Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Global Life Expectancy Dipped By 1.6 Years From 2019 To 2021
CIDRAP: By 2022, COVID Pandemic Had Shaved 1.6 Years From Global Life Expectancy, Research Reveals
In a stunning reversal of decades of progress, global life expectancy at birth fell 1.6 years from 2019 to 2021, with 16 million of 131 million total deaths in 2020 and 2021 directly or indirectly attributable to COVID-19, reveals one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind published yesterday in The Lancet. (Van Beusekom, 3/12)
The New York Times: Marking The 4-Year Anniversary Of The Covid Pandemic
Covid was declared a national emergency on March 13, 2020. Even as the threat of severe illness and death has faded, the pandemic’s effects linger. (Bosman, 3/13)
Bay Area News Group: Hidden COVID Virus Found Nearly Two Years After Infection
Pieces of the COVID virus can lurk in our blood and tissue for almost two years after the initial illness has vanished, a discovery that might offer clues to the mystery of lingering post-infection disability, according to new research from UC San Francisco. (Krieger, 3/12)
AP: U.S. Airport Nasal Swabbing Expanding To Chicago And Miami
The nation’s top public health agency is expanding a program that tests international travelers for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program asks arriving international passengers to volunteer to have their noses swabbed and answer questions about their travel. The program operates at six airports and on Tuesday, the CDC said it was adding two more — Chicago’s O’Hare and Miami. (Stobbe, 3/12)
In related news —
CIDRAP: Pneumococcal Vaccines May Protect Against Viral Respiratory Infections, Study Finds
In addition to preventing pneumococcal disease, pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) are associated with some protection against viral respiratory tract infections (RTIs), according to a systematic literature review published yesterday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. (Dall, 3/12)
