing antibody levels against omicron 37-fold compared to pre-boost levels. Meanwhile, it found that a 100 microgram booster dose gave an 83-fold increase in neutralizing antibody levels. The company said it would still be working to develop an omicron-specific booster, however, with the shot expected to advance into clinical trials in early 2022.(DaSilva, 12/20)
CNBC:
Moderna Says Booster Effective Against Omicron In Tests, Will Still Develop New Shot
Moderna said Monday its Covid-19 booster does appear to provide protection against omicron, but the drug company will still be developing a new shot specific to the variant currently surging across the world. In an announcement early Monday, Moderna said preliminary data from lab testing found the version of its booster currently in use in the United States and elsewhere provided increased antibody levels to neutralize the virus. But it also found that a double dose of the booster shot provided a much greater increase in those levels. (Da Silva, 12/20)
Bloomberg:
Moderna’s Third Dose Boosts Antibodies Against Omicron
A third dose of Moderna Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine increased antibody levels against the omicron variant, results the company described as reassuring while it works on a shot tailored to the new strain. A 50 microgram booster dose - the authorized amount, which is half the dose used for primary immunization - saw a 37-fold increase in neutralizing antibodies, the company said in a statement Monday. The company also tested a 100 microgram dose, which increased antibody levels 83-fold compared with the primary two-dose course. (Ring and Kresge, 12/20)
Stat:
Moderna Pauses Bitter Dispute With The NIH Over Covid-19 Vaccine Patents
Moderna has halted a rancorous patent dispute with the U.S. government over assigning credit for its Covid-19 vaccine, saying the ongoing quarrel “could interfere with further discussions aimed at an amicable resolution” with the National Institutes of Health. The move comes amid intensifying complaints that many vaccine makers are failing to make their intellectual property available so that still other companies can produce vaccines needed for a global eradication campaign. Moderna, which recently projected $18 billion in vaccine sales this year, has been a particular focus of criticism because U.S. taxpayers provided $2.5 billion to help develop the shot. (Silverman, 12/19)
Reuters:
New Zealand Links 26-Year-Old Man's Death To Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine
New Zealand authorities on Monday said they had linked a 26-year-old man's death to Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine after the person suffered myocarditis, a rare inflammation of the heart muscle, after taking his first dose. The death is New Zealand's second linked to a known but rare side effect from the vaccine after health authorities in August reported a woman had died after taking her doses. (12/19)
CNN:
Dr. Francis Collins: Outgoing NIH Director Says Trump And Other Republicans Pressured Him To Endorse Unproven Covid-19 Remedies And To Fire Fauci
The outgoing director of the National Institutes of Health said Sunday that he faced political pressure from then-President Donald Trump and other Republicans to endorse unproven Covid-19 remedies such as hydroxychloroquine and to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Francis Collins, whose last day as NIH director is Sunday, told CBS News that he got a "talking to" by Trump, but that he held his ground and would have resigned if Trump made him endorse remedies for Covid-19 that were not based in science. (McPhillips and Cole, 12/19)
CBS News:
Biden To Deliver Address On COVID Omicron Variant Tuesday
President Biden plans to speak about the Omicron variant on Tuesday, a White House official confirmed to CBS News. Mr. Biden's speech comes as the nation sees a spike in COVID-19 cases. "Building off his Winter Plan, the President will announce new steps the Administration is taking to help communities in need of assistance, while also issuing a stark warning of what the winter will look like for Americans that choose to remain unvaccinated," the official said. (Ake and Reardon, 12/18)
AP:
Fauci Says Omicron Variant Is `Just Raging Around The World'
The COVID-19 omicron variant is “just raging around the world,” the White House’s top medical adviser said Sunday as President Joe Biden prepares to issue “a stark warning of what the winter will look like” for unvaccinated Americans. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease expert, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “the real problem” for the U.S. hospital system is that “we have so many people in this country who are eligible to be vaccinated who have not yet been vaccinated.” (Boak, 12/19)
NPR:
U.S. Could See 1 Million Cases Per Day, Warns Departing NIH Director Francis Collins
After spending more than 12 years as director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis Collins is retiring this weekend. But he's no less worried about the public health agency's latest pandemic curveball. As the omicron variant threatens record-breaking rates of infections in the U.S., Collins departs with a warning. If Americans don't take COVID-19 seriously, the country could see 1 million daily infections, he said. "We cannot afford to let down our guard," Collins told NPR's Scott Detrow in an interview with Weekend Edition. (Bowman, 12/19)
