The Wall Street Journal: AstraZeneca, Oxford Covid-19 Vaccine Up To 90% Effective In Late-Stage Trials 
The Covid-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca PLC was found to be as much as 90% effective in preventing infections without serious side effects in a large clinical trial, the partners said Monday. AstraZeneca said there were no serious safety events related to the vaccine and it was well tolerated across different dosing regimens. Efficacy ranged from 62% to 90% depending on the dosage given, the partners said. AstraZeneca and Oxford said the average efficacy in the analysis was 70%. (Strasburg, 11/23)

CNBC: Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Shows An Average 70% Effectiveness In Preventing The Virus
One dosing regimen showed an effectiveness of 90% when trial participants received a half dose, followed by a full dose at least one month apart. The other showed 62% efficacy when given as two full doses at least one month apart. The combined analysis from both dosing regimens found average vaccine effectiveness of 70%. No hospitalizations or severe cases of the disease were reported in participants receiving the vaccine. (Meredith, 11/23)

Reuters: AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Can Be 90% Effective, Results Show
No serious safety events related to the vaccine have been confirmed and it was well tolerated across both dosing regimens, AstraZeneca said. “This vaccine’s efficacy and safety confirm that it will be highly effective against COVID-19 and will have an immediate impact on this public health emergency,” Pascal Soriot, Astra’s chief executive, said in a statement.

In related news —

Bloomberg: AstraZeneca-Oxford Covid-19 Vaccine Delivers. Here’s What We Know 
The pressure was on AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford after stunning Covid-19 vaccine trial results from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc., and the U.K. partners delivered, even if they couldn’t match the data from the two front-runners. Scientists will now closely scrutinize the preliminary results. The report is significant because Astra and Oxford are taking a different approach from the one used by Pfizer and Moderna, and vaccine advocates say multiple shots will be needed to stop a contagion that’s killed almost 1.4 million people. Here’s what we know, and what the results could mean in the battle. (Kresge and Buckley, 11/23)

Bloomberg: Astra-Oxford Shot Is Key To Escaping Pandemic For Many Nations
Trial successes from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. have buoyed hopes that a Covid-19 vaccine is coming soon. But much of the world, outside of rich nations like the U.S., is counting on another company’s shot to escape the crisis. Findings from the final stage of AstraZeneca Plc’s vaccine studies are due to be released shortly, and the stakes for lower- and middle-income nations are immense. The shot developed with the University of Oxford accounts for more than 40% of the supplies going to those countries, based on deals tracked by London-based research firm Airfinity Ltd. (Paton and Ring, 11/22)

The New York Times: Are Covid-19 Vaccines Really 95% Effective? 
The front-runners in the vaccine race seem to be working far better than anyone expected: Pfizer and BioNTech announced this week that their vaccine had an efficacy rate of 95 percent. Moderna put the figure for its vaccine at 94.5 percent. In Russia, the makers of the Sputnik vaccine claimed their efficacy rate was over 90 percent. ... From the headlines, you might well assume that these vaccines — which some people may receive in a matter of weeks — will protect 95 out of 100 people who get them. But that’s not actually what the trials have shown. Exactly how the vaccines perform out in the real world will depend on a lot of factors we just don’t have answers to yet — such as whether vaccinated people can get asymptomatic infections and how many people will get vaccinated. Here’s what you need to know about the actual effectiveness of these vaccines. (Zimmer, 11/20)

CNN: White House Vaccine Chief Says First Americans Could Be Vaccinated Next Month
Moncef Slaoui, the head of the US government's effort to develop a vaccine against Covid-19, said the first Americans to receive a vaccine -- if all things go according to plan -- could be as early as the second week of December. "Our plan is to be able to ship vaccines to the immunization sites within 24 hours from the approval, so I would expect maybe on day two after approval, on the 11th or on the 12th of December, hopefully, the first people will be immunized across the United States, across all states, in all the areas where the State Departments of Health will have told us where to deliver the vaccine," Slaoui told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" Sunday. (Thomas and Janfaza, 11/22)

Reuters: COVID-19 Shots Could Reach First Americans By Mid-December, Top Health Official Says 
U.S. healthcare workers and others recommended for the nation’s first COVID-19 inoculations could start getting shots within a day or two of regulatory consent next month, a top official of the government’s vaccine development effort said on Sunday. Some 70% of the U.S. population of 330 million would need to be inoculated to achieve “herd” immunity from the virus, a goal the country could achieve by May, according to Dr. Moncef Slaoui, chief scientific adviser for “Operation Warp Speed.” (11/22)

NPR: Americans Could See A Vaccine By Mid-December, Says Operation Warp Speed Adviser
Slaoui's comments follow the announcement on Friday that Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech, have asked the Food and Drug Administration to grant an emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine — which has been found to be 95% effective. A second vaccine from the biotech company Moderna is expected to be submitted for emergency authorization soon as well. (Silva, 11/22)

Also —

Politico: 'The Train Is Running' On Covid Vaccines Despite Transition Delay, Warp Speed Adviser Says 
The delay in the presidential transition process won't impact the work of Operation Warp Speed, the public-private partnership to develop coronavirus vaccines, the operation's chief adviser said Sunday. "Frankly, the operation has been isolated from, from the administration, from the political environment and the political context," Moncef Slaoui said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "We worked very hard to make sure that’s the case. And therefore, all decisions are made, the train is running, whether one administration or the other doesn’t, frankly, make a difference. I hope there is no disruption in any way." (Parthasarathy, 11/22)

The Hill: Vaccine Czar: 'Unfortunate' That COVID-19 Vaccine 'Has Been Politicized' 
The chief adviser to the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed said Sunday that it is “unfortunate” that the COVID-19 vaccine “has been politicized.” Moncef Slaoui during an interview with CNN’s “State of the Union” attributed polls showing a decreased public willingness to be inoculated against COVID-19 to the process being “politicized.” (Coleman, 11/22)

Politico: How Thousands Of Scarce Covid Shots Could Go To Waste 
The Trump administration hopes to start delivering millions of doses of Covid-19 vaccines in December. But the short shelf life of Pfizer’s shots and uncertainty over how to get them to enough health care workers, frail seniors and other priority patients once vials with vaccines are taken out of cold storage and cracked open could mean thousands of doses go to waste. (Goldberg, Roubein and Lim, 11/22)

Modern Healthcare: Supply Shortages Could Slow Hospitals' COVID Vaccine Distribution
As hospitals race to buy special freezers that can store Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine at extremely cold temperatures, the potential for supply shortages—a prevailing theme in the U.S. pandemic response—looms large. A number of manufacturers make ultra-low temperature freezers—Fisher Scientific and Helmer Scientific, to name a few. But as demand skyrockets with potential emergency use authorizations coming as soon as next month, one group purchasing leader said hospitals ordering today will likely wait up to four months to get their freezers. (Bannow, 11/20)

The Washington Post: Coronavirus Vaccines Are Coming. Who Should Get Them First? 
A coronavirus vaccine is coming soon. The question now for the world is who will be at the front of the line for an injection. In the initial months, vaccines will certainly be rationed. Demand will outstrip supply. There will be millions of doses available, not billions. (Booth, Dou, Dixon and Beck, 11/21)

The Washington Post: How Doctors And Nurses Could Become Coronavirus Vaccine Advocates
Doctors and nurses, coping with the daily risk of coronavirus exposure, are expected to get top priority to receive vaccines that could become available as soon as next month. But it’s an open question how many will seize their place at the front of the line. Large health systems, medical societies and the federal government are launching an effort to persuade front-line health-care providers to take novel vaccines that were developed, and are likely to be granted emergency approval, in record time. (Rowland, 11/21)

Also —

The Washington Post: Covid Vaccines Hold Promise But A Return To Normal Will Take Time 
For many Americans chafing to return to normalcy, recent reports that at least two experimental covid-19 vaccines are highly effective come as welcome news in the midst of a frightening surge of infections and deaths. The first shots may be given in mid- to late December, but that doesn’t mean you can hug your friends, stop washing your hands or throw away your mask any time soon. The return to many of our old familiar ways will take time, and how much time remains unclear. The answers await more research into the vaccines, how they can be distributed and how many people are willing to get them. (Cimons, 11/21)

