Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Congress Must Pass Prevent Pandemics Act; Studying Covid Shots' Effects On Periods Is Important
The Washington Post: Congress Can Help Prevent Another Pandemic With Prevent Pandemics Act
Among the many actions included in the $1.7 trillion budget deal Congress is looking to pass this week is a vital effort to make sure the United States never again responds to a pandemic as poorly as it did with covid-19. This legislation needs to make it across the finish line. (Amu Maxmen, 12/21)
Scientific American: COVID Vaccines Can Temporarily Affect Menstruation, And Studying That Matters
For as long as there have been vaccines, there has been vaccine misinformation—and surprisingly often it has focused on fertility. The COVID vaccines have been no exception. (Viki Male, 12/21)
The Washington Post: In Pursuing Vaccine Makers, DeSantis Puts Pandering Before Governing
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’s petition for a statewide grand jury to investigate Pfizer and Moderna for “wrongdoing in Florida with respect to Covid-19 vaccines” is a political stunt, not a serious legal argument. This sort of pandering was probably inevitable, given still-simmering public anger over the pandemic. (Megan McArdle, 12/21)
Stat: The Deadly Combination Of Sepsis And Covid-19
Sepsis, a deadly overreaction of the immune system to infection, has befuddled clinicians and researchers for decades. Covid-19 made things worse. (Richard Marfuggi, Aparna Ahuja and Rick A. Bright, 12/22)
Los Angeles Times: The Best Gift You Can Give Your Loved Ones? A COVID-Free Holiday Season
By all indications, getting infected with COVID has ceased to be a frightening prospect for most. Few people wear a mask in public. Proof of vaccination is rarely required to visit most establishments. And the share of people who have received the latest booster shot is just 14%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (12/22)