Politico:
De Blasio Tells Biden: New York Needs Help Now
Outgoing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is urging the Biden administration to send help as the Covid-19 Omicron variant rises dramatically in the city's five boroughs. The variant's lightning-fast spread in the city forced the cancellation of Radio City Music Hall's annual "Christmas Spectacular" over the weekend and led Saturday Night Live to broadcast without a live studio audience and with a smaller cast. (Garcia, 12/19)
The New York Times:
New York City Weighs Fate Of New Year’s Eve Celebration
Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city was weighing whether the annual New Year’s Eve ball-drop celebration in Times Square would be held as planned amid the Omicron virus variant’s rapid spread through New York City.Mr. de Blasio said Sunday that he was in talks with the sponsors of the gathering, but noted that the event was outside and required proof of vaccination. He promised to have a decision one way or the other before Christmas. (Ashford, 12/19)
CNN:
3 Democratic Lawmakers Announce Positive Covid-19 Tests
Three Democratic members of Congress announced Sunday that they have breakthrough coronavirus infections. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey as well as Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado shared that they had tested positive for Covid-19 via tweets from their official accounts. They all reported having received Covid-19 booster shots and experiencing mild symptoms. (Clary, 12/19)
Houston Chronicle:
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner Says He Has COVID-19, Plans To Isolate
“I was not feeling well overnight and thought I was suffering from allergies or a sinus infection, so I decided to get tested before starting my daily schedule,” Turner said in a statement released by his office. The diagnosis comes as cases are again rising in the region. Average daily cases in the Texas Medical Center reached an eight-week high, officials confirmed earlier this week, tripling the daily caseload of the previous week. That has led to a renewed focus on vaccine preparedness before the Christmas travel period, including a free citywide vaccine clinic in downtown Houston on Friday, where Turner was supposed to be among the featured guests. (Begley and Bauman, 12/17)
Axios:
Washington State Senator Dies Month After Revealing COVID Illness
Washington state Sen. Doug Ericksen, a rigid conservative, died last Friday at age 52, his family confirmed in a statement Saturday. The Washington Republican's death Friday came a month after he told a local radio station that he had tested positive for coronavirus while in El Salvador, per CNN. Ericksen's cause of death has not been made public. Ericksen was elected to the state Senate after serving six terms in the state House, according to his website. (Reyes, 12/19)
Fox News:
Move Over Superman, COVID-19 ‘Super Immunity’ Possible After Breakthrough Infections, Study Finds
Even though there’s only one Superman, "super immunity" may be possible in vaccinated patients who develop COVID-19 breakthrough infections. These patients generate antibodies that were as much as 1,000% more effective than compared to those generated two weeks after the second Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, according to a Journal of the American Medical Association article published this week. "We have not examined the omicron variant specifically, but based on the results of this study we would anticipate that breakthrough infections from the omicron variant will generate a similarly strong immune response among vaccinated people," senior author Dr. Fikadu Tafesse noted in a press release. (Sudhakar, 12/19)
CNBC:
Pfizer Executives Say Covid Could Become Endemic By 2024
Covid will become an endemic disease as early as 2024, Pfizer executives said Friday, meaning the virus will transition from a global emergency to a constant presence causing regional outbreaks across the world — much like the flu. “We believe Covid will transition to an endemic state, potentially by 2024,” Nanette Cocero, global president of Pfizer Vaccines, said during an investor call Friday. (Miao, 12/17)
AP:
Troops Find Religious Exemption For Vaccines Unattainable
More than 12,000 military service members refusing the COVID-19 vaccine are seeking religious exemptions, and so far they are having zero success. That total lack of approvals is creating new tensions within the military, even as the vast majority of the armed forces have gotten vaccinated. The services, urgently trying to keep the coronavirus pandemic in check by getting troops vaccinated, are now besieged with exemption requests they are unlikely to approve. Meanwhile, troops claiming religious reasons for avoiding the shots are perplexed because exemptions are theoretically available, yet seem impossible to obtain. (Baldor, 12/19)
Reuters:
U.S. Administers 495 Mln Doses Of COVID-19 Vaccines - CDC
The United States has administered 495,101,938 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country as of Sunday morning and distributed 605,236,885 doses, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Those figures are up from the 493,632,529 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by Saturday out of 605,954,475 doses delivered. (12/19)
