CBS News: Biden Takes Defiant Tone In Press Conference Marking First Year In Office And Says He Didn't Overpromise
President Biden was adamant he hadn't "overpromised" in his first year in office as he held his first press conference of 2022 on Wednesday, but he acknowledged that one of his signature pieces of legislation, Build Back Better, must be downsized  in order to get parts of it through Congress. "It's pretty clear to me that we will need to break it up," Mr. Biden said.  (Linton, Brewster and Watson, 1/19)

Stat: A Defiant Biden Defends The CDC Amid Mounting Criticism 
President Biden on Wednesday defended the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, amid mounting criticism of the agency’s repeated struggles to communicate basic public health guidance. But instead of conceding that the agency is fundamentally flawed, or that his top health officials have underperformed, Biden attributed the communications issues to the ever-changing nature of the Covid-19 pandemic, and of science itself. “The messages, to the extent they’ve been confusing — it’s because the scientists, they’re learning more,” Biden said during a nearly two-hour press conference. (Facher, 1/19)

Politico: Biden Defends School Policies, Downplays Recent Shutdowns 
President Joe Biden touted his administration’s efforts to keep schools open during the pandemic on Wednesday as some schools are returning to remote instruction because of the Omicron variant. Biden said that while some school buildings have temporarily shut down, the vast majority have continued to conduct in-person instruction. He credited billions in funding passed as part of last year’s American Rescue Plan, as well as his administration’s vaccination initiatives, for helping students and educators stay in school and minimize learning disruption. (Niedzwiadek, 1/19)

USA Today: Biden Says US Moving To Time When Virus Won't Disrupt
President Joe Biden highlighted the progress his administration has made in the fight against COVID-19 and assured Americans the pandemic would come under control as it approaches two full years of upending daily life. At a lengthy White House news conference Wednesday, a day before the one-year anniversary of his inauguration, Biden recognized the public’s frustration and high level of pandemic fatigue and assured that, “It will get better.’’ But he didn't say when. “We’re moving toward a time when COVID-19 won’t disrupt our daily life, when COVID-19 won’t be a crisis, but something to protect against and a threat,’’ Biden said. “Look, we’re not there yet, but we will get there.’’ (Ortiz, Bacon and Tebor, 1/19)

AP: AP FACT CHECK: Biden Puffs Up Claims Of Virus, Job Gains 
In a self-appraisal that didn’t always fit with the facts, President Joe Biden on Wednesday made the dubious assertion that he’s outperformed all expectations on the pandemic in his first year and inflated his contribution to COVID-era economic growth. A look at some of Biden’s comments in a news conference that stretched for nearly two hours. (Seitz and Rugaber, 1/20)

Also —

Axios: Biden Concedes U.S. Should Have Done More Testing 
President Biden acknowledged Wednesday that the U.S. should have done more COVID-19 testing earlier on during his first year in office. The administration has faced criticism for the timing of the free tests that it distributed. A widespread shortage impacted millions across the country during the holidays as Omicron cases surged. "Should we have done more testing earlier? Yes," he said during a news briefing from the White House. "But we're doing more now," he added. "We've gone from zero at-home tests a year ago to 375 million tests on the market in just this month." (Chen, 1/19)

Stat: Can Mailing Free Covid-19 Tests Turn Biden’s Pandemic Response Around?
In an effort to regain the trust of the American public when it comes to his pandemic response, President Biden is launching a massive, slapdash effort to distribute Covid-19 tests by mail. Given the complicated distribution logistics, supply chain questions, and uncertainty about where the pandemic will go next, however, there are real questions about whether the push will succeed — or backfire for Biden. Biden’s overall approval rating has been underwater since last summer, but polls still showed that most Americans supported his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic — until last week. (Cohrs, 1/19)

Modern Healthcare: CMS Vaccine Policy Now Enforceable In All 50 States
The federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers can officially go into effect nationwide after a judge tossed out a challenge to the mandate from Texas on Wednesday. A judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas granted a temporary block of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirement that employees at Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilities be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Texas. But Texas moved to dismiss the case on Tuesday following the Supreme Court's decision to let the CMS enforce the mandate while appeals are considered at lower courts. (Goldman, 1/19)

Politico: How Many Health Care Workers Are Vaccinated? It’s Anyone’s Guess
U.S. officials still don’t know exactly how many hospital workers remain unvaccinated, a blind spot that makes it difficult for public health officials to predict and assess vulnerabilities at facilities already facing staffing crises. The lack of reliable immunization data, more than a year after vaccines were first made available to health care workers, could most immediately complicate Biden administration efforts to get ahead of a surge, or assess how many federal personnel might be needed in a region and prop up overwhelmed hospital systems. (Levy, 1/19)

In nursing home news —

The CT Mirror: Lamont Orders Nursing Home Visitors To Be Vaccinated Or Tested For COVID
Gov. Ned Lamont on Wednesday issued a new emergency order requiring visitors to nursing homes to be vaccinated or have proof of a recent negative COVID test before they can enter a facility. “We know that some of the people who are most vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19 include those who live in nursing homes, which is why we need to be doing everything we can to protect them from this virus,” Lamont said. “This is one more precaution we can implement at these facilities to keep them safe.” (Altimari, 1/19)

KHN: Families Complain As States Require Covid Testing For Nursing Home Visits
As covid-19 cases rise again in nursing homes, a few states have begun requiring visitors to present proof that they’re not infected before entering facilities, stoking frustration and dismay among family members. Officials in California, New York, and Rhode Island say new covid testing requirements are necessary to protect residents — an enormously vulnerable population — from exposure to the highly contagious omicron variant. But many family members say they can’t secure tests amid enormous demand and scarce supplies, leaving them unable to see loved ones. And being shut out of facilities feels unbearable, like a nightmare recurring without end. (Graham, 1/20)

In other news about covid mandates —

AP: Starbucks Nixes Vaccine Mandate After Supreme Court Ruling 
Starbucks is no longer requiring its U.S. workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, reversing a plan it announced earlier this month. In a memo sent Tuesday to employees, the Seattle coffee giant said it was responding to last week’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. In a 6-3 vote, the court rejected the Biden administration’s plan to require vaccines or regular COVID testing at companies with more than 100 workers. (Durbin, 1/19)

The Washington Post: Carhartt Said Covid Vaccinations Remains Mandatory For Employees, Angering Conservatives On Twitter
Some conservatives and anti-vaccine pundits have targeted the company on social media in what appears to be the latest attempt to shame and boycott a company over its mandatory coronavirus vaccination policy for employees. The company has also faced protests from employees opposed to the vaccination policy in recent months. (Bella, 1/18)

Indianapolis Star: Indiana House Passes Bill Restricting Employer Vaccine Mandates Despite COVID-19 Surge
House lawmakers approved a bill by a 58-35 vote Tuesday that would gut most Indiana private vaccine mandates, striking a major blow to the usually influential business community amid a surge of COVID-19 cases. Eight Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the bill. The vote comes days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Biden administration doesn't have the authority to impose a vaccine mandate on private businesses, leaving the decision of how to address most vaccine mandates up to individual states, such as Indiana. (Lange, 1/18)

