Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viral Reservoirs Inside Patients May Be Linked To Long Covid
NPR: Long COVID Clues Point To Viral Reservoirs As Key Target
Brent Palmer's first inkling about long COVID started in the early days of the pandemic, before the term "long COVID" even existed. Some of his friends had caught the virus while on a ski trip and returned home to Colorado with the mysterious, new illness. It was a frightening time — and an irresistible opportunity for Palmer, who studies the immune response to infectious diseases like HIV. (Stone, 5/2)
CIDRAP: Data Show Omicron Common Cause Of COVID-19 Reinfections
A study of 541 children and young adults in Ohio with two or more SARS-CoV-2 infections finds that the median interval between two infections was 229 days, and reinfection counts were higher during the Omicron era. The study is published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. (Soucheray, 5/1)
On the covid vaccine rollout —
The Washington Post: Most Federal Covid Vaccine Mandates To End May 11
The Biden administration will end its requirements that most international travelers, federal workers and contractors, health-care workers and Head Start educators be vaccinated against the coronavirus effective on May 11 — the same day it terminates the pandemic-related public health emergency. (Diamond, 5/1)
The Boston Globe: Boston To Close Three COVID-19 Vaccination And Testing Sites
The Boston Public Health Commission will close three of its COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites on May 13, citing “a sustained decline in site utilization and patient volumes.” The three sites are located at a Boston Centers for Youth and Families facility in Hyde Park, the Josephine Fiorentino Community Center in Allston, and the Lena Park Community Development Corporation offices in Dorchester, city officials said. (Andersen, 5/1)
The Texas Tribune: Ken Paxton To Investigate COVID-19 Vaccine Makers
Long an opponent of COVID-19 safety mandates, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Monday he will investigate three major pharmaceutical companies for deceptive practices, arguing that they may have misrepresented the effectiveness of vaccines and the likelihood of becoming infected after receiving a vaccine. (Barragan, 5/1)
CIDRAP: Study Of Novavax COVID Vaccine Estimates 100% Efficacy Against Hospitalizations
A post hoc analysis of a phase 3 randomized, controlled trial estimates that two doses of the Novavax (NVX-CoV2373) COVID-19 vaccine were 100% effective against hospitalization by 95 days during a period dominated by the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant. (Van Beusekom, 5/1)