Axios:
Report: CDC Overcounts Millions Of Vaccinations
The U.S. government has overcounted the number of Americans who are at least partly vaccinated against the coronavirus, Bloomberg reports. Millions more people than initially thought are unprotected as coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths are rising across the country. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was revised last weekend for the number of people 65 and older who have received at least one shot, according to Bloomberg. The CDC lowered the percentage vaccinated from 99.9%, where it had been for weeks, to 95%, without changing the raw shot totals. (Dam, 12/18)
The Washington Post:
Less Than A Third Of People Have Boosters In The U.S., And Some Medical Experts Are Calling For More Urgency
Officials and public health experts are strengthening their calls for people to get booster shots as the omicron variant proliferates across the United States, where less than a third of the fully vaccinated population has received an additional coronavirus vaccine dose. As of Sunday, more than 60.2 million booster doses had been administered across the country — that’s enough for about 30 percent of the fully vaccinated U.S. population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 54 percent of vaccinated people 65 years and older have gotten a booster, the CDC said. (Firozi and Villegas, 12/19)
The Hill:
Nursing Homes Scramble To Get Residents Boosted
Nursing homes are scrambling to get residents vaccinated with coronavirus booster shots, as the looming omicron wave brings new urgency to the effort. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 55 percent of nursing home residents have received a booster shot, despite being eligible for more than two months. Officials more recently said the number has risen to 60 percent. Infections among nursing home residents have been rising in recent weeks, averaging close to 4,000 new cases a week. (Weixel, 12/19)
Politico:
Colorado Governor Supports Redefining What It Means To Be Fully Vaccinated
After a series of controversial remarks about the pandemic, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Sunday said his state is likely headed toward changing the definition of what it means to be “fully vaccinated” to a three-dose regimen. “It looks like from everything that we know that to significantly reduce the risk of the Omicron variant, three doses of the vaccine are needed,” Polis told NBC’s Chuck Todd on “Meet the Press.” (Greene, 12/19)
AP:
NHL Stops Cross-Border Games, Shuts Down 7th Team
The NHL and its players association temporarily clamped down on teams crossing the Canadian border and shut down operations of two more teams on Sunday for a total of seven in hopes of salvaging the season as COVID-19 outbreaks spread across the league. The Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs were added to the list of teams told to shut down operations, joining the Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins. (12/20)
USA Today:
'Everything Was So Confusing': 44 People Test Positive For COVID On Royal Caribbean Symphony Of The Seas Ship
At least 44 people on board Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas ship that ended a 7-day cruise in Miami on Saturday were positive for COVID-19 during the sailing, the cruise line said. Those 44 people who tested positive represented 0.72% of the 6,074 passengers and crew members on board Symphony of the Seas, which left Miami on Dec. 11and made stops in St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and Perfect Day at CocoCay (Royal Caribbean's private island), spokesperson Lyan Sierra-Caro told USA TODAY. (Hines, 12/19)
The New York Times:
Covid Surge Puts Many Americans On Edge About Traveling
Across the nation, Covid-19 cases are surging and the Omicron variant is spreading, throwing the scheduling of schools, concerts and sports leagues into question. Just days away from a holiday weekend, Americans are also grappling with whether to change their traveling or gathering plans. Millions are forging ahead, but, for many, a sense of unease has crept in. “My entire family is pretty uncertain about what to do there, what the rules should be,” Max Farmer, 24, who lives in San Francisco, said. “With Omicron, there’s just a lot of uncertainty.” (Heyward, 12/19)
The Wall Street Journal:
Covid-19 Tests Get Harder To Find As Omicron Variant Spreads
Waiting times for Covid-19 tests are growing in parts of the U.S. as concerns over the Omicron variant, new infections and the coming holidays drive up demand. Websites for CVS Health Corp. and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. showed some parts of the country with no available testing appointments until later next week or more than a week out. CVS said people might need to wait a couple of days to get a test appointment in places where demand is high. A Walgreens spokeswoman said availability varies by region. (Abbott and Terlep, 12/19)
Axios:
Omicron Surge Pushes Elite Colleges Back Into 2020 Mode