NBC News: Federal Inspectors Allege Covid Testing Firm Didn't Put Patients' Names On Specimens
Federal documents obtained by NBC News allege that a Covid testing company with 300 pop-up locations nationwide and its associated lab lacked adequate refrigeration and failed to put patients’ names on specimens or report test results to state officials. The Chicago-based company, Center for Covid Control, is already under investigation by multiple states and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS. The attorney general of Minnesota sued the company Wednesday alleging that it “either failed to deliver test results, or delivered test results that were falsified or inaccurate.” (Strickler, 1/19)

AP: Minnesota Attorney General Sues 2 Companies Over COVID Tests 
Minnesota’s top law enforcement official filed suit against two Illinois-based companies Wednesday over the results of COVID-19 tests he said were often slow to arrive and not accurate. Attorney General Keith Ellison is seeking an injunction and financial penalties, including restitution for affected residents, against Center for Covid Control and Doctors Clinical Laboratory. Their tests were offered at eight sites in Minnesota. The complaint alleges people failed to get timely results or any at all. Others said they received results for tests they didn’t take. (1/20)

In other news about covid testing —

WUSA9: Are COVID-19 Test Kits Left Out In The Cold Okay To Use?
The Biden administration has launched their website to get at-home rapid COVID-19 tests to more Americans. If you signed up to get your tests, they should arrive at your doorstep within two weeks. But with winter weather hitting the D.C. region, we verified: Are the tests impacted when left outside in the cold? Here's what we learned. (Spaht and Gregory, 1/20)

CNN: PCR Vs. Antigen Tests: Which You Should Take After Having Covid-19 
A PCR test is often considered the gold standard for detecting coronavirus infection. It's the test some employers want employees to take before returning to work after having Covid-19, and the one some people scramble to schedule to know whether they can travel or stop isolating. But experts say the PCR test isn't the best one for every situation. PCR -- or reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction -- tests can detect small amounts of the coronavirus' genetic material in a specimen collected from a human. The test then works by amplifying, or making copies of, that genetic material if any is present in a person's sample, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Rogers, 1/19)

AP: New Mexico Will Send COVID Tests To Low-Income Neighborhoods
New Mexico is sending free COVID-19 home tests to low-income and underserved neighborhoods, but some school officials say a nationwide shortage of tests is putting them in a bind as they work to meet state requirements aimed at keeping students and staff in the classroom. The state Health Department announced this week that more than 400,000 tests have been secured so far. (Bryan, 1/19)

The CT Mirror: Local Officials Asking Why CT Wasn't Ready For COVID Testing Demand
On Monday Jan. 3, four hours before South Windsor was to begin distributing its limited supply of at-home COVID test kits, police notified Town Manager Michael Maniscalco that cars were already lining up outside Rye Park. Maniscalco wondered how the state ended up in such a precarious position. Hours-long waits for COVID tests had become common as people flooded the state’s scattered testing sites – many waiting in vain, anger building. At a testing site in Bristol, someone threatened to pull a gun. (Altimari and Brown, 1/20)

AP: Illinois, Chicago Omicron Cases Have Peaked, Officials Say 
The state’s top officials in the battle against COVID-19 on Wednesday reported that the vicious surge in the disease fueled by the omicron variant is slowing statewide and in Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city. But even as record numbers of hospitalizations decline, authorities said health care resources are still stretched to the limit. “We are a long way from being out of the woods,” Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said at a news conference. (Tareen and O'Connor, 1/19)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Reports A Decrease In COVID-19 Hospitalizations
The Wisconsin Hospital Association reported a decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations Wednesday. The latest peak and record high of 2,278 patients was on Jan. 12. Since then, the number of people hospitalized has declined to 2,163 patients. In addition, since the peak and record high of 488 intensive care patients, the number of patients in the intensive care unit decreased to 459 patients. Also on Wednesday, the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene reported that the omicron variant was found in 100% of tests sequenced during the week starting Jan. 10. (Bentley, 1/19)

Philadelphia Inquirer: COVID Cases In Pa. And N.J. Declining, Omicron Peak May Be Over In Philly Area
COVID-19 cases and deaths are declining in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs, prompting health officials in the region to express cautious optimism that the worst of the omicron surge may be over. In Philadelphia and its four neighboring Pennsylvania counties, hospitalizations are declining too, and city hospitals are beginning to feel relief from the press of COVID-19 patients that has swamped them in recent weeks. (Laughlin, McCarthy and McDaniel, 1/19)

The New York Times: In Sewage, Clues To Omicron’s Surge 
The sewage data reveal an Omicron wave that is cresting at different times in different places. According to Biobot Analytics, a company tracking the coronavirus in wastewater in 183 communities across 25 states, viral levels have already begun to decline in many big cities but are still rising in smaller communities. (Anthes and Imbler, 1/19)

And Walgreens has started its own tracking tool —

USA Today: Walgreens COVID-19 Index: Pharmacy Unveils Own Pandemic Tracking Tool
Walgreens has a new prescription for improving COVID-19 reconnaissance and tracking of the dominant omicron variant: its own Walgreens COVID-19 Index. The new tracking tool, which the pharmacy chain launches Wednesday, will reflect results at 5,000 Walgreens locations across the U.S. and provide national and state-by-state updates of the spread of omicron and other variants. In addition to tracking confirmed COVID cases by state, the COVID-19 Index will also reflect the presumed percentage of omicron cases by state, in near real-time. A fraction of the PCR tests taken at Walgreens locations and processed by Aegis Sciences Corp., will check for a specific genetic marker associated with omicron and have that data updated into the index within 24 to 48 hours. (Snider, 1/19)

In more news about omicron —

USA Today: COVID-19 Worries, Social Distancing Up As Omicron Surges: Gallup Poll
A new poll shows Americans' fears about COVID-19 are up as cases skyrocketed in January, prompting most Americans to avoid large crowds even as masking and vaccine rates remain mostly stagnant. Gallup, a global analytics and advice firm well known for its polling, released the results of its latest poll Thursday morning. The firm has regularly polled Americans on their level of concern related to the coronavirus pandemic. The latest poll of 1,569 U.S. adults, conducted online Jan. 3 through 14, found a steep rise in the percentage of Americans who said the pandemic is "getting worse," as compared to fall 2021 data. (Thornton, 1/20)

The New York Times: Can Omicron Cause Long Covid? 
Many public health officials have taken heart in early evidence that suggests infections from the Omicron variant tend to cause less severe illness than other versions of the coronavirus. But another important question looms: whether infection with Omicron, including breakthrough cases in vaccinated people, can result in long Covid — the constellation of physical, neurological and cognitive symptoms that can last for months and impair people’s daily lives. It is too early for scientists to know much about the relationship between Omicron, vaccination and long Covid. (Belluck, 1/19)

Bloomberg: Omicron Is A Bigger Risk For The Young, Medical Data Shows
The omicron variant may be more dangerous for children than earlier coronavirus strains, a study of hospitalization data from one of South Africa’s biggest medical insurance programs showed. Data from the 56,164 Covid-19-related hospital admissions among the more than 2 million beneficiaries of the Government Employees Medical Scheme found that the admission rate for children under the age of four was 49% higher during the omicron wave than for delta. It was also higher than during the infection surges driven by the original virus and the beta variant, according to the data analyzed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. (Sguazzin, 1/19)

