Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Scientists Say Yes, You Can Catch Covid Many Times; It May Become Normal
The New York Times: How Often Can You Be Infected With The Coronavirus?
A virus that shows no signs of disappearing, variants that are adept at dodging the body’s defenses, and waves of infections two, maybe three times a year — this may be the future of Covid-19, some scientists now fear. The central problem is that the coronavirus has become more adept at reinfecting people. Already, those infected with the first Omicron variant are reporting second infections with the newer versions of the variant — BA.2 or BA2.12.1 in the United States, or BA.4 and BA.5 in South Africa. (Mandavilli, 5/16)
New York City recommends masks again —
The New York Times: N.Y.C. Urges People To Wear Masks Indoors But Stops Short Of Requiring It.
Citing high community transmission and rising hospitalizations from a fifth wave of coronavirus cases, New York City health officials on Monday strongly recommended that all individuals wear medical-grade masks in offices, grocery stores and other public indoor settings citywide. The new recommendations, issued in a health advisory by the city health commissioner, came as the city approached the orange, or “high” alert level for Covid-19, a benchmark it expects to hit in the coming days. The new advisory also called on those who are at increased risk for severe illness, including unvaccinated children under 5 and people over 65, to avoid nonessential indoor gatherings and crowded settings. (Otterman, 5/17)
Covid cases are surging —
The Washington Post: How Fast Omicron’s BA.2 Variant Is Spreading Around The World
In a pattern the world has seen twice over the past year, a new version of the coronavirus is sweeping across the globe. Omicron’s BA.2 subvariant is already by far the world’s dominant form of the coronavirus, as recorded in the GISAID international repository of coronavirus genetic sequences analyzed by The Washington Post. (Keating, Dong and Shin, 5/16)
The Boston Globe: ‘COVID-19 Is Back In Rhode Island,’ Central Falls Health Strategist Warns
“COVID-19 is back in Rhode Island.” No one wants to hear that message, Dr. Michael Fine acknowledged on Monday. But the former state Health Department director, who is now chief health strategist for Central Falls, said it’s crucial that people hear it because this densely populated 1.2-square-mile city has long been the state’s “canary in the coal mine,” warning of impending surges in the virus. And Central Falls is now seeing the number of cases rise, reflecting a wider trend, he said. (Fitzpatrick, 5/16)
Houston Chronicle: Dr. Peter Hotez Warns Of Nation’s Hidden COVID Wave That’s ‘Almost Like Omicron’
“This is a full-on wave almost like omicron,” Dr. Peter Hotez tweeted over the weekend, referring to the variant that sickened more than 800,000 people in a single day at its peak. The Houston vaccine expert issued a flurry of tweets that touched on the “unbelievably transmissible” omicron subvariants known as BA.2.12 and BA.2.12.1, which are hitting the northeastern states the hardest. He also drew attention to the rising number of hospitalizations, which increased by about 15 percent last week compared to the previous week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Gill, 5/16)
Los Angeles Times: L.A. Coronavirus Hospitalizations Start Rising Again
Los Angeles County’s coronavirus-positive hospitalizations are rising again, causing health officials to urge residents to put masks back on if they have stopped doing so. L.A. County already requires mask-wearing on public transit and at its airports, and Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer urged residents Monday to wear masks inside schools, stores and workplaces. “This would give us a chance at slowing down spread while we continue to increase the numbers of residents and workers up to date with their vaccinations, since vaccines give us the most protection from severe illness and death,” Ferrer said in a statement. (Lin II, 5/16)
And the FDA has rejected a possible covid treatment —
Stat: FDA Rejects Antidepressant Seen As Possible Covid-19 Treatment
The Food and Drug Administration declined Monday to authorize a 30-year-old generic antidepressant as a treatment for Covid-19, dealing a major blow to a small group of doctors who have organized around the pill for months, arguing that it could provide a cheap and accessible way to prevent hospitalizations and death both in the U.S. and around the world. In an unusual two-page summary — the FDA does not generally disclose the reasoning behind rejections — regulators said that the doctors failed to provide adequate evidence of effectiveness of the drug, called fluvoxamine. (Mast, 5/16)