The rapid spread of the Omicron variant is forcing colleges and universities to adjust their pandemic policies, with Harvard announcing Saturday that it will go remote for the first three weeks of January in an attempt to stymie the spread on campus. Omicron is threatening to overturn the new normal as it drives COVID-19 cases to double every 1.5 to 3 days in areas where there is community spread. (Saric, 12/19)
USA Today:
CDC: Unvaccinated Kids Exposed To COVID Can Stay In School If Tested
With a potential surge in COVID-19 cases in the coming weeks, the Biden administration on Friday pressed its new strategy to reduce the time unvaccinated children miss in school after a virus exposure. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the "test to stay" strategy would increase testing of children and their close contacts after an exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in order to prevent the child from having to isolate at home and miss time in class. The new guideline allows unvaccinated children to remain in school after an exposure under certain circumstances, including undergoing multiple tests. For children to remain in school, two negative tests within a week after the exposure are required. (Tebor and Miller, 12/18)
AP:
Schools Use Therapy-Based Programs For 'Overwhelmed' Kids
On a windy December morning in rural southwest Michigan, an American flag flapped at half-staff outside Paw Paw Early Elementary School. A social worker with a miniature therapy dog named Trixie offered comfort at the entry doors. Children wearing face masks scampered off buses into the morning chill, some stooping to pet the shaggy pup before ambling inside. Like kids in so many cities and towns around the globe, the youngsters in Michigan’s Van Buren Intermediate School District have been through a lot these past few years. A relentless pandemic that continues to disrupt classrooms, sicken friends and loved ones, and has left some district families jobless and homeless. Three student suicide attempts since in-person school resumed full-time this fall, two student suicides last year. And now, a deadly shooting just two days earlier at a school a few hours away. (Tanner, 12/20)
The Boston Globe:
What Happens When Students Remove Masks? These Mass. Schools Are Finding Out.
At least five schools in Massachusetts — including Westborough’s high school and middle school, Norwell High School, and King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham — have allowed vaccinated students to unmask. Most of the school districts have not seen significant increases in COVID cases among students or staff, state data show. Until this past week, neither had Hopkinton High. But as of Friday, the school had recorded 15 new cases. “It’s been exciting to get back to some sense of normalcy, but as we’re seeing an uptick in cases, we’re once again getting reality shoved at us,” said Hopkinton math teacher Jenna Galster, whose statistics class was about half-masked Thursday. To become exempt from the state’s school mask mandate, the schools had to first attest to the state that 80 percent of students and staff were fully vaccinated. (Martin, 12/19)
The Washington Post:
What Home Supplies Should You Have If Someone Is Infected?
It’s a good idea to keep some basic supplies at home if you do get a case of covid-19 that doesn’t require hospitalization. Sterling N. Ransone, a family physician in Deltaville, Va., and president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, recommends putting together a kit with a few of these key items. (12/19)
Reuters:
Oracle Plans To Buy Cerner For 'Mid 90's' Per Share - CNBC Reporter
Enterprise software maker Oracle Corp expects to buy electronic medical records company Cerner Corp in an all-cash deal for "mid 90's" per share, a CNBC reporter tweeted on Sunday, citing sources. The deal could be announced Monday morning, according to the tweet. (12/19)
AP:
Jurors Begin To Weigh Evidence In Elizabeth Holmes' Case
The jurors now responsible for assessing 11 charges of fraud and conspiracy against former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes are scheduled to begin their first full day of deliberations Monday. They have plenty of evidence to review after a three-month trial that captivated Silicon Valley. That included the testimony of 32 witnesses — including Holmes herself — and more than 900 exhibits. The eight men and four women on the jury took the weekend off after Judge Edward Davila handed them the case late Friday afternoon. They are charged with decide whether Holmes turned her blood-testing startup into a massive scam. If convicted on all counts, Holmes, 37, could face up to 20 years in prison. (Liedtke, 12/20)
Modern Healthcare:
Data Breaches Reported So Far This Year Have Surpassed Full-Year 2020
The latest data from the Human Services Department's Office for Civil Rights show the largest number of healthcare data breaches in a year since regulators started tallying them in 2010. This year's total beat last year's by a single incident. These breaches didn't affect as many patients as the worst year on record. Nealy 43 million patients' data were compromised in 2021, fewer than half the number recorded in 2015, when bad actors accessed confidential information on 112.5 million people. This year did see more data breaches than the previous two years, however. (Kim Cohen, 12/17)
The New York Times:
A Popular Test Claims To Boost I.V.F. Success. The Science Is Unclear.