North Carolina Health News: Keep It Real When Explaining Omicron To Older People 
Given the near constant emergence of new permutations of COVID and the rise of the Omicron variant of the virus, a Duke clinician says he sticks to verifiable, often common-sense paths during conversations with people such as his own grandparents, who are in their 90s and living in long-term care. As with almost every factor since the pandemic started, the best guidance and information can be – and has been – transformed as new science and variants arise. Thomas Holland, a specialist in infectious disease at Duke University Medical Center, says that means it can be difficult to settle on hard and fast rules that people might prefer. (Goldsmith, 1/20)

AP: Ambulances Wait Hours With Patients At California Hospitals
Emergency health workers in California Wednesday blasted hours-long waits to transfer patients from ambulances to hospital emergency rooms in what they said were chronic delays worsened by the nearly two-year coronavirus pandemic. During a legislative hearing, first responders said taking more than the anticipated 20 minutes to receive a patient at a hospital emergency room isn’t good for the patient and impedes their ability to head out on new emergency calls. Often, they said, they wind up waiting hours at hospitals because no one is available to receive new patients — a problem that doctors and a hospital administrator said stems from delays in lab work, X-rays and insurance authorizations. (Taxin, 1/19)

Hospital staffing shows no sign of improvement —

Stat: Covid-19 Is No Longer The Biggest Issue Facing Hospitals. Staffing Is 
Health care providers have been the frontline of our nation’s battle against the Covid-19 pandemic, and they have responded heroically. That said, the initial set of seemingly insurmountable challenges that hospitals had to overcome in every community across the U.S. — like accessing sufficient personal protective equipment so they could safely provide care — have now been replaced with a new problem of epic proportions: a tsunami of staffing and labor challenges. These challenges were the number one issue that CEOs and CFOs from 20 of America’s most prominent health systems shared at this year’s recently concluded 40th Annual J.P. Morgan Health Care Conference. While nearly every industry is currently facing staffing problems, the issue in health care is especially acute due to the demands and burnout associated with being on the frontlines of care throughout the last two years. (Michelson, 1/19)

Anchorage Daily News: Hundreds Of Alaska Health Care Workers Are Out Sick As Omicron Surge Continues, But Hospitals Are Seeing Fewer Severely Ill Patients
Alaska reported more than 10,000 new COVID-19 cases over the last five days, and hospitals statewide continue to report growing staffing challenges. However, the virus is so far not driving up patient admissions the same way it did in past surges. The previous delta surge in Alaska brought hundreds of sick patients to the state’s hospitals in short succession, many requiring long stays. The omicron variant, which has been shown to be less severe but more contagious, is instead causing more strain on hospitals as a result of staff becoming infected or exposed and needing to stay home, according to Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association president Jared Kosin. More than 250 health care workers were out on Tuesday, either with COVID-19 or a recent exposure, Kosin said. (Krakow and Berman, 1/19)

Oklahoman: COVID Tears Through State: Oklahoma City Hospitals In Crisis Again
Oklahoma City hospitals are in crisis again. Hospital leaders on Tuesday described how the omicron variant of COVID-19 has pushed them to a breaking point: they're facing overflowing emergency rooms, shortages of supplies like syringes and saline, and scores of staff illnesses on top of an already depleted workforce. “This time, it feels and sometimes even looks like a war zone,” said Dr. Julie Watson, the chief medical officer of Integris Health. “Cases have risen so rapidly, we have to care for patients in hallways, sometimes closets.” (Branham, 1/19)

AP: Nevada Enlisting Nursing Students For Hospital Staff Crisis 
With Nevada hospitals reporting a staffing “crisis” and health officials reporting COVID-19 patient tallies at pandemic highs, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak highlighted a program Wednesday to enlist nursing students to help meet the demand for medical providers. (Ritter, 1/20)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: National Guard Members Embrace Training For Mission To Nursing Homes
Wisconsin National Guard Sgt. Andrew Hemaidan may have settled his career path during the training for his next mission — becoming a nursing aide in order to help relieve the burden on the state's nursing homes. Hemaidan, 25, is one of 80 guard members who volunteered to undergo the 75-hour course that will allow them to go into nursing homes and work under the direction of registered nurses already in facilities, allowing the facilities to open up more space for patients in need of long-term care. (Schulte, 1/19)

In related news —

Modern Healthcare: OSHA Fines Montefiore For Workplace Violence Violations
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Montefiore Medical Center for failing to keep workers safe in several incidents, as violence against healthcare workers continues to increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. Montefiore will pay $17,555 over its handling of an attack on staff members. In early 2021, a psychiatric patient assaulted multiple workers during observation and during an attempted escape. OSHA said Montefiore had not developed and implemented adequate measures to protect employees from recurring serious hazards, and for not recording injuries properly. (Gillespie, 1/19)

The Washington Post: Video: Travel Nurses Who Left Staff Jobs Reflect On Newfound Freedom
Staff nurses around the United States are leaving full-time positions to become contract or travel nurses with short-term assignments. Many cite pandemic conditions, such as staffing and equipment shortages, as their reason for leaving their local hospitals and health-care facilities. (1/19)

The American South: Mardi Gras Parades Return This Year In New Orleans Amid COVID-19 Surge
Even as New Orleans continues to see a surge in COVID-19 cases tied to the highly contagious omicron variant, plans are set to resume parades and other events celebrated in the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras day, which lands March 1 this year. As of Jan. 18, the average number of daily cases was down to 400 compared to 1,200 a week earlier, according to data provided by New Orleans communication director Beau Tidwell during a press briefing. He added that there is no clear indication the current wave of cases has peaked and further stressed the importance of following health guidelines. (Clark, 1/19)

WKRG: Concerns Over COVID-19 Staffing Shortages Continue As Mardi Gras Approaches
This will be the first time Mardi Gras will happen during a pandemic. Thousands of people are expected to crowd the streets once again throughout the month of February to celebrate. ... With that many visitors, as omicron continues to spread in the community, there is concern that it will spread more. We spoke with Dr. Rhinid Murphree with the Mobile County Health Department earlier this month about potential staffing shortages due to COVID-19. “We’re seeing staff shortages in all factors of life, in schools, in daycares, in nursing homes, in hospitals, in businesses and restaurants,” said Murphee. Murphee believes there is heightened risk for those working during the events. “We are really concerned about the safety of our first responders, including security,” said Murphee. (Schleisman, 1/9)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: Louisiana Surpasses 1 Million Coronavirus Cases As Omicron Wave Continues 
As the fifth wave of the coronavirus sweeps across Louisiana, the state passed a “sobering milestone” on Tuesday: more than a million residents have been diagnosed with the virus since the start of the pandemic 22 months ago. The threshold is largely symbolic, but it indicates how broadly the virus has spread since it was first detected in the state in March 2020. And the speed at which cases catapulted towards the seven-figure mark in recent weeks has further demonstrated the incredible transmissibility of the omicron variant sweeping across the globe. (Adelson, 1/18)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: COVID Cases Drop, But Quarantines Rise In New Orleans Public Schools 
New Orleans public schools said Tuesday they were tracking 1,603 COVID-19 cases and 3,764 student and staff quarantines. The number of quarantines made for a 72% increase over the 2,192 reported quarantines last week. But the number of infections dropped 23% from last week's 2,233 active cases. (Warren, 1/18)