The New York Times: Politics, Science And The Remarkable Race For A Coronavirus Vaccine 
The call was tense, the message discouraging. Moncef Slaoui, the head of the Trump administration’s effort to quickly produce a vaccine for the coronavirus, was on the phone at 6 p.m. on Aug. 25 to tell the upstart biotech firm Moderna that it had to slow the final stage of testing its vaccine in humans. Moderna’s chief executive, Stéphane Bancel, a French biochemical engineer, recognized the implication. In the race to quell the pandemic, he said, “every day mattered.” Now his company, which had yet to bring a single product to market, faced a delay of up to three weeks. Pfizer, the global pharmaceutical giant that was busy testing a similar vaccine candidate and promising initial results by October, would take the obvious lead. “It was the hardest decision I made this year,” Mr. Bancel said. (LaFraniere, Thomas, Weiland, Gelles, Gay Stolberg and Grady, 11/21)

Boston Globe: ‘The End Is In Sight’: Experts Express Optimism About COVID-19 Pandemic Coming To A Close
While the coronavirus continued to rip through the country and daily counts of new infections rose to record heights, the seemingly impossible occurred: good news. Promising trials from Pfizer and Moderna suggest that highly effective COVID-19 vaccines could be available in a matter of weeks, bringing the end of the pandemic in view for the first time since March. (Moore, 11/21)

Politico: FDA Grants Emergency Use Of Covid Treatment Given To Trump
The FDA on Saturday authorized the emergency use of an experimental antibody treatment from Regeneron for mild and moderate cases of the coronavirus that was given to President Donald Trump in October. The drug is a cocktail of two monoclonal antibodies that mimic the body's natural defenses against the virus. The emergency authorization allows the drug to be used in adults and children over the age of 12 with mild to moderate Covid-19 symptoms who are at high risk of progressing to severe disease or requiring hospitalization. The treatment is not authorized for patients who are hospitalized due to the coronavirus or who require oxygen therapy. (Brennan, 11/21)

NPR: FDA Grants Emergency Authorization For COVID-19 Treatment From Regeneron 
The treatment combines two antibodies — casirivimab and imdevimab — and administers them together by IV. In a clinical trial of about 800 people, the combination was shown to significantly reduce virus levels within days of treatment. In its authorization on Saturday, the FDA made clear that the drug is only for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in people 12 years and older who are at high risk of developing more severe symptoms. It's not for patients who are hospitalized because of COVID-19 or who require oxygen therapy because of the virus. (Schwartz, 11/22)

The New York Times: F.D.A. Grants Emergency Authorization Of Antibody Treatment Given To Trump 
The emergency authorization raises immediate questions about who will get access to the treatments as an average of more than 168,000 people are diagnosed each day with Covid-19 in the United States and hospitals are running out of beds in some regions of the country. Regeneron has said it will have enough of the drug for only about 80,000 people by the end of November, enough for 200,000 patients by the first week of January, and 300,000 by the end of January. After that, the company said it will be able to ramp up production thanks to a partnership with the Swiss manufacturer Roche. (Thomas Weiland, 11/21)

AP: FDA Allows Emergency Use Of Antibody Drug Trump Received
Regeneron said that initial doses will be made available to roughly 300,000 patients through a federal government allocation program. Those patients will not be charged for the drug but may have to pay part of the cost of giving the IV. (Marchione, 11/22)

USA Today: Thanksgiving: More Are Flying Despite CDC Pleas Not To Travel
Americans are flocking to airports for travel ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, even as the COVID-19 pandemic rages across the country and after the Centers for Disease Control pleaded with Americans not to travel. More than 1 million air travelers passed through security checkpoints at U.S. airports on Friday for only the second time since the pandemic began, according to the TSA. On Saturday, the travel numbers neared one million, bringing the two-day total to more than two million passengers. (Alexander, 11/23)

The New York Times: Covid-19 Live Updates: U.S. Airports See Rise In Travelers
The nation’s health experts on Sunday pleaded with Americans to stay home over the Thanksgiving holiday and forgo any plans to travel or celebrate at large family gatherings, even as airports have recorded a significant rise in passengers. Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease specialist, and other health experts relayed a clear message on Sunday morning news shows: with coronavirus cases surging to record levels across the country, turning nearly every state into a hot zone of transmission, the risk of getting infected, whether in transit or in even small indoor gatherings, is high. (11/23)

Politico: CDC Recommends Pre- And Post-Flight Testing For International Air Travel 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising air travelers get tested before and after flights to help stop the spread of the coronavirus ahead of the holiday travel season. Those planning to fly should get tested 1 to 3 days prior to the flight and again 3 to 5 days after traveling, according to new agency guidance on international air travel released late Saturday. CDC also is recommending people stay home for 7 days following their trips, even if they test negative. They should stay home for 14 days, if they aren't tested after travel, the agency said. (Beasley, 11/22)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Philadelphians Getting Tested For COVID-19 Before Thanksgiving Encounter Long Lines, Shortage Of Appointments
PJ Brennan, chief medical officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, said Penn-affiliated testing sites have seen demand increase in the past four weeks. Since Nov. 9, 1,073 tests have been administered at its community testing site at 4040 Market St. for symptomatic patients, Brennan said, and 3,132 tests have been administered at Sayre, which has a partnership with Penn. “Last month, on average, we were testing around 550 people per week at Sayre and 450 per week at the West Philadelphia site,” Brennan said by email. “We suspect that the news about the increase in cases is likely causing people to worry more about COVID and driving them to testing.” (Ao, 11/20)

Many Americans are choosing to ignore health experts' advice —

CNN: 1 In 3 Parents Say Family Thanksgiving Gatherings Worth The Risk Of Covid-19 
One-third of parents believe the benefits of gathering the family together for Thanksgiving is worth the risk of catching or spreading Covid-19, according to a new poll published Monday. That's despite the fact that nine out of 10 parents said grandparents -- one of the highest-risk groups for severe infections -- were typically at their Thanksgiving gathering. (LaMotte, 11/23)

The New York Times: Coronavirus Upends Thanksgiving, While Some Ignore Travel Warnings
Ginger Floerchinger-Franks typically invites 10 people to her home in Boise, Idaho, for Thanksgiving dinner and cooks the entire meal herself, including her specialty, pumpkin soup. But the pandemic has forced her to devise a new plan: a socially distant potluck. Three households will each prepare a dish, and Ms. Floerchinger-Franks will shuttle the platters between their homes. Then they will gather on Zoom to savor each other’s food. “This is kind of an adventure,” she said. (McDonnell Nieto del Rio and Wise, 11/22)

The Washington Post: Thanksgiving Marks A Mass Exodus Of College Students Leaving Campuses Like UW Madison 
They have endured the strangest fall term in memory, cooped up in dormitories and apartments, taking classes mostly online, seeing professors in person only occasionally, if at all, hanging out with just a few close friends and imagining how this lakeshore capital in a state swamped by the coronavirus might someday recover its boisterous college vibe when the pandemic subsides. Now thousands of University of Wisconsin students are making getaway plans, part of a mass pre-Thanksgiving exodus from campuses nationwide that could spread the dangerous pathogen in hometowns across the country if students and schools aren’t careful. (Anderson and Svrluga, 11/22)

Also —

CNN: After 118 Days In The Hospital With Covid-19, One Man Is Finally Home Just In Time For The Holidays 
No one expected him home for the holidays -- but after 118 days in the hospital with Covid-19, Darell Slater will spend Thanksgiving with his family. Slater, 71, was first diagnosed with Covid-19 on July 13 along with his wife, his family said. After two weeks of quarantine, she recovered but he did not. (Johnson, 11/22)

The Hill: Fauci Urges Americans To Conduct 'Risk-Benefit Assessment' Before Holiday Travel 
Top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci urged Americans on Sunday to conduct a “risk-benefit assessment” before traveling for the holidays as Thanksgiving approaches this week. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that families need to consider the risks of gathering indoors. He said families especially need to take into account if their gatherings plan to include those who are elderly or have underlying conditions affecting their immune system. (Coleman, 11/22)

The Washington Post: Health Experts Urge Against Thanksgiving Gatherings As Coronavirus Cases Explode Nationwide 
Health experts continue to urge Americans not to travel and gather for Thanksgiving as a fall wave of the virus worsens across the country, with case counts nearing 200,000 a day. In the past week, the new daily reported case counts in the United States spiked nearly 14 percent, according to data tracked by The Washington Post. (Firozi, Sonmez and Sun, 11/22)