For patients undergoing in vitro fertilization, there is a common test to help determine the best time to transfer the embryo for a successful pregnancy. But new research has patients and doctors questioning whether the test — one of a growing number of expensive “add-ons” for I.V.F. patients — is effective for first-time patients. The test, called an endometrial receptivity analysis, takes a biopsy of the interior lining of the uterus. Then a lab analyzes the tissue for more than 200 genes to predict the best time to place the embryo in the uterus, according to the test’s manufacturer, Igenomix. (Klein, 12/18)
NBC News:
‘Get That Money!’ Dermatologist Says Patient Care Suffered After Private Equity-Backed Firm Bought Her Practice
The email to the health care workers was like something out of “The Wolf of Wall Street.” “We are in the last few days of the month and are only 217 appointments away from meeting our budget,” the August 2020 memo stated. “Don’t forget the August bonus incentive for all patients scheduled in August! That’s the easiest money you can make. Get that money!!”The “Get that money!!” entreaty wasn’t addressed to a bunch of hard-charging, coke-snorting stockbrokers. It went to Michigan-based employees of Pinnacle Dermatology, a private equity-owned group of 90 dermatology practices across America. (Morgenson, 12/20)
Reuters:
P&G Recalls Some Conditioner, Shampoo Sprays On Finding Carcinogens
Procter & Gamble Co said on Friday it was voluntarily recalling some dry conditioner and shampoo sprays sold in the United States and Canada from its Pantene and Herbal Essences brands due to the presence of a cancer-causing chemical. The recall also includes products from its Aussie and Waterless brands made in the United States and some discontinued items from its Old Spice and Hair Food brands, in which P&G said it detected "unexpected levels" of benzene, a human carcinogen. (12/17)
Dallas Morning News:
American Red Cross Calls For Blood Donations Ahead Of Holidays During Lowest Supply In Over A Decade
The American Red Cross is urging people to donate blood as the organization experiences the lowest blood supply and donor turnout that it’s had ahead of the holiday season in more than a decade. While donor turnout typically declines during the holidays, turnout in recent months has been especially low and especially troubling, said Krystal Smith, communications director for the American Red Cross North Texas Region. Blood shortages mean patients who are seriously injured may not be able to get blood transfusions they need, and can lead to some patients deferring major surgeries such as organ transplants. (Marfin, 12/17)
CNBC:
Public Health Emergency End Could Cause Millions To Lose Medicaid Coverage
Each morning when Christina Preston enters the West Community Opportunity Center that serves Ohio’s Franklin County, she knows she and her staff are going to be flooded with calls and applications from people in desperate need of help. Their despair could become even more acute next month as the national public health emergency comes to an end. That could lead to millions of people losing access to Medicaid and other benefits. (McCausland, 12/19)
AP:
Louisiana Offers New Autism Designator For Driver's Licenses
People with autism can now get that designation added to their Louisiana driver’s license. Customers can request to have an “autism” indicator added to their licenses if they have documentation to prove that a qualified medical or mental health professional has diagnosed them with autism, the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles said. The autism indicator will appear under the license photo and can also be displayed through the LA Wallet app. (12/19)
AP:
Alabama Sees Slight Decline In Infant Mortality
Alabama has tied its lowest infant mortality rate, matching a mark set in 2018, but remained significantly above the national rate for babies dying before their first birthday. Alabama’s infant mortality rate was 7.0 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2020, compared to a provisional national rate of 5.5 per 1,000, the Alabama Department of Public Health said in a news release. The 2020 numbers continued longstanding racial disparities. (12/19)
The Washington Post:
Pennsylvania Woman Delivers Baby As Tesla Helps Drive Her To The Hospital
Yiran Sherry woke up a September morning to do laundry at her Pennsylvania home and to prepare her 3-year-old son for school. But those plans of going about her daily chores were thwarted when her daughter decided to make her debut to the world in the front-passenger seat of a black model 3 Tesla. “I was anticipating a nice day at the hospital,” her husband, Keating Sherry, 34, said in an interview. “This one, it was a shock.” Their daughter is believed to be the world’s first Tesla baby, the Guardian reported. (Beachum, 12/19)
AP:
Israel To Ban Travel To US, Canada Over Omicron Variant