In other news about the spread of covid —

The Texas Tribune: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Who Has Fought Vaccine Mandates, Tests Positive For COVID-19
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has tested positive for COVID-19, his office said Wednesday. The communications staff at the attorney general's office told The Texas Tribune in an unsigned statement that Paxton had tested positive. "He remains working diligently for the people of Texas from home," the statement said. (Barragan, 1/19)

Los Angeles Times: COVID-19 Sidelines Over 2,000 Personnel At LAPD, Sheriff's Department
More than 2,000 employees of the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are at home sick or quarantining after testing positive for the coronavirus, officials said Wednesday. LAPD Det. Meghan Aguilar said that some 1,134 personnel out of 12,200 are currently at home, including 898 sworn officers. Those numbers are up 42% from the 803 personnel who were out Jan. 11. (Winton, 1/19)

In related news about covid and mental health —

Bangor Daily News: Mainers' Physical And Mental Health Has Gotten Worse During The COVID-19 Pandemic
As the COVID-19 pandemic has worn on, Samantha Gilligan is starting to see patients fall through the cracks. The nurse practitioner at the Seaport Community Health Center in Belfast is seeing patients who are struggling to afford healthy foods, or get to the doctor because their transportation has broken down. One woman with substance use problems she works with often relapses and stopped using medication during the pandemic after her car broke down. Those are the Mainers are at risk of their health getting worse as the pandemic wears on. The secondary effects of the pandemic have been well-documented, including increased mental health issues and record overdose deaths in 2021. Maine is at a crucial juncture to address the problems before they get worse, Gilligan said. (Andrews, 1/20)

The Conversation: How To Look After Your Mental Health If You're At Home With COVID
For many of us, catching COVID and isolating at home can be a lonely, scary and distressing experience. For those with a pre-existing mental illness, it can be even more difficult. The following strategies are designed to help you look after your mental health if you get COVID and are isolating at home. (Stone, 1/18)

The New York Times: I Had Breakthrough Covid. Can I Start Living Like It’s 2019?
Like many New Yorkers, Domenica D’Ottavio contracted Covid-19 over the Christmas holidays. Her head clogged with congestion, her body ached; she coughed and spiked a fever. But she also had another surprising symptom: relief. “It was just a different feeling,” said Ms. D’Ottavio, who had been fully vaccinated and boosted before getting infected. “You don’t realize until it’s over that you’ve been walking around with a tiny bit of fear in the back of your mind.” (Blum, 1/19)

CNBC: Fauci Says FDA Could Authorize Pfizer's Covid Vaccine For Kids Under 5 In The Next Month
White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci on Wednesday said the Food and Drug Administration could approve Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine for children under 5-years-old in the next month. “My hope is that it’s going to be within the next month or so and not much later than that, but I can’t guarantee that,” Fauci said during an interview with Blue Star Families, a nonprofit group that supports military families. Fauci said younger children will likely need three doses, because two shots did not induce an adequate immune response in 2- to 4-year-olds in Pfizer’s clinical trials. (Kimball, 1/19)

In more news about the vaccine rollout —

San Francisco Chronicle: Kaiser Permanente May Have Given Wrong COVID-19 Vaccine Dose To Nearly 4,000 People
Nearly 4,000 people who got their COVID-19 vaccine at Kaiser Permanente’s Walnut Creek Medical Center late last year may have received a slightly smaller dose than is recommended, according to the health care provider. In a statement this week, Kaiser said it was contacting 3,900 people who received a Pfizer vaccine at the East Bay hospital between Oct. 25 and Dec. 10. Those individuals may have received between 0.01 and 0.04 milliliters less of vaccine than the recommended 0.30 milliliters. (Picon, 1/19)

The Washington Examiner: Los Angeles Charter School Quarantines Unvaccinated Students, Bars Them From Campus 
A Los Angeles area charter school barred a group of unvaccinated students from attending class Tuesday and cordoned off the area where the students were with tape barriers, videos of the incident showed. New West Charter School in Los Angeles confirmed Tuesday that management had implemented a vaccine and negative-test mandate for students and that a group of unvaccinated students had staged “a sit-in” on campus and refused to leave the school. (Poff, 1/19)

AP: Wisconsin Bill Makes New Crime For Vaccine Tampering 
Intentionally damaging vaccines would be a felony in Wisconsin under a bill with bipartisan support that the state Assembly is scheduled to approve Thursday. The measure comes in response to a pharmacist in a Milwaukee suburb spoiling more than 500 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in January 2021. He pleaded guilty to the federal charges and was sentenced to three years in prison. (1/20)

NPR: How Long Does A COVID Booster Shot Offer Protection Against Omicron?
We've known for about a month now that a third shot of the vaccine is critical for protecting against infection with the omicron variant — and for keeping people out of the hospital. Now researchers in the U.K. have the first estimates for how long a third shot of the Pfizer vaccine will last. And the findings are mixed. Protection against infection is likely short-term, lasting less than six months, but protection against severe disease appears more robust, researchers with the U.K. Health Security Agency reported Friday. (Doucleff, 1/19)

Bloomberg: Drugmakers Sign Pacts To Widen Access To Merck’s Covid Pill
More than two dozen generic-drug manufacturers have agreed to produce low-cost versions of Merck & Co.’s Covid-19 pill, a key step in bringing virus-fighting tools to lower-income countries that have struggled to get vaccines. Companies in Bangladesh, China, India, Kenya, South Africa, Vietnam and other countries signed pacts to supply more than 100 low- and middle-income nations, the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool said Thursday. (Paton, 1/20)

And more on covid treatments —

CIDRAP: Study: Remdesivir Reduces Mechanical Ventilation In COVID-19 Patients
A randomized control trial published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) shows that the antiviral drug remdesivir reduces the use of mechanical ventilation by almost half for patients hospitalized with COVID-19. (1/19)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Fluvoxamine, An Old Drug That Costs Just A Few Dollars, Might Help Vs. COVID-19
In the first few weeks of the pandemic, when physicians were grappling with the unknown like everyone else, psychiatrist Angela Reiersen recalled that an old drug in her field, called fluvoxamine, affected the body in ways that went beyond improving mental health. In addition to easing symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression, the drug also reduced inflammation, which was emerging as a key culprit in severe cases of COVID-19. She emailed Eric Lenze. a colleague at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and proposed testing the drug to see if it might help. (Avril, 1/20)

Indianapolis Star: Ivermectin For COVID Would Be Promoted Under Indiana Bill
An Indiana lawmaker has proposed a bill that would open the door for the use of a controversial medicine to prevent and treat cases of COVID-19. Under House Bill 1372, a doctor or advanced practice registered nurse could write a standing order for ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug, that would allow pharmacists to dispense the drug. The legislation also stipulates that the pharmacist must not provide information that discourages using ivermectin to treat COVID-19. (Rudavsky, 1/20)