NPR: Public Officials Campaign To Keep People Home For Thanksgiving 
Across the country, public officials are urging people to stay home and stay safe during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday amid a dramatic rise in new cases of COVID-19 in nearly every state. Experts warn that the holiday week will be a crucial time for fighting the virus, and that even limited family gatherings could result in devastatingly high numbers of newly infected people. Hospitals are already reaching capacity around the country, as the country hit the grim milestone of 12 million confirmed cases. (Lonsdorf, 11/22)

Boston Globe: As Coronavirus Cases Surge Nationwide, Health Experts Sound The Alarm In Mass.
Public health officials Sunday renewed calls for people to keep their guard up against the coronavirus during the holiday season, as dozens of local municipal leaders were briefed on worrisome projections on the course of the pandemic in Massachusetts. That briefing was held as the state Department of Public Health confirmed a new milestone for the pandemic, with the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases since the start of the crisis climbing past 200,000 on Sunday. (Hilliard, 11/22)

Also —

Yahoo Life: Family Members Film PSA Urging People To Stay Home After 15 Of Them Get COVID-19 Following Birthday Party: 'We Feel Guilty For Gathering'
A family in Arlington, Texas has filmed a PSA pleading with others to take the coronavirus pandemic seriously after 15 of their family members tested positive for COVID-19 following a small birthday party held indoors. “I had family over at my house for some cake for my wife’s birthday. I didn’t think anything bad would happen,” says one member of the Aragonez family in a video they made to warn others of the seriousness of the virus. “Now I’m fighting coronavirus. ”In total, all 12 of the people who attended the Nov. 1 family gathering, contracted COVID-19, as well as three family members who were not at the event. (Sheppard, 11/22)

CNN: 3 Million New Covid-19 Infections Were Reported In November, As Hospitalizations Reach A Record High
November isn't even over, and the US has already seen more new Covid-19 cases than any other month of this entire pandemic. More than 3 million new cases were reported between November 1 and 22, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. That's about a quarter of all US cases since the beginning of this pandemic. Yes, testing has increased. But it hasn't kept pace with the rate of new infections. (Yan and Holcombe, 11/22)

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Hospitalization Count Sets 13th Straight Daily Record
The U.S. reported 142,732 new cases of coronavirus and registered a record number of hospitalizations for the 13th straight day. The tally of Sunday’s new infections, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, was down from Friday’s record 196,004—but counts are generally lower over the weekend before rising midweek. The latest daily figure is the highest yet for a Sunday, and total cumulative cases now exceed 12.2 million. (Wen, 11/23)

The Hill: US Coronavirus Cases Top 12M 
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. topped 12 million Saturday amid a third wave of infections that is anticipated to be exacerbated in the coming winter months. A database run by The New York Times showed the case total surpassing 12 million less than a week after the total number of cases hit 11 million, underscoring the rapidity with which the highly infectious virus is spreading. (Axelrod, 11/21)

Also —

AP: Nevada Governor Tightens Restrictions As Virus Cases Rise
Gov. Steve Sisolak announced plans Sunday to tighten restrictions on casinos, restaurants and private gatherings such as Thanksgiving dinner in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The new restrictions, which are scheduled to go into effect on Tuesday, come amid an unprecedented surge that has broken records in the state in terms of cases, deaths and infection rates throughout November. (Metz, 11/23)

Bloomberg: Most Infected U.S. County To Shut Down Restaurants, Again
America’s most infected metropolitan area will be shutting down outdoor dining again. The Greater Los Angeles area added 2,718 new coronavirus cases Sunday, with the five-day average exceeding the 4,000 threshold that triggered additional measures where restaurants, breweries and bars will once again limit their businesses to just pick-up and delivery. The new curbs will start at 10 p.m. Wednesday, right before the Thanksgiving holiday. (Chua, 11/22)

The Hill: More GOP Governors Embrace Mask Mandates, But Holdouts Remain
A growing number of red state governors are finally embracing mask mandates as COVID-19 spreads uncontrolled across the entire country. The scientific community reached the consensus long ago that wearing masks can save lives and dramatically decrease the spread of the coronavirus. (Weixel, 11/21)

Politico: Trump Unveils Plan Linking Drug Payments To Cheaper Overseas Prices
President Donald Trump on Friday unveiled a plan to link government payments for medicines to lower prices paid abroad and another to eliminate rebates, in a last-ditch effort to deliver on a 2016 campaign promise to slash drug prices. ... [He also accused] Pfizer "and others" of delaying vaccine trial results for political reasons — without offering evidence to support the accusation. "The drug companies don't like me too much, but we had to do it," he said. "I just hope they keep it. I hope they have the courage the keep it, because the powerful drug lobby, big pharma, is putting pressure on people like you wouldn't believe." (Owermohle, 11/20)

CNN: Drug Prices: Trump Unveils Controversial New Rule In Last-Ditch Attempt To Fulfill Campaign Promise 
During a 22-minute press conference, Trump ran through a laundry list of drug price efforts his administration undertook in his four years in office. Many, however, remain in the proposal stage, were stopped by courts or had little impact. Prices have continued to rise, though the pace has slowed under his presidency. ... Pharmaceutical industry groups immediately criticized the rules, promising to consider all options to stop the measures. PhRMA, the drug makers' lobbying group, said that the most-favored-nation rule will threaten medical innovation in the US and harm patients.(Luhby, 11/20)

Modern Healthcare: Trump's New Drug-Pricing Plan Overhauls Outpatient Drug Pay Starting Jan. 1
The Trump administration is trying to overhaul some providers' payments for outpatient drugs in six weeks as it makes a last-ditch attempt to finalize drug-pricing policies that have languished in regulatory limbo. A model through the Center for Medicare and Medicare Innovation announced Friday would require mandatory participation from healthcare providers starting Jan. 1, 2021, though there are several categories of exceptions. The model would change providers' payment for administering drugs from a percentage of a drug's average sales price to a flat fee and tie reimbursement to prices charged in foreign countries. (Cohrs, 11/20)

Also —

Modern Healthcare: Trump Administration To End Unapproved Drug Initiative
The Trump administration plans to end the Unapproved Drug Initiative as officials look to close a loophole that inflated healthcare costs by billions of dollars a year and led to drug shortages. HHS withdrew guidance documents Friday afternoon that were issued as part of the initiative designed to boost patient safety, but instead was used as a means to profit off decades-old drugs. It is set to take effect in 30 days. (Kacik, 11/20)

Stat: NIH Fails To Disclose Enough Details About Licensing, Watchdog Finds
Amid increasing debate over the cost of prescription drugs, a federal watchdog agency found the National Institutes of Health does not consider whether a medicine it discovered and licensed to a pharmaceutical company may later be affordable, and also fails to provide enough information about its licensing activities to assess patient access. (Silverman, 11/20)

The Washington Post: Trump Administration Finalizes Rule That Could Make Thousands More Organs Available For Transplant
The Trump administration has finalized major reforms in the way organs are collected and distributed for transplant, an effort aimed at making thousands more kidneys, livers, hearts and lungs available to the lengthy list of people waiting for them. The changes, announced Friday evening, are aimed primarily at “organ procurement organizations,” the government-chartered network of 58 nonprofits that collects organs from deceased donors and rushes them to surgeons at transplant centers. (Kindy and Bernstein, 11/21)

Modern Healthcare: New Quality Measures For Organ Transplantation Finalized
The rule updates the Organ Procurement Organization Conditions for Coverage needed to be reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid. The final rule is designed to help the more than 100,000 people in the U.S. on a waiting list for a lifesaving organ transplant, according to CMS. The rule creates two new objective measures designed to increase incentives to use all available organs and to actually transplant them. One measures the number of organs an OPO has gotten from eligible donors in its donation service area. The other measures the rate of transplantation as opposed to procurement of the organs alone. The previous measures created a disincentive to go after all available organs. (11/20)

In other Trump administration developments —

The Washington Post: Palm Center Study: Transgender Ban Hurt Military Readiness 
President Trump’s order banning many transgender people from serving has eroded the military’s ability to fight and win wars by narrowing its recruiting pool and lowering morale among transgender troops exempt from the policy, former top military physicians said in a study. Defense Department regulations implemented April 12, 2019, prohibit anyone with gender dysphoria from enlisting but allow transgender service members who were serving before then to remain in uniform. (Horton, 11/22)