Israeli ministers on Monday agreed to ban travel to the United States, Canada and eight other countries amid the rapid, global spread of the omicron variant. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s office announced the decision following a Cabinet vote. The rare move to red-list the U.S. comes amid rising coronavirus infections in Israel and marks a change to pandemic practices between the two nations with close diplomatic relations. The U.S. will join a growing list of European countries and other destinations to which Israelis are barred from traveling, and from which returning travelers must remain in quarantine. (12/20)
Bloomberg:
Europe Covid Restrictions Are Getting Worse
Europe’s biggest countries are introducing more curbs to fight a surge in Covid-19 infections, from another lockdown in the Netherlands to stricter travel restrictions at the height of the holiday period. The continent faces a critical week of decisions that could disrupt people’s Christmas and New Year’s plans as the spread of the highly-transmissible omicron strain slams already weary populations. At the same time, a debate continues to rage over whether the omicron variant produces milder illness than previous strains, and how to effectively combat the mutation. (Gretler, 12/19)
The Hill:
Europe Gives US Gloomy Portrait Of What's To Come With Omicron
Several experts said data is signaling the country is heading for a rough next few weeks coinciding with the holiday season, with Michael Osterholm, the director for the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. He called it “a perfect storm in all regards.” “We're going to end up in a viral blizzard here in this country in the next three to eight weeks,” the former Biden adviser told The Hill. (Coleman, 12/19)
AP:
Netherlands Enters Strict Lockdown Amid Omicron Surge
Nations across Europe moved to reimpose tougher measures to stem a new wave of COVID-19 infections spurred by the highly transmissible Omicron variant, with the Netherlands leading the way by imposing a nationwide lockdown. All non-essential stores, bars and restaurants in the Netherlands will be closed until January 14 starting Sunday, caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said at a hastily arranged press conference Saturday night. Schools and universities will shut until January 9, he said. In what is surely to prove a major disappointment, the lockdown terms also rein in private holiday celebrations. Residents only will be permitted two visitors except for Christmas and New Year's, when four will be allowed, according to Rutte. (12/19)
Bloomberg:
Covid Hospitalizations Spike In London As Omicron Spreads
The number of people hospitalized with coronavirus is starting to rise in London, the latest sign that omicron has taken hold in the capital. It comes as the U.K. reported its third consecutive day of record numbers of new coronavirus cases. Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, warned on Wednesday that the “phenomenal pace” at which the strain is spreading will trigger a surge in admissions to hospital over Christmas. That now appears to be happening in London. There were more than 1,500 people hospitalized with coronavirus in the city on Friday, a rise of almost 30% from a week earlier, the latest data from NHS England show. (Capel, 12/17)
The New York Times:
Most Of The World’s Vaccines Likely Won’t Prevent Infection From Omicron
A growing body of preliminary research suggests the Covid vaccines used in most of the world offer almost no defense against becoming infected by the highly contagious Omicron variant. All vaccines still seem to provide a significant degree of protection against serious illness from Omicron, which is the most crucial goal. But only the Pfizer and Moderna shots, when reinforced by a booster, appear to have initial success at stopping infections, and these vaccines are unavailable in most of the world. (Nolen, 12/19)
Stat:
The Tragedy Of Johnson & Johnson’s Covid Vaccine
Johnson & Johnson’s Covid vaccine was going to be a shot for the world. Now, under the weight of a mountain of bad PR, one wonders if the world will want it. On Thursday, a panel advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted unanimously that the shots developed by Pfizer and Moderna should be recommended over the J&J one. That won’t matter much to J&J as a business — in the third quarter the vaccine generated only $500 million of the company’s $23 billion in revenue. But the recommendation is confusing news for the public, a slight to one of the world’s largest drug companies, and a disappointing setback for researchers, both inside and outside J&J, who hoped that the shot and the technology behind it would make a huge difference in the fight against a raging global pandemic. (Herper, 12/17)
Axios:
WHO: Omicron COVID-19 Variant Detected In 89 Countries
The Omicron variant has been detected in 89 countries and has a "substantial growth advantage" over the Delta variant, the World Health Organization announced. COVID-19 cases detected with the newest variant are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in areas where there is community spread, WHO said. "Omicron is spreading rapidly in countries with high levels of population immunity," said the organization. It added: "Given current available data, it is likely that Omicron will outpace Delta where community transmission occurs." (Doherty, 12/18)