CIDRAP: Study Finds No Evidence Of Live Virus In Breast Milk Of Moms With COVID-19
A small University of California study finds no evidence that breast milk from mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 transmits the virus to their babies. The study, published today in Pediatrics Research, involved polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of 285 samples and viral culture of 160 samples of breast milk from 110 women with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. (1/19)

Slate: Breastfeeding COVID Protection: Mothers Are Nursing Their Kids Longer During The Pandemic
Robin Zanak’s son was born at the end of June 2020. It was a few months into the pandemic, and so she’d had time to process what it might mean to have a baby during the COVID era. She wanted to breastfeed but intended to offer herself a little grace if it didn’t go entirely smoothly, especially after an early stomach obstruction landed her son in the NICU. But Zanak worked from home in Maryland—she was finishing a Ph.D. and now teaches communications classes part time at a college—and so it was easy to take little 10 minute breaks here and there to breastfeed. She rarely had to nurse in public and never had to switch to majority-pumping. Now, Zanak says, “My son is 17 months old, and I can’t believe I’m still nursing.” (Malone, 1/7)

In other covid research —

Politico: CDC: Vaccinated Americans With A Prior Infection Fared The Best During Delta 
Americans who received their primary series of vaccines and previously contracted Covid-19 had the highest protection against reinfection and hospitalization during the Delta variant-fueled outbreak, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study, published Wednesday, looked at four categories of people in New York and California — individuals who were unvaccinated with and without a prior infection and vaccinated people with and without a prior infection. (Banco, 1/19)

San Francisco Chronicle: Hispanic Women Were More Likely To Contract COVID During Pregnancy, Study Says
A Sutter Health study released last month found that Hispanic women were more than twice as likely than their white counterparts to contract COVID-19 during pregnancy, increasing their risk for premature deliveries, stillbirths and even dying in childbirth. While the study was conducted from May 2020 to December 2020, it remains relevant as the highly contagious omicron variant continues to surge in the Bay Area and across the country, says its lead author. “Although the coronavirus had not yet mutated into the omicron variant during the time of the data collection, the results of the study are still relevant, and if not more important, given how contagious and transmissible this variant is,” Alice Pressman, research director at the Sutter Institute for Advancing Health Equity, told The Chronicle in an email. (Narayan, 1/19)

The New York Times: Why Are Men More Likely To Die Of Covid? It’s Complicated.
It’s one of the most well-known takeaways of the pandemic: Men die of Covid-19 more often than women do. Early on, some scientists suspected the reason was primarily biological, and that sex-based treatments for men — like estrogen injections or androgen blockers — could help reduce their risk of dying. But a new study analyzing sex differences in Covid-19 deaths over time in the United States suggests that the picture is much more complicated. (Ghorayshi, 1/19)

Dallas Morning News: Mark Cuban’s Online Pharmacy Is Now Open With Low-Cost Prescription Drugs
Mark Cuban’s online pharmacy promising affordable prices on prescription medications is up and running. The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company cuts out middlemen and negotiates directly with drug manufacturers and pharmacies for rebates and discounts on behalf of employers, health insurers and government health programs. It says it’s offering the lowest direct-to-consumer prices on more than 100 medications, including those commonly prescribed for high cholesterol and blood pressure. (Skores, 1/19)

In other pharmaceutical industry news —

Stat: Senate Finance Chair Investigates Bristol Myers Overseas Tax Shelter
The head of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee is seeking details from Bristol Myers Squibb about a decade-old deal in which the company used offshore subsidiaries in Ireland allegedly to avoid paying as much as $1.4 billion in U.S. taxes on prescription drug sales. The query is part of an ongoing investigation into tax practices by multi-national pharmaceutical companies and how tax loopholes allow these drug makers to avoid paying U.S. taxes. Last June, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who chairs the committee, accused AbbVie of shifting profits offshore and registering patents in low-tax jurisdictions to consistently avoid paying U.S. corporate income taxes. (Silverman, 1/19)

Axios: PrEP Patients Shouldn't Be Paying For Certain Doctor Visits 
Patients who take pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication that prevents HIV, should not be paying anything out of pocket for the drug — or for any blood work or doctor visits associated with getting PrEP. The federal government specifically reminded health insurers last year to make sure those types of ancillary services for PrEP were free at the point of care, but some patients are getting hit with bills anyway. (Herman, 1/20)

Stat: UCB To Buy Zogenix, Maker Of Rare Epilepsy Treatment, For $1.9 Billion
Belgian drug maker UCB said Wednesday that it is expanding its portfolio of epilepsy treatments by acquiring Zogenix, a U.S.-based biotech with an approved drug for rare childhood seizures, for as much as $1.9 billion. Under the terms of the deal, Zogenix will be purchased for $26 per share, or 66% higher than Tuesday’s closing price. UCB has also agreed to pay Zogenix shareholders an added payment equal to $2 per share, contingent on the company’s drug, called Fintepla, winning European approval by the end of 2023. (Feuerstein, 1/19)

Stat: A New RNA-Based Drug Startup Launches With Rutgers Science
A Philadelphia-based biotech startup — by way of Rutgers University in New Jersey — has raised an early round of cash to fund the development of RNA-based drugs that leverage a novel scientific discovery to shut down disease-causing genes. Ceptur Therapeutics launched Wednesday with a $75 million Series A round of financing collected from venture capital firms, health care hedge funds, and Bristol Myers Squibb. (Feuerstein, 1/19)

Bloomberg: Psychedelics Firm Eleusis To Merge With Silver Spike SPAC
Eleusis, a health-care company focused on using psychedelic drugs as medicines, is going public through a merger with a blank-check firm, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The U.K.-based company will combine with Silver Spike Acquisition Corp. II in a deal that values Eleusis at about $450 million, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private information. They said the deal will provide Eleusis with gross proceeds of as much as $288 million, the amount raised by the special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, in its initial public offering in March. (Lipschultz, 1/20)

Stat: Analysis Of JAMA And NEJM Finds Most Authors Failed To Disclose Conflicts
Amid ongoing concerns over conflicts of interest that may affect medical practice, a new analysis finds that 81% of authors whose work appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine and Journal of the American Medical Association — two of the most influential medical journals — failed to disclose payments as required. The analysis examined 31 original research articles that were published in each journal in 2017 and then identified 118 authors who received a total of $7.48 million, according to OpenPayments, a U.S. government database to which drug and device makers must report payments to physicians and other health care providers. The payments were for speaking, consulting, travel and food, among other things. (Silverman, 1/19)

In news about health and race —

Stat: Study: Negative Terms Are More Likely To Appear In Black Patients' Records
Doctors’ notes are meant to be an objective record of their interactions with patients. Among other uses, the notes provide important context for any other providers who treat those patients in the future. But these notes aren’t as objective as doctors might think. For example, a doctor might write that a patient was “agitated” at an appointment, or “nonadherent” with the treatment plan they discussed the last time. These words are negative descriptors, and according to a new study, they are applied unequally across racial lines: Black patients had 2.54 times the odds of white patients of having at least one negative term in their notes. (Preston, 1/19)