Modern Healthcare: Physician Groups See Problems With Trump Administration's Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Changes
The Trump administration on Friday signed off on long-awaited changes to physician self-referral and anti-kickback rules that aim to boost value-based care by making it easier for providers, suppliers and others to work together. During an exclusive interview with Modern Healthcare ahead of the announcement, HHS Secretary Alex Azar and HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan discussed how the changes could affect the healthcare industry. (Brady, 11/20)

Also —

CNN: Donald Trump Jr. Tests Positive For Coronavirus 
Donald Trump Jr., President Donald Trump's eldest son, has tested positive for the coronavirus, a personal spokesman told CNN on Friday. "Don tested positive at the start of the week and has been quarantining out at his cabin since the result," the spokesman said. "He's been completely asymptomatic so far and is following all medically recommended COVID-19 guidelines." (Collins and Stracqualursi, 11/21)

Business Insider: Donald Trump Jr. Is Spending His Time In Quarantine Polishing His Guns 
Trump Jr. got tested because he had been planning to go on a trip with his son, he said in the Instagram post. ... His father early Saturday also provided an update on Trump Jr.'s health. "My son Donald is doing very well. Thank you!" the president tweeted. Trump Jr. has been quarantining in his cabin, according to his spokesperson. To pass the time, he asked his Instagram followers for movie and book recommendations. He also said he's going to spend a considerable amount of time polishing his guns. (Dzhanova, 11/21)

Politico: Biden Wades Into Coronavirus Relief Fight
As the pandemic worsens and the U.S. economy teeters on the edge of another downturn, President-elect Joe Biden is ramping up calls for Congress to pass another coronavirus relief bill before he’s sworn in. At the same time, he’s aligned himself with Democratic leaders in Congress, who have insisted on roughly $2 trillion in new relief spending — a price tag Senate Republicans so far have refused to accept. If Biden maintains a unified front with Hill Democrats rather than throwing his weight behind a smaller package, it's unlikely the two parties will be able to reach a deal before the year is out. (Cassella, Meyer and White, 11/21)

The New York Times: Biden Team, Pushing Quick Stimulus Deal, Prepares For Renewed Recession 
Advisers to President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. are planning for the increasing likelihood that the United States economy is headed for a “double-dip” recession early next year. They are pushing for Democratic leaders in Congress to reach a quick stimulus deal with Senate Republicans, even if it falls short of the larger package Democrats have been seeking, according to people familiar with the discussions. Until now, Mr. Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, have insisted that Republicans agree to a spending bill of $2 trillion or more, while Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, wants a much smaller package. The resulting impasse has threatened to delay additional economic aid until after Mr. Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20. (Tankersley and Cochrane, 11/22)

In other news about President-elect Joe Biden's transition —

CNBC: Trump Covid Vaccine Chief Has Had ‘No Contact’ With Biden Transition Team
Operation Warp Speed chief advisor Dr. Moncef Slaoui acknowledged on Sunday that has had “no contact” with the incoming Biden administration regarding the transition process and vaccine distribution plans. Since President-elect Joe Biden won the election, President Donald Trump has refused to concede and his campaign has challenged the results of the election in court. (Locke, 11/22)

Politico: Biden To Spotlight CDC Officials Shunned By Trump
President-elect Joe Biden is putting scientists in charge and back on the stage to restore trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The plans include immediately reviving regular media briefings and giving a central role to long-sidelined career officials including Nancy Messonnier, the public health official who first warned of the “severe” impact of the Covid-19 back in February. (Ollstein and Cancryn, 11/23)

Stat: Democrats Want Biden To Keep Trump’s Last-Minute Drug Pricing Reform
President-elect Joe Biden has already pledged to dismantle a number of Trump-era policies and regulations. Democratic advisers, however, say he’d be wise to keep one of the slapdash drug pricing reforms that Trump touted during a White House briefing Friday. (Florko and Facher, 11/20)

KHN: What Biden Can Do To Combat COVID Right Now
When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, the country was in the midst of a dire economic crisis. Twelve years later, his vice president, Joe Biden, has been elected president in the midst of a dire economic crisis and a worldwide, worsening coronavirus pandemic. In 2008, Obama’s team and that of outgoing President George W. Bush worked together to allow the new administration to be as prepared as possible on Jan. 20, 2009. That’s not happening for Biden, as President Donald Trump continues to fight the election results and block the official transition. (Rovner, 11/23)

KHN: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Transition Troubles Mount As COVID Spreads
President-elect Joe Biden is still being blocked from launching his official transition while President Donald Trump contests the outcome of the election. That could be particularly dangerous for public health as COVID-19 spreads around the country at an alarming rate. Meanwhile, a second vaccine to prevent COVID — the one made by Moderna — is showing excellent results of its early trials. And unlike the one made by Pfizer, Moderna’s vaccine does not need to be kept ultra-cold, which could ease distribution. (11/20)

Also —

USA Today: Joe Biden Inauguration Amid Pandemic Will Be A Scaled-Down Affair
Donald Trump is still trying to sow doubts about the election results, but planning already has begun for inaugural ceremonies in which Joe Biden is expected to officially become the nation’s 46th president. But while planners of past presidential inaugurations have had to resolve complex issues like how to handle crowd control and security matters, organizers of the Jan. 20 ceremony are confronting an unprecedented challenge: How do you safely stage a presidential inauguration in the middle of a deadly pandemic? (Collins, 11/21)

Reuters: Biden Inauguration Will Be Scaled Down Amid COVID, Aide Says
“I think it’s going to definitely have to be changed,” incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said. “Obviously, this is not going to be the same kind of inauguration we had in the past.” The Democratic president-elect was attacked repeatedly by Republican President Donald Trump for wearing masks and practicing other COVID mitigation measures during the campaign for the White House. (11/22)

Politico: Kelly Loeffler's Latest Coronavirus Test Comes Back Negative
An inconclusive coronavirus test for Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who had been self-isolating after testing positive, was retested overnight and came back negative, her campaign said Sunday. The Georgia Republican, who has been actively campaigning for the state’s Jan. 5 runoff against Democrat Raphael Warnock, took two Covid-19 tests on Friday morning before appearing with Vice President Mike Pence at a campaign rally. The rapid test came back negative, but Loeffler, 49, learned on Friday evening that her PCR test — a more accurate sampling — came back positive, according to Loeffler’s spokesman, Stephen Lawson. (Desiderio, 11/22)

The Hill: Wisconsin Republican Tests Positive For Coronavirus 
A Wisconsin congressman on Sunday announced he had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and was experiencing mild symptoms. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) said in a statement he tested positive Sunday after experiencing symptoms following his return to the state from Washington, D.C. He added that he would quarantine at home. (Bowden, 11/22)

The Hill: Connecticut Democrat Diagnosed With COVID-19 
A Democratic congressman from Connecticut tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement released through his office Sunday. In the statement, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) said that he was exposed to the virus by someone who did not know at the time they had contracted it. He said he was experiencing "mild" symptoms. (Bowden, 11/22)

In other news from Capitol Hill —

The Hill: US Economy Hurtles Toward 'COVID Cliff' With Programs Set To Expire 
A slew of expiring emergency programs are setting up an economic “COVID cliff” come 2021, which could see millions of people lose unemployment insurance and get evictions, while a growing wave of small businesses close shop. March's CARES Act set up myriad programs to give people economic relief in the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of which are set to expire on Dec. 31. Unless a divided Congress can reach a deal to extend the programs, the country's economic suffering could skyrocket. (Elis, 11/22)

FierceHealthcare: Walmart Health Opens 2 More Locations In Chicago 
Walmart Health just opened two new locations adjacent to revamped Walmart supercenters in Chicago. The new Walmart Health clinic locations have primary medical care, optometry and hearing services with plans for other offerings—such as labs, X-ray and diagnostics and counseling—to be added in the future. (Reed, 11/20)

In other health industry news —

Modern Healthcare: Experts Dispute Sanford CEO's COVID-19 Immunity Claims
Sanford Health's chief executive told his employees that he will not wear a mask because he is immune from contracting or transmitting COVID-19 since he tested positive, although that assertion is disputed by physicians and researchers. Wearing a mask "defies its efficacy and purpose" and sends an "untruthful message that I am susceptible to infection or could transmit it," Sanford CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft wrote Thursday to 50,000 employees in an internal memo, as first reported by Forum News Service. But those who study immune response said the evidence of immunity after someone contracts COVID-19 is not definitive. (Kacik, 11/20)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW Health Pleads With State Residents To Take Virus Seriously
UW Health issued an open letter Sunday pleading with the state’s residents to take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed and the number of deaths from soaring. “Wisconsin is in a bad place right now with no sign of things getting better without action,” the open letter states. “We are, quite simply, out of time. Without immediate change, our hospitals will be too full to treat all of those with the virus and those with other illnesses or injuries." (Boulton, 11/22)

