Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
NIH Ceases Offering Covid Treatment Guidance
NPR: In A Pandemic Milestone, The NIH Ends Guidance On COVID Treatment
Lately, the development of new COVID-19 treatments has slowed to a drip, prompting the guideline group to rethink its efforts. "I don't know that there was a perfect moment [to end it], but ... the frequency of calls that we needed to have began to decrease, and then on occasion we would be canceling one of our regularly scheduled calls," says Lane. "It's probably six months ago we started talking about — What will be the end? How do we end it in a way that we don't create a void?" (Huang, 3/19)
CIDRAP: Transportation, Treasury Departments Need To Prep For Infectious Disease Outbreaks, Track Aid Money, Report Urges
The Department of Transportation (DOT) hasn't created a national aviation preparedness plan for infectious disease outbreaks, despite a 2015 US Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendation to do so, according to a new report on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. When tasked with identifying pandemic lessons for the report, the GAO reviewed more than 20 of its previous reports and documents from offices of inspectors general and aviation stakeholders and interviewed officials from the DOT and the Department of the Treasury. (Van Beusekom, 3/19)
Wyoming Public Radio: After Three Years, COVID-19 Is No Longer A Leading Cause Of Death In Wyoming
COVID-19 is no longer among the top five causes of death for Wyoming residents, according to newly published Department of Health statistics for 2023. The coronavirus had been a leading cause of death for Wyomingites ever since 2020. (Victor, 3/19)
San Francisco Chronicle: Revisiting The Day Newsom Issued California’s COVID Stay-Home Order
At times, it feels like ages ago, almost like another lifetime, while other times it’s like it happened just yesterday. In just a few days, everything changed: Streets emptied, schools and businesses closed and supermarket shelves were stripped bare. On March 19, 2020, amid the escalating threat posed by the novel coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a bold call to action, imploring all Californians to stay at home. (Vaziri, 3/19)
In covid research —
The Guardian: People With Hypermobility May Be More Prone To Long Covid, Study Suggests
People with excessively flexible joints may be at heightened risk of long Covid and persistent fatigue, research suggests. Hypermobility is where some or all of a person’s joints have an unusually large range of movement due to differences in the structure of their connective tissues that support, protect and give structure to organs, joints and other tissues. (Geddes, 3/19)
CIDRAP: Providing Lower Oxygen Levels May Be More Helpful In COVID ICU Patients
A new study based on outcomes seen at European intensive care units (ICUs) suggests higher is not better when it comes to targets for supplemental oxygenation levels for COVID-19 patients experiencing low oxygen, or hypoxia. (Soucheray, 3/19)
ABC News: COVID Vaccines Found To Cut Risk Of Heart Failure, Blood Clots Following Virus Infection: Study
COVID-19 vaccines were found to cut the risk of heart failure by up to 55% and blood clots by up to 78% following COVID infection, according to a new study published in the British Medical Journal. The positive health effects lasted for up to a year and were more pronounced right after getting vaccinated. (Benadjaoud, 3/19)