In other health care industry developments —

Modern Healthcare: Most 2021 Breaches Stemmed From Hacking, IT Incidents
Nearly three-quarters of healthcare data breaches reported to the federal government last year were attributed to hacking or information-technology incidents, according to a review of the latest data from the Health and Human Services Department's Office for Civil Rights. As of Wednesday, the agency lists 712 breach reports that healthcare providers, insurers and their business associates submitted to the agency in 2021. These incidents affected more than 45 million patients. Last year's tally was the highest since the Office for Civil Rights debuted its breach portal in 2010; the previous record was 663 in 2020. (Kim Cohen, 1/19)

Modern Healthcare: Competition Drives Medicare Advantage Plans To Offer Special Benefits In 2022
A quarter of Medicare Advantage plans now offer chronically ill beneficiaries healthy food, transportation and other special supplemental benefits in 2022, representing a nearly 40% year-over-year increase in carrier uptake of these unconventional services, a new study found. The report, released by consultancy ATI Advisory on Wednesday, found that 1,292 Medicare Advantage plans offered special supplemental benefits this year, up 383.8% from 267 carriers in 2020, the first year plans were able to offer chronically ill patients these benefits, the report said. Greater understanding of how the social determinants of health can impact individual conditions and competition in the Medicare Advantage market is driving carrier adoption of these unique products, said Tyler Cromer, a partner at ATI and co-author of the report. (Tepper, 1/19)

Modern Healthcare: 5 Digital Health Categories Led VC Investment In 2021
Digital health continues to break funding records as companies across the globe raked in $30.7 billion in venture capital in 2021, according to data from Digital Health Business & Technology. Investments during the fourth quarter were $7.6 billion across 206 deals, a 6% drop from the recording-setting $8.1 billion raised by digital health companies during the previous quarter. But venture capital funding increased 68% year-over-year, as digital health companies raised just $4.5 billion in 139 deals during the fourth quarter of 2020. (Brady, 1/19)

Modern Healthcare: Capital Health To Acquire Trinity Health's St. Francis Medical Center
Capital Health signed a definitive agreement to acquire Trinity Health's St. Francis Medical Center, the New Jersey-based health systems announced Wednesday. Capital Health operates Capital Health Medical Center—Hopewell in Pennington and Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, which is two miles away from St. Francis. Preserving and strengthening healthcare services in Trenton will be a priority, executives said. The deal, which started with a letter of intent in May, now awaits customary state and federal regulatory approval. (Kacik, 1/19)

Modern Healthcare: Encompass Health Spinning Off Home Health And Hospice Business
Encompass Health plans to spin off its home health and hospice business as a separate publicly-operated company known as Enhabit Home Health and Hospice, the company announced Wednesday. Birmingham, Alabama-based Encompass Health expects to complete the spin-off in the first half of 2022 and will begin rebranding the home health and hospice segment in April, the company said in a news release. (Christ, 1/19)

Bloomberg: Drug-Resistant Infections Were More Deadly Than HIV In 2019
Resistance to antibiotics killed more people than HIV or malaria in 2019, as common infections that could previously be treated become impervious to existing cures. Drug-resistant bacterial infections directly led to the death of 1.27 million people and played a part in almost 5 million fatalities in 2019, according to a global analysis published in The Lancet medical journal on Thursday. (Anghel, 1/20)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: 'Superbug' Fungus In Louisiana Isn't Cause For Panic, But More Cases In Hospitals Likely
A day after hospital officials found the first two cases of the fungus Candida auris in Louisiana, health experts are predicting there are likely more cases of the drug-resistant yeast lurking in hospitals and causing mysterious, hard-to-treat infections. But despite the “superbug” status given to C. auris because it is so hard to kill, its presence is not cause for panic in the general public, doctors and researchers said. C. auris doesn’t typically impact most people even if it is an issue for hospitals already taxed by COVID-19 patients and people who are hospitalized with complicated health problems. (Woodruff, 1/19)

In other public health updates —

The New York Times: Survey Of Americans Who Attempted Suicide Finds Many Aren’t Getting Care 
Suicide attempts in the United States showed a “substantial and alarming increase” over the last decade, but one number remained the same, a new study has found: Year in and year out, about 40 percent of people who had recently tried suicide said they were not receiving mental health services. The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry on Wednesday, traces a rise in the incidence of suicide attempts, defined as “self-reported attempts to kill one’s self in the last 12 months,” from 2008 to 2019. During that period, the incidence rose to 564 in every 100,000 adults from 481. (Barry, 1/19)

Fox News: NCAA Changes Transgender Athlete Participation Policy, Amid Calls For Reevaluation
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has changed its policy regarding transgender athletes, it announced Wednesday. The new approach to allowing transgender athletes will follow a sport-by-sport model similarly adopted by the U.S. and international Olympic committees, Sports Illustrated reported. "We are steadfast in our support of transgender student-athletes and the fostering of fairness across college sports," John DeGioia, Georgetown University's president and the NCAA board's chairman, said in a statement Wednesday, announcing the change. The new policy is effective immediately. (Richard, 1/20)

Politico: Jon Stewart Joins Advocates In Push To Aid Veterans Exposed To Toxins 
A group of advocates for veterans, including former Comedy Central host Jon Stewart, discussed the impact of toxic exposure affecting service members during a virtual roundtable with the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on Wednesday. Chair Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) convened the meeting to discuss H.R. 3967 (117), dubbed the Honoring Our PACT Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that seeks to address problems arising from such exposure. (Benson, 1/19)

Fox News: 13-Year-Old Boy Dies From Suspected Fentanyl Overdose Death While At School, Raising Alarm
A Connecticut school continued to decontaminate the building after a 13-year-old student died after he reportedly ingested fentanyl at the school last week, according to multiple media reports. TV affiliate, FOX-61 TV in Hartford, Connecticut, reported that officials were called to The Sports and Medical Sciences Academy in Hartford last Thursday, where they found an unconscious boy. CPR was administered, and the boy was taken to the hospital where he died two days later, according to the TV outlet. (McGorry, 1/19)

San Francisco Chronicle: ‘Last Resort To Seek Justice:’ Stanford VP And Professor Sue University In Fentanyl Overdose Death Of Their Son
Two parents who have dedicated nearly 30 years of their lives to Stanford University have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the university and the on-campus fraternity where their son died from an accidental fentanyl overdose in 2020. Julia Erwin-Weiner, the associate vice president for Stanford Medical Center Development, and her husband, Amir Weiner, a Stanford associate professor of history and director of the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, joined the university in 1995 and have considered the university a home since, sending two of their adult children there. (Hernández, 1/19)

AP: Planned Parenthood Sues To Stop South Dakota Abortion Rule
A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday by Planned Parenthood aims to prevent the state of South Dakota from implementing a new rule for medical abortions that would make the state one of the hardest places in the nation to get abortion pills. The rule approved by lawmakers earlier this month requires women to return to a doctor to receive the second of two drugs used to carry out a medication abortion. Usually women receive both drugs in one visit, taking the second medication at home. The regulation is expected to go into effect later this month. (1/20)

In other news from across the U.S. —

AP: Assisted Suicide Bill Narrowly Clears Delaware House Panel 
A bill allowing doctor-assisted suicide in Delaware cleared a Democrat-led House committee by a single vote Wednesday, paving the way for possible consideration by the full House. Committee members voted 8-7 to release the measure, with Wilmington Democrat Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha joining all Republicans in voting against it. (1/20)