KHN: Parents Complain That Pediatricians, Wary Of COVID, Shift Sick Kids To Urgent Care 
A mom of eight boys, Kim Gudgeon was at her wits’ end when she called her family doctor in suburban Chicago to schedule a sick visit for increasingly fussy, 1-year-old Bryce. He had been up at night and was disrupting his brothers’ e-learning during the day. “He was just miserable,” Gudgeon said. “And the older kids were like, ‘Mom, I can’t hear my teacher.’ There’s only so much room in the house when you have a crying baby.” (Kennedy, 11/23)

The Wall Street Journal: Covid Upends A Rural Hospital, Where Staff Know All The Patients 
Nursing assistant Becky Long Warrior shuttled between the two hospital rooms. Both housed family members stricken with Covid-19. In one room, her grandmother stared up at her through a large oxygen mask as Ms. Long Warrior gently squeezed her shoulder and told her to rest. Next door, Ms. Long Warrior checked in on her uncle, a cattle rancher in his 70s whose lungs were being aided by a machine blowing high-flow oxygen. “He’s used to working, not being in a room alone,” Ms. Long Warrior said. (Frosch, 11/22)

Also —

The New York Times: The U.S. Has Lots Of Ventilators -- But Too Few Specialists To Mind Them 
As record numbers of coronavirus cases overwhelm hospitals across the United States, there is something strikingly different from the surge that inundated cities in the spring: No one is clamoring for ventilators. The sophisticated breathing machines, used to sustain the most critically ill patients, are far more plentiful than they were eight months ago, when New York, New Jersey and other hard-hit states were desperate to obtain more of the devices, and hospitals were reviewing triage protocols for rationing care. Now, many hot spots face a different problem: They have enough ventilators, but not nearly enough respiratory therapists, pulmonologists and critical care doctors who have the training to operate the machines and provide round-the-clock care for patients who cannot breathe on their own. (Jacobs, 11/22)

Modern Healthcare: Views On Diversity Efforts Differ By Race, Study Finds
Minority and white healthcare workers differ in their view of how diverse and inclusive their work environment is, according to a broad new analysis. Results of a survey released this week that examined responses of more than 113,000 caregivers, including 3,000 physicians, at more than 500 facilities showed employee engagement overall was higher when individuals believed their organizations valued creating a diverse and inclusive environment. (Ross Johnson, 11/20)

CIDRAP: MMR Vaccine May Help Prevent COVID-19
A small study today in mBio demonstrates that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine may protect against COVID-19, as researchers found that levels of mumps immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies are inversely correlated with COVID-19 severity in MMR-vaccinated patients. Epidemiologic data point to low COVID-19 death rates in populations with high MMR vaccination rates, but the mechanism of protection is still unclear. This study compared 50 MMR-vaccinated COVID-19 patients with a control group of 30 COVID-19 patients with no record of MMR vaccinations whose antibodies come primarily from previous measles, mumps, and rubella illness. (11/20)

CIDRAP: COVID-19 Most Contagious In First 5 Days Of Illness, Study Finds
A study published yesterday in The Lancet Microbe shows that COVID-19 is most contagious in the first 5 days after symptom onset, underscoring the importance of early case identification and quarantine. Led by researchers at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, the systematic review and meta-analysis included 98 studies on 7,997 patients infected with coronaviruses that cause COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-1), or Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV). Seventy-nine of the studies (81%) involved COVID-19 patients. (Van Beusekom, 11/20)

Stat: Data Show Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients Surviving At Higher Rates
Patients hospitalized with Covid-19 are surviving at higher rates than in the early days of the pandemic, gains that data and interviews with experts suggest are driven by a more refined understanding of the disease and how to treat it — and, crucially, less strain on hospitals that had been inundated at times... But clinicians warn that this progress won’t withstand what happens when crushes of patients again overwhelm hospitals, as is now occurring in dozens of U.S. states. (Joseph, 11/23)

Bay Area News Group: What The Science Says About Coronavirus, Cold Weather, And Steps You Can Take To Stay Safe
As the weather cools, COVID-19 is only surging hotter across the country. With safer, outdoor gatherings less viable, people inevitably flock for warmth and shelter — and its more conducive environment for viral transmission. But there is new evidence of another factor driving the surge: This new coronavirus also thrives in colder conditions, as well as at extreme relative humidities. That can further guide public health measures, as well as your own personal actions through what has been billed as a long, dark winter. (Webeck, 11/21)

The New York Times: Coronavirus Antibodies Good. Machine-Made Molecules Better?
The coronavirus might be new, but nature long ago gave humans the tools to recognize it, at least on a microscopic scale: antibodies, Y-shaped immune proteins that can latch onto pathogens and block them from infiltrating cells. Millions of years of evolution have honed these proteins into the disease-fighting weapons they are today. But in a span of just months, a combination of human and machine intelligence may have beaten Mother Nature at her own game. (Wu, 11/21)

In other science and research news —

Stat: New Research Underscores Link Between Multiple Sclerosis And The Gut
Researchers have uncovered more evidence that there is a link between a person’s gut microbiome, their immune system, and multiple sclerosis, per a paper published Friday in Science Immunology. People with relapsing multiple sclerosis have elevated levels of immune cells in their brains that are typically associated with gut microbiota, the paper finds — suggesting those cells might be good future targets for new diagnostic techniques or treatments. (Sheridan, 11/20)

The New York Times: These Algorithms Could End The Scourge Of Tuberculosis 
In some of the most remote and impoverished corners of the world, where respiratory illnesses abound and trained medical professionals fear to tread, diagnosis is increasingly powered by artificial intelligence and the internet. In less than a minute, a new app on a phone or a computer can scan an X-ray for signs of tuberculosis, Covid-19 and 27 other conditions. (Mandavilli, 11/20)

Stat: Genetics Entrepreneurs Call For More Racial Representation In Their Industry
As the Covid-19 pandemic has laid bare the racial inequalities in the United States’ health care system, entrepreneurs in genetic research are speaking out about the importance of encouraging community outreach to combat those disparities and increasing diversity inside their own industry. (St. Fleur, 11/20)

The New York Times: Can We Make Our Robots Less Biased Than We Are? 
On a summer night in Dallas in 2016, a bomb-handling robot made technological history. Police officers had attached roughly a pound of C-4 explosive to it, steered the device up to a wall near an active shooter and detonated the charge. In the explosion, the assailant, Micah Xavier Johnson, became the first person in the United States to be killed by a police robot. Afterward, then-Dallas Police Chief David Brown called the decision sound. Before the robot attacked, Mr. Johnson had shot five officers dead, wounded nine others and hit two civilians, and negotiations had stalled. Sending the machine was safer than sending in human officers, Mr. Brown said. (Berreby, 11/22)

ProPublica: National Ban On School Use Of Seclusion And Restraint Of Students Introduced In Congress 
Congressional Democrats introduced legislation Thursday that would make it illegal to put students in seclusion and would limit the use of physical restraint in schools that receive federal funds. The bill, called the Keeping All Students Safe Act, would enact a national ban on restraints that can restrict breathing, including prone restraint where students are held face down on the floor and supine where they are held face up. Other restraints in the standing or seated positions could be used only when there is an immediate risk of serious physical harm. (Cohen, 11/19)

ProPublica: New Data Shows The Use Of Seclusion And Restraint Increased In Illinois Schools During The 2017–18 School Year 
Illinois schools reported putting students into seclusion at least 10,776 times in the 2017-18 school year — up more than 50% from the last time districts sent seclusion data to the federal government, two years earlier. The number of school districts that reported using seclusion, the practice of forcibly isolating a student in a small room or other space, also increased to 138 from 133, underscoring how entrenched the practice has been in the state. (Smith Richards and Cohen, 11/17)

In other school news —

CBS News: School Districts Saw Unprecedented Drop In Enrollment During Pandemic 
Going back to school this year has been a lesson in patience. Since the surge of COVID cases this fall, many cities, including New York, Detroit and Philadelphia, have suspended or postponed their plans to hold in-person classes. The delays and ever changing schedules have been frustrating to parents and students but also worrisome to educators who told us at the start of the school year, hundreds of thousands of students did not enroll. They're not logging in or coming in. We wondered, where did they go? (Alfonsi, 11/22)

Houston Chronicle: Houston-Area Schools See Surge In Failing Students As COVID Wreaks Havoc On Grades
Students across Greater Houston failed classes at unprecedented rates in the first marking period, with some districts reporting nearly half of their middle and high schoolers received at least two F grades because they routinely missed classes or neglected assignments. The percentage of students failing at least one class has doubled, tripled or even quadrupled in several of the region’s largest school districts, education administrators reported in recent days, a reflection of the massive upheaval caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Carpenter, 11/20)

Miami Herald: No Plan To Close South Florida Schools As COVID Numbers Rise In The Schools, Counties
Public schools in both Miami-Dade and Broward counties saw their confirmed COVID-19 cases jump by well over 100 in a week’s time, a trend that started shortly after students were allowed back to in-person learning in early October. Despite the rise, neither school district has immediate plans to close schools down and return to online-only classes. (Goodhue and Wright, 11/21)

CBS News: Ice Bucket Challenge Co-Founder Pat Quinn Has Died At Age 37 After Battle With ALS
Pat Quinn, co-founder of the viral ice bucket video challenge, has died at the age of 37 after a seven-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often called Lou Gehrig's disease. The ALS Association announced Quinn's death Sunday morning. "It is with great sadness that we must share the passing of Patrick early this morning," the ALS Association posted online. "He was a blessing to us all in so many ways. We will always remember him for his inspiration and courage in his tireless fight against ALS." (Bolden, 11/23)

In other public health news —

The Washington Post: Cooking Burns Increase As Covid Keeps People Home
For much of the pandemic, while Instagram feeds have filled with “stress baking” photos of sourdough bread and cakes, burn units have filled up with injured cooks. From Sacramento to Washington, D.C., and even as far away as Israel and Australia, more people have been spending more time in their kitchens, resulting in more fires and burns. (Ellison, 11/22)

CNN: A Man Wearing Trump Gear Who Was Seen Deliberately Exhaling On Women Outside Trump Golf Club Has Been Charged 
A man wearing a Trump shirt and an inflatable Trump innertube around his belly who was seen on video deliberately exhaling on two women outside of President Donald Trump's golf course in Virginia has been charged with simple assault. Raymond Deskins, 61, of Sterling, Virginia, was charged with misdemeanor simple assault, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. (Mallonee and Hoffman, 11/23)

Albuquerque Journal: Company Creates Anti-Viral Mask
A Rio Rancho small business is developing an anti-viral mask, pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration certification. Green Theme Technologies Inc. owner Gary S. Selwyn has a doctorate in chemistry. He has developed a treatment and process that can infuse a mask with anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. This formula has undergone testing at the University of New Mexico and at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Testing reflects that Selwyn’s treatment, when applied to a mask, can kill the virus that causes COVID-19. Testing at Los Alamos lab indicates the treatment was also anti-bacterial. (Byres, 11/23)

Also —

The Washington Post: Homicides, Aggravated Assaults On Steep Rise Across U.S. During Pandemic
In Greensboro, N.C., the violence has gotten so extreme that a shootout erupted in front of the county courthouse the other day, across the street from the sheriff’s office, leaving a 20-year-old man dead. Greensboro set a city record with 45 homicides last year, and, as of Friday, already had 54 this year. “We’ve always had a level of gang activity,” Greensboro Police Chief Brian James said in an interview, “but it’s more prolific now. I’m not sure what’s changed, but the offenders are more bold than they’ve ever been.” (Jackman, 11/21)

The New York Times: Undocumented And Pregnant: Why Women Are Afraid To Get Prenatal Care 
Britani first learned there was something wrong with her pregnancy late one night in July 2019 when she started bleeding and rushed to an emergency room. The doctor on duty said she had an infection that could cause her to miscarry. Britani agreed to find an obstetrician to treat the problem, knowing that she would not keep her word. As an undocumented immigrant, Britani, now 20, had no health insurance and could not afford to pay for her treatment in cash. Her only option would be to apply for public benefits, but she had heard from friends that doing so could make her a target for deportation or jeopardize her pending green card application. So she sat tight, hoping the infection would go away on its own. (Dickerson, 11/22)

KHN: Were You Notified About Missing Tax Forms For Your ACA Subsidy? Blame COVID.
The notice from the federal health insurance marketplace grabbed Andrew Schenker’s attention: ACT NOW: YOU’RE AT RISK OF LOSING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE STARTING JANUARY 1, 2021. As he read the notice, though, the Blacksburg, Virginia, resident became exasperated. Schenker, his wife and their teenage son have a bronze-level marketplace plan. Based on their income of about $40,000 a year, they receive tax credits that cover the $2,036 monthly premium in full. (Andrews, 11/23)

The Hill: Court Rules Tennessee Can Deny Abortions Over Down Syndrome, Race Or Gender 
A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that Tennessee can deny abortions due to race, gender or if there has been a diagnosis of Down syndrome, The Associated Press reports. The ban was part of sweeping legislation enacted in July that would prohibit abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which could take place as early as six weeks. The law was in effect for less than an hour before being blocked by a lower court. (Williams, 11/21)

In news from New York —

ProPublica: New York Court Officials Complete Rare Review Of Cases Handled By Judge Forced Into Retirement By Dementia
In August, New York court officials made a sad and surprising announcement: ShawnDya Simpson, a 54-year-old judge, was retiring because of early onset Alzheimer’s disease. It was both a tragedy and a dilemma: How would anyone know whether the judge’s illness had affected her handling of cases in the months, maybe years before she was forced from the bench? n October, court officials announced they would do something rare: conduct a review of scores of the judge’s orders and decisions to see if there were obvious examples of mistakes or misguided judgments. This week, court officials announced the results of the review. Officials said a State Supreme Court justice had reviewed 40 of the judge’s decisions and orders, as well as 1,000 status conference orders on routine issues. (Sexton, 11/20)

AP: Black Clergy, United Way To Launch Anti-Coronavirus Effort
Black clergy leaders are joining forces with the United Way of New York City for a new initiative designed to combat the coronavirus’ outsized toll on African Americans through ramped-up testing, contact tracing and treatment management. Details of the new effort, shared with The Associated Press in advance of its Monday launch, rest on harnessing the on-the-ground influence of church leaders to circulate resources that can better equip Black Americans in safeguarding against and treating the virus. Its rollout will begin in five major cities with initial seven-figure funding, focusing on expanded testing and public health education, with a goal of further expansion and ultimately reaching several hundred thousand underinsured or uninsured Black Americans. (Schor, 11/22)

The New York Times: Party At A Queens Sex Club With 80 People Is Shut Down By Sheriff 
By midnight on Saturday, about 80 guests had crowded into a sex club in Queens to drink and party. At around the same time, another group that grew to about 120 revelers was just starting to gather and dance at an illegal club in Manhattan. City sheriffs broke up both parties early on Sunday — the latest crackdown as officials try to rein in behavior that could fuel the second wave of the coronavirus. Seven people and one business face a range of charges in connection with the parties, including a failure to protect health and safety in violation of the city’s health code, the authorities said. (Closson, 11/22)

In news from North Carolina and Ohio —

North Carolina Health News: Manager Of NC’s Veterans Nursing Homes Gets Extension 
For the first time, a significant public body had a discussion of North Carolina’s deal with the company that runs the NC State Veterans Homes, at which 38 residents contracted COVID-19 and died. In all, 87 veterans were diagnosed as having contracted the virus. (Goldsmith, 11/20)

North Carolina Health News: Task Force: Offer Discounted Clean Water For Poor Residents 
The Pittsboro Drinking Water Task Force wants the town to provide deeply discounted reverse osmosis filtration systems to low-income residents while it continues to explore permanent solutions for a community rocked by contaminated drinking water. The task force, which formed in November 2019, issued its final report in October on the avenues it recommends the town take to resolve problems with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — known as PFAS — and another potential carcinogen called 1,4 dioxane. (Barnes, 11/23)

The Hill: Cleveland Coronavirus Cases Up 1,200 Percent Since Early October 
The Cleveland area has seen its number of coronavirus cases skyrocket by 1,259 percent in the past seven weeks according to the Ohio Department of Health, as cases across the country continue to climb. On Oct. 1, when Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) released an advisory alert map, the Cleveland/Akron area was reporting an average of 83 cases a day, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Now, the area is averaging 1,134 cases a day. (Choi, 11/22)