Houston Chronicle: New Law On Helping Texans With Disabilities During Emergencies Could Still Leave Many At Risk
After the freeze, lawmakers passed SB 968, which required municipalities to check on their disabled residents in times of emergencies. The law requires cities and counties to check on certain residents — suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or debilitating chronic illnesses, dialysis patients, those dependent on oxygen treatment or who have medical conditions that require 24-hour medical supervision — who register on the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry. State Rep. John Bucy III, D-Austin, proposed the legislation after learning a constituent who lived a few streets over from him died, alone, because he failed to get critical dialysis treatment during the storm. (Barned-Smith, 1/20)

Texas Tribune: Trans Kids And Supporters Say New Texas Law Will Keep Them Out Of School Sports
Last year, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 25, which requires that student athletes play on sports teams that correspond to the sex listed on their birth certificate, and the certificate athletes present must have been issued near the time of birth. The law went into effect Tuesday, making Texas the 10th state in the U.S. to enact similar legislation. Supporters of the law argue it is necessary to protect women’s sports from what they deem unfair competition. State Rep. Valoree Swanson, R-Spring, said one of her main reasons for authoring the bill was to “protect girls’ safety.” She did not respond to requests for comment for this story, but in a news conference Tuesday, she hinted at introducing future legislation that would expand sports team restrictions to the college level. (Waller, 1/19)

Health News Florida: Project Opioid Launches Central Florida Campaign Aimed At Tackling Overdose Deaths
A new campaign throughout Central Florida aims to make it easier for people struggling with addiction to get help during the pandemic. Project Opioid’s Everyone Campaign will run billboards, public service announcements and social media adverts aimed at getting people help with addiction. Project Opioid CEO Andrae Bailey says these advertisements will hopefully prompt people struggling with addiction along with their loved ones to go to everyonecampaign.org and sign up to be connected with free recovery resources. (Prieur, 1/19)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Complaint Filed On Behalf Of Deaf Inmates At County Jail
The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada has filed a complaint with the Department of Justice requesting an investigation into the Clark County Detention Center’s treatment of deaf inmates. According to the complaint, the Metropolitan Police Department, which operates the jail in downtown Las Vegas, has violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by denying deaf inmates access to American Sign Language interpreters and up-to-date technology to make calls. (Newberg, 1/19)

Indianapolis Star: Indiana Anti-Retaliation Law: Evictions After Mold, Housing Violations
When rain began leaking through the window into Takila Walker’s bedroom this Christmas season, soaking her carpeted floor, she thought: “Here we go all over again.” Walker had been reporting the leaking window to her property manager for five years, she said. For Walker, it's worse than water damage; she's been to the emergency room more than a dozen times for exposure to toxic mold. Her property manager, Herman & Kittle, filed a lawsuit to evict her instead of fixing the problem after she made complaints to the health department and sued. Walker alleges that she is a victim of retaliatory eviction, which is illegal in Indiana. Herman & Kittle denies her allegation. (Cheang, 1/19)

In marijuana news —

Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Amended Medical Marijuana Bill Passes Mississippi House
The Mississippi House of Representatives approved an amended version of the Senate's medical marijuana bill, lowering the amount of cannabis a person can purchase each month. The House voted 104-14 in favor of the bill after over an hour of spirited debate. The bill will head back to the Senate where the changes can either be accepted or the two chambers can negotiate a compromise. "This bill has been vetted probably more than any bill in my history for sure," said Rep. Lee Yancey, R-Brandon, chair of the House Drug Policy Committee. (Sanderlin, 1/19)

Indianapolis Star: Indiana Weed, Marijuana Bills Introduced Into General Assembly 2022
Marijuana legislation from both sides of the aisle is once again being proposed during the 2022 legislative session. The likelihood of any of the 13 bills surviving session is slim, based on previous years' experience. In October 2020, Gov. Eric Holcomb noted his opposition to legalizing marijuana in the state as it would clash with federal marijuana law. A representative for Holcomb's office said "his stance hasn’t changed" but he will review all the legislation that comes to his desk. (Fradette, 1/19)

Also —

Politico: She Took On Trump, Juul And The Sacklers. Now She Wants To Run Massachusetts
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, a progressive lawyer known for taking on former President Donald Trump and Purdue Pharma, will launch her campaign for governor on Thursday, according to two people familiar with her planning. Healey’s entrance could maximize Democrats’ chances of retaking the office the party has so rarely held in recent decades. (Kashinsky, 1/19)

KHN: Wildfires And Omicron Prompt A Special Health Insurance Enrollment Period In Colorado
A wildfire displaced thousands of Coloradans just as the omicron surge began sweeping through the state, so health insurance was likely not on many people’s minds when the regular enrollment period for the state’s health insurance marketplace ended Jan. 15. But now, because of those twin emergencies, everyone in the state will get another chance to sign up. State officials on Wednesday launched a special marketplace enrollment period, through March 16, open to all uninsured Coloradans regardless of whether they’ve been directly affected by the fire or the covid-19 surge. (Hawryluk, 1/20)

KHN: ‘Heart’ Of Little Shell: Newest Federally Recognized Tribe To Open First Clinic
Louella Fredrickson has long created workarounds to fill gaps in the spotty medical care available to her as a member of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana. The 86-year-old uses dollar-store reading glasses to improve her blurry vision because she’s worried about the cost of an eye appointment. And when she needed hearing aids, she was told it would cost her more than $1,300. So Fredrickson asked a doctor to tweak her husband’s old pair to fit her smaller ears. “My husband had only used them for a few months before he died, so they work OK,” Fredrickson said. (Houghton, 1/20)

The New York Times: Most ‘Havana Syndrome’ Cases Unlikely Caused By Foreign Power, C.I.A. Says 
The C.I.A. has found that most cases of the mysterious ailments known as Havana syndrome are unlikely to have been caused by Russia or another foreign adversary, agency officials said, a conclusion that angered victims. A majority of the 1,000 cases reported to the government can be explained by environmental causes, undiagnosed medical conditions or stress, rather than a sustained global campaign by a foreign power, C.I.A. officials said, describing the interim findings of a comprehensive study. (Barnes, 1/20)

The Washington Post: CIA Finds No ‘Worldwide Campaign’ By Any Foreign Power Behind Mysterious Havana Syndrome 
“We assess it is unlikely that a foreign actor, including Russia, is conducting a sustained, worldwide campaign harming U.S. personnel with a weapon or mechanism,” said a senior CIA official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the agency. That leaves open the possibility that a foreign power could be responsible for cases that cannot be attributed to medical conditions or other factors, the official said. (Harris, 1/20)

Politico: U.S. Foe Or Specific Weapon Not Behind Sustained, Global Campaign Causing ‘Havana Syndrome,’ CIA Finds 
An intelligence community source separately cautioned that the CIA’s interim finding “does not reflect the unanimous consensus of the intelligence community.” President Joe Biden has not yet been briefed on the current assessment. The source added that the intelligence community’s “expert panel” on the issue is ongoing, and that the CIA finding was primarily a “narrowing-down” of cases and potential causes. (Ward and Desiderio, 1/19)