In news from South Dakota, Minnesota, California and Alaska —

The Hill: Sturgis Rally Blamed For COVID-19 Spread In Minnesota 
A South Dakota motorcycle rally attended by nearly half a million people earlier this year resulted in at least 86 cases of COVID-19 among residents of Minnesota, including one death, according to a report released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report, which looked to find the impact of the rally on a neighboring state, found that of the 86 identified cases among Minnesotans, 35 had not gone to the event but were contacts of people who did. (Hellmann, 11/20)

San Francisco Chronicle: Bay Area Sees Racial Shift In Coronavirus: Positive Tests Down For Latinos, Up For Whites
For the first time since the pandemic hit in full force, coronavirus cases among Latino residents — who for many months have borne the brunt of COVID-19 — are decreasing, while cases among white residents are increasing in parts of the Bay Area. The trend is emerging weeks after counties began easing restrictions in many places, including reopening indoor dining and increasing capacity at gyms and places of worship. That prompted many residents to let their guard down and expand their social bubbles, county health officials said. (Sanchez, Ho and Allday, 11/22)

KHN: California Law Banning Toxic Chemicals In Cosmetics Will Transform Industry
A toxic chemical ban signed into law in California will change the composition of cosmetics, shampoos, hair straighteners and other personal care products used by consumers across the country, industry officials and activists say. The ban, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom at the end of September, covers 24 chemicals, including mercury, formaldehyde and several types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS. All the chemicals are carcinogenic or otherwise toxic — and advocates argue they have no place in beauty products. (Green, 11/23)

KHN: Surging LA 
On a Monday afternoon in March, four days after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued the nation’s first statewide stay-at-home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, some of Southern California’s most famous landmarks were deserted and few cars traveled the region’s notoriously congested freeways. Eight months later, businesses are open, traffic is back — and COVID-19 cases in the state are surging. (de Marco, 11/23)

Anchorage Daily News: Majority Of Alaska Adults Are Susceptible To A Severe COVID-19 Infection, State Health Experts Say
Two out of three Alaska adults have at least one risk factor that heath officials link with a higher chance of a severe COVID-19 infection, a new analysis from the state health department shows. The findings show that most adults in Alaska are at an increased risk for hospitalization or worse if they contract COVID-19, the state’s chief medical officer, Dr. Anne Zink, said in an interview. (Krakow, 11/21)

The Hill: Trump Addresses Virtual G-20 Summit, Heads Out Before Session On Pandemic 
President Trump participated in the Group of 20 (G-20) virtual summit early Saturday where he touted the administration's coronavirus actions and push to quickly develop a COVID-19 vaccine before leaving ahead of the start of a side conference on the response to the pandemic. (Castronuovo, 11/21)

The Hill: G-20 Leaders Pledge Access To COVID-19 Vaccine Worldwide 
Leaders of the Group of 20 (G-20) nations pledged Sunday that they would work to ensure that "all people" had access to an eventual vaccine for COVID-19 amid concerns that a vaccine could become inaccessible to the world's poorest people. In the communique Sunday, the world leaders who assembled for the virtual summit pledged to "spare no effort to ensure their affordable and equitable access for all people, consistent with members' commitments to incentivize innovation." (Bowden, 11/22)

In other global developments —

Politico: WHO COVID Envoy Warns Of Third Wave In Europe In 2021 
Europe could face a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2021 if governments repeat the mistakes that led to a second wave this year, a World Health Organization special COVID-19 envoy said Sunday. “[Governments] missed building up the necessary infrastructure during the summer months, after they brought the first wave under the control,” the WHO’s David Nabarro said in an interview with Swiss newspaper Solothurner Zeitung. “Now we have the second wave. If they don’t build the necessary infrastructure, we’ll have a third wave early next year,” said Nabarro. (Barigazzi, 11/22)

The Washington Post: Italy's Coronavirus Cases Have Roared Back. But The Reaction Is More Muted This Time.
In Italy, the scale of death no longer registers as a consuming national tragedy. But the tragedy is there nonetheless — playing out more quietly, in specific nursing homes, hospitals and living rooms. Some 10,000 people have died of the coronavirus in Italy this month — a per capita rate more than double that of the United States. (Harlan and Pitrelli, 11/22)

AP: Serbian Patriarch Buried With Few Virus Measures In Place
Thousands of people on Sunday attended the funeral of Serbian Patriarch Irinej who died after contracting the coronavirus, many ignoring preventive measures against the pandemic. Many mourners and most priests holding the funeral service in the massive St. Sava Temple in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, didn’t wear masks or adhere to social distancing inside the church, kissing the glass shield covering Irinej’s remains and even using a single spoon during Holy Communion. (11/22)

Reuters: Pope Says His Brush With Death Helps Him Relate To Covid Victims 
Pope Francis says in a new book that he can relate to people in intensive care units who fear dying from coronavirus because of his own experience when part of his lung was removed 63 years ago. Italian newspapers published excerpts of the new book “Let Us Dream: The Path to A Better Future,” on Monday ahead of publication next month. (Pullella, 11/23)

AP: Russia's Health System Under Strain As The Virus Surges Back
Russia’s health care system, vast yet underfunded, has been under significant strains in recent weeks, as the pandemic surges again and daily infections and virus death regularly break records. Across the country, 81% of hospital beds that have been set aside for coronavirus patients were full as of Wednesday. Three times last week, the Russian government reported a record number of daily deaths, and the number of daily new infections per 100,000 people has more than doubled since Oct. 1, from 6 to over 15. Overall, Russia has recorded over 2 million cases and over 35,000 deaths, but experts say all numbers worldwide understate the true toll of the pandemic. (Litvinova, 11/22)

Politico: In Race For Coronavirus Vaccine, Russia Turns To Disinformation 
When two COVID-19 vaccines were announced within a week of each other, everyone cheered that the end to the global pandemic was now in sight. Everyone, that is, except Russia. Since the summer, Moscow has conducted a global disinformation campaign aimed at both undermining vaccines produced in the West and promoting its own rival product, particularly to countries across the developing world, according to interviews with four national and European Union disinformation experts and a review of Kremlin-backed media outlets by POLITICO. (Scott, 11/19)

AP: Palestinians May Limit Christmas Celebrations In Bethlehem
The Palestinian Health Ministry has recommended strict limits on Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem this year due to the coronavirus outbreak. Celebrations in the biblical town revered by Christians as Jesus’ birthplace are usually attended by thousands of people from around the world. But this year, the ministry has recommended the upcoming Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Manger Square be limited to 50 people, with the lights of the tree and area restaurants closed at 9 p.m. throughout the Christmas season. In its recommendations Saturday, it said religious services on Christmas Eve should also have limited attendance. (11/22)

Stat: Missing From Biden's Covid-19 Task Force: Mental Health Expertise 
The unprecedented spike in depression and anxiety that has accompanied the coronavirus pandemic points to a glaring omission from President-elect Biden’s Covid-19 task force: Mental health expertise is nowhere to be found among the physicians, epidemiologists, and public health experts. (Roy Perlis, Matthew A. Baum and Katherine Ognyanova, 11/23)

Los Angeles Times: Put Nurses On Biden's COVID-19 Advisory Board
Despite widespread distrust in American institutions, trust in nurses remains high — and could serve as a powerful tool in the fight against COVID-19, which poses the greatest health threat in a century. For 18 years in a row, Americans have rated the honesty and ethics of nurses highest among a list of professions in an annual Gallup poll. In 2019, 85% of respondents gave nurses a “high” or “very high” rating in trust, higher than any other profession. The public also holds nurses’ efforts to improve the U.S. healthcare system in the highest regard, above any other profession, according to a New York Times/Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health report on American values and beliefs about national health insurance reform. (Stacy Torres and Andrew Penn, 11/23)

CNN: How To Instill Public Confidence In A Covid-19 Vaccine 
Few measures in preventive medicine can compare with the impact of vaccines. In fact, the only human disease ever eradicated, smallpox, was wiped out with a vaccine. Given the major health burden caused by the novel coronavirus, having a safe and effective vaccine would be a critical tool in mitigating that burden. (Walter Orenstein, 11/20)

Bloomberg: FDA's Remdesivir Fail Is A Warning For Pfizer And Moderna Vaccines
Less than a month ago, the Food and Drug Administration said hospitals could use remdesivir, a drug manufactured by Gilead Sciences Inc., to treat patients with Covid-19. Remdesivir, sold under the brand name Veklury, was said to shorten recovery times and reduce the need for ventilators to facilitate breathing. Yesterday, the World Health Organization hit the brakes: It recommended that doctors avoid using the drug altogether. “There is currently no evidence that remdesivir improves survival and other outcomes in these patients,” the WHO noted, citing detailed studies it sponsored. “The evidence suggested no important effect on mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, time to clinical improvement, and other patient-important outcomes.” (Timothy O'Brien, 11/20)

The Wall Street Journal: Trump’s Gift To Joe Biden
Congratulations to drug companies for their tremendous work developing Covid-19 vaccines and therapies in record time. Their reward from the Trump Administration is a new regulation imposing drug price controls, which will make it easier for Joe Biden to go further next year. The Department of Health and Human Services on Friday finalized a “most-favored nation” rule requiring drug makers to give Medicare the lowest price they charge comparable developed countries. This means the feds will refuse to pay more for medicines than government-run health systems in Europe. Didn’t Mr. Trump campaign against socialism? (11/20)

The Hill: Will Biden Shut Down The Country And Throw Open The Borders? 
Joe Biden was elected to be the steady, competent hand to guide the nation through COVID-19 health and economic crises, and perhaps heal social divisions. The president-elect has yet to reveal his plan for getting the pandemic under control, but sources close to him have indicated that it could entail a lengthy national lockdown in addition to other stringent measures. (Ira Mehlman, 11/22)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Biden’s COVID-19 Strategy Should Prioritize Low-Income Communities Like Philly’s
As America focused on the presidential election, COVID-19 cases surged. This alarming trend underscores the task now before President-Elect Biden and his COVID-19 Task Force: to “listen to science” and implement strategies that minimize pandemic-related suffering for Americans—particularly those living in poverty. The pandemic has hit poor communities like much of Philadelphia hard. Low-income individuals are the least able to forego work in order to care for high-risk loved ones, creating a trade-off between bringing home money to keep the heat on and bringing home the virus to loved ones. Virus-related hospitalizations and death have been higher in areas with greater poverty. (Joshua M. Liao and Amol S. Navathe, 11/21)

St. Louis Post Dispatch: Missouri Needs A Dang Mask Order. Now. 
Not that anyone should still need it, but there is now further proof of the effectiveness of wearing masks against the coronavirus. An ongoing St. Louis University study comparing infection rates of St. Louis-area counties where masks are and aren’t required confirms the obvious: Mask mandates dramatically lower the transmission rate. Even Missouri Gov. Mike Parson now encourages citizens to mask up. So why does he continue to resist implementing a statewide mask order, as other Republican governors have finally started doing? (11/22)

Louisville Courier Journal: Trust Nurses. Wear Face Masks, Wash Your Hands And Social Distance
It is well documented that for the 18th consecutive year, people trust nurses more than any other professional group (Gallup Poll, 2020).  In Kentucky, nearly 90,000 of these dedicated professionals bring babies into the world, care for people before, during and after major surgeries and illnesses and provide comfort and clinical expertise as the end of life draws near. They also serve in myriad academic, business and industry and leadership roles. From licensed practical nurses to doctoral level nurse practitioners and beyond, these are the people residents of the commonwealth depend upon to help them live healthy lives. (Donna Meador and Delanor Manson, 11/23)

Des Moines Register: Native Mascots Need To Be Replaced At Iowa Schools
In NFL stadiums and in the high school bleachers of Colorado, Michigan, Maine, Florida, Washington, and every state in between, we have witnessed an evolution in mainstream views on the use of Native American mascots, nicknames, and imagery. Our Iowa school districts and communities have an opportunity to be on the forefront of this movement and should likewise evolve beyond the use of Native mascots. The use of Native symbols and likenesses is inarguably degrading and hurtful to Native people, who are forced to see themselves reduced to mere caricatures and forced to see their cultures co-opted for purposes divorced from Native self-determination. For nearly 30 years, mental health professionals have noted that the use of Native mascots is measurably detrimental to Native people. (Iowa Commission on Native American Affairs, 11/21)

The Wall Street Journal: Some Masks Will Protect You Better Than Others 
A rush of travel for Thanksgiving will lead to new Covid-19 outbreaks. Infection rates are accelerating, and a growing percentage of those hospitalized are over 65. Past waves prompted people to reduce their activity, but recent Google mobility data don’t show a big change in behavior. Yet many Americans could take one simple step to protect themselves: Buy a better mask. (Scott Gottlieb, 11/22)

Fox News: Cancel Thanksgiving? No, But We Must Make These Hard Choices To Stay Safe
For many people, this will be very different Thanksgiving. Still others don’t plan to change their holiday routine. But there’s a real risk of an uninvited guest barging in -- COVID, which continues to surge exponentially in much of the country. Although many people become infected without getting seriously ill, some do get seriously ill – and one American dies from COVID every minute. (Tom Frieden, 11/21)

Los Angeles Times: Schools Still Don't Have Reliable Federal Reopening Guidance
One of the most frustrating aspects of the pandemic has been watching school districts try to navigate the complexities of remote learning with so little guidance from Washington. The silence is equally deafening when it comes to figuring out when and how districts should reopen their campuses. Yes, the federal government provided much-needed funding, which helped buy computers and broadband access for students and cover other pandemic-related costs. Far more money is needed. But just as essential, if not more so, were information and directives about how to proceed in the current, unprecedented situation. And this is where the federal government has been sorely lacking. (11/23)

Boston Globe: We Can’t Address Coronavirus Loneliness Alone 
Whereas the first phase of the pandemic focused our attention on state shutdowns, economic collapse, inadequate numbers of ventilators in hospitals, and front-line workers scrambling to secure enough personal protective equipment, we will likely have additional concerns during this second peak. This time, our lives will not only be marked by the rising death toll and economic uncertainty, but will also be coupled with the pervasive mental health toll that the coronavirus pandemic has taken. While there have been multiple studies on rising rates of depression and anxiety, there is another deeply pervasive and less highlighted public health menace on the rise: loneliness. (Katherine Gergen Barnett, 11/23)

JAMA: Older Adults And The Mental Health Effects Of COVID-19
As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) began to spread in the US in early 2020, older adults experienced disproportionately greater adverse effects from the pandemic including more severe complications, higher mortality, concerns about disruptions to their daily routines and access to care, difficulty in adapting to technologies like telemedicine, and concerns that isolation would exacerbate existing mental health conditions. Older adults tend to have lower stress reactivity, and in general, better emotional regulation and well-being than younger adults, but given the scale and magnitude of the pandemic, there was concern about a mental health crisis among older adults. The concern pertained to older adults both at home and in residential care facilities, where contact with friends, family, and caregivers became limited. The early data suggest a much more nuanced picture. This Viewpoint summarizes evidence suggesting that, counter to expectation, older adults as a group may be more resilient to the anxiety, depression, and stress-related mental health disorders characteristic of younger populations during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Ipsit V. Vahia, Dilip V. Jeste, and Charles F. Reynolds III, 11/20)

The Washington Post: A Tool To Stem The Spread Of The Coronavirus Sits In Your Pocket 
Coronavirus cases are surging, temperatures are dropping, and Thanksgiving is approaching. This is a recipe for mass infection. Many Americans are taking pains to weather the winter season as responsibly as possible, but there is something more we can do to help ourselves and each other — and it only takes a few taps on a smartphone screen. (11/122)

Stat: Make A Drug's List Price The Touchstone Across The Supply Chain 
In October, the House Oversight Committee turned a magnifying glass on the rising cost of prescription drugs. With health care costs critical to voters on both sides of the aisle, lawmakers grilled drug company executives on practices from copay assistance to evergreening. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Cal.) and her whiteboard garnered viral attention after she interrogated Celgene CEO Mark Alles about price hikes to the cancer drug Revlimid. (Robin Feldman, 11/23)

Stat: NCI Should Be Upfront About Chemical Exposure And Cancer Risk 
Our government should take the steps it can to protect Americans from a public health crisis that is claiming thousands of lives. We aren’t just talking about Covid-19 here. We are talking about breast cancer. (Linda S. Birnbaum and Margaret L. Kripke, 11/21)