CBS News: England Is About To Drop Virtually All Anti-COVID Restrictions 
Most legal restrictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in England will be dropped next week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the British Parliament on Wednesday. From Monday, face masks will no longer be mandatory anywhere in England. (Ott, 1/19)

In other global covid news —

Bloomberg: Mexico Covid Cases Rise By Record That Doubles Previous Wave
Mexico registered a record number of new Covid-19 cases Wednesday -- more than double the amount seen in previous waves -- as the omicron variant extends its spread through the country. The country recorded 60,552 new coronavirus cases, pushing total cases up to 4,495,310, according to data from the Health Ministry. Deaths increased 323, the highest amount since November, to put the cumulative toll at 302,112. (Quinn, 1/20)

AP: New Zealand Says It Won't Use Lockdowns When Omicron Spreads
New Zealand is among the few remaining countries to have avoided any outbreaks of the omicron variant — but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Thursday an outbreak was inevitable and the nation would tighten restrictions as soon as one was detected. But she also said that New Zealand would not impose the lockdowns that it has used previously, including for the delta variant. (Perry, 1/20)

The Washington Post: Czech Singer Hanka Horká Dies After Intentionally Getting Infected By The Coronavirus
A popular Czech folk singer has died after deliberately getting infected with the coronavirus, in an apparent move to skirt restrictions limiting access to some venues to people who have been immunized or recently recovered from infection, her family said. Two days before she died, 57-year-old Hanka Horká, who was reportedly unvaccinated, wrote on social media that she had “survived” the virus and was looking forward to trips to the theater, the sauna, concerts and the sea. “I’ll tell you my secret, yes, I endured, and I survived … however, it was very colorful,” she said. “Life is here for me and for you too.” (Pannett, 1/20)

Bloomberg: A Million Covid Shots Thrown Out Before Indonesia Can Use Them
More than a million Covid-19 vaccine shots expired in Indonesia before they could be given out, as most of them were donated with a short shelf life. Of the 1.1 million doses that were thrown out, about 98% were donated just one to three months away from expiry, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said in parliament on Wednesday. (Aditya, 1/20)

AP: Global Vaccine Program COVAX Low On Funds, Seeks $5.2B 
The global initiative to share coronavirus vaccines equally between rich and poor countries asked Wednesday for $5.2 billion in funds to be able to keep buying doses in coming months. The UN-backed program known as COVAX has delivered just over 1 billion doses since shipments started nearly a year ago. (1/19)

In news about China —

Bloomberg: China Widens Testing Blitz After Mail Suspected For Covid
China is ramping up its coronavirus testing regime after linking at least two omicron cases at opposite ends of the country to international parcels. Residents in southern city of Guangzhou who received overseas mail between Jan. 16 and 19 were told Wednesday to take a coronavirus test within three days. Additionally, local authorities are rolling out a free program from Thursday that will see anyone who has accepted an international package tested within three to seven days. (1/20)

NPR: Winter Olympics: NBC Won't Send Sports Announcers To Beijing Due To COVID-19
With the 2022 winter Olympics taking place in Beijing in less than two weeks, NBC Sports announced Wednesday that it will not be sending any announcing teams to this year's Olympics games — citing "COVID concerns." "The announce teams for these Olympics, including figure skating, will be calling events from our Stamford (Connecticut) facility due to COVID concerns," an NBC Sports spokesperson said in an email to NPR. The spokesperson confirmed that the network will still have a large presence on the ground in Beijing, saying its coverage of everything related to the games will be "first-rate as usual." (Franklin, 1/19)

ScienceDaily: Antibodies In Blood Soon After COVID-19 Onset May Predict Severity, Study Finds 
Blood drawn from patients shortly after they were infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, may indicate who is most likely to land in the hospital, a study led by Stanford Medicine investigators has found. (Stanford Medicine, 1/19)

ScienceDaily: Cerebrospinal Fluid Offers Clues To Post-COVID 'Brain Fog
Some patients who develop new cognitive symptoms after a mild bout of COVID have abnormalities in their cerebrospinal fluid similar to those found in people with other infectious diseases. The finding may provide insights into how SARS-CoV-2 impacts the brain. (University of California-San Francisco, 1/19)

CIDRAP: Most Side Effects Noted In COVID Vaccine Trials May Be Due To 'Nocebo Effect'
More than a third of participants in COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials who received a placebo reported adverse events (AEs) such as headache and fatigue and contributed to the "nocebo effect," potentially rendering 76% of all AE reports after the first dose not true AEs, according to a meta-analysis yesterday in JAMA Network Open. (Van Beusekom, 1/19)

CIDRAP: Report Outlines 8 Steps For Current, Future Pandemics 
A new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) comments on the "ineffectual and fragmented" US COVID-19 pandemic responses thus far and recommends eight steps to manage the ongoing crisis amid variant fatigue, inflation, and supply chain disruptions. (Van Beusekom, 1/18)

Also —

CIDRAP: FDA Details Contamination Clues In Probe Of Hydroponic Greens Salmonella
Marking the first investigation into an outbreak tied to a domestic hydroponic growing operation, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) late last week issued the findings related to a Salmonella Typhimurium event linked to prepackaged salad greens that sickened 31 people from four states last summer. (1/18)

CIDRAP: Trial Finds 5 Days Of Antibiotics Superior To 10 For Kids With Pneumonia
A randomized trial of children with uncomplicated pneumonia found that a 5-day course of antibiotics was superior to 10 days of treatment, US researchers reported today in JAMA Pediatrics. (Dall, 1/19)

ScienceDaily: Antifreeze Cream Prevents Frostbite Injuries To Skin, Study Suggests
Skiers, hikers, soldiers and others exposed to extreme cold temperatures can experience frostbite -- a painful injury that occurs when ice crystals form in the skin. Many extremely cold areas are also remote, and delays in frostbite treatment can result in severe wounds, scarring and even limb amputation. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Applied Biomaterials have developed a cream that prevents frostbite injuries in mice when applied to the skin 15 minutes before severe cold exposure. (American Chemical Society, 1/19)

CIDRAP: Rapid Diagnostic Receives Breakthrough Device Designation From FDA
California-based diagnostics company Pathogenomix Inc. today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted it a Breakthrough Device Designation for Patho-Seq, an assay designed to rapidly detect hundreds of clinically relevant bacteria from patient infections. According to a company press release, Patho-Seq uses next-generation sequencing technology to return results 48 hours faster than the currently approved standard-of-care tests, and can identify multiple bacterial species from a single test run in cases where more than one pathogen may be contributing to a patient's infection. (1/19)

New England Journal of Medicine: Cannabis Legalization And Detection Of Tetrahydrocannabinol In Injured Drivers 
After cannabis legalization, the prevalence of moderately injured drivers with a THC level of at least 2 ng per milliliter in participating British Columbia trauma centers more than doubled. The increase was largest among older drivers and male drivers. (Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.) (Brubacher et al, 1/13)

Bloomberg: One Shot To Protect Against All Covid-19 Variants 
Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. are starting to churn out doses of omicron-specific vaccines, and they say they could have data on whether the shots are effective as soon as March. But is this the best way to build and maintain protection against Covid-19?The world is breeding new variants so fast, it may not make sense to chase them one at a time. Global regulators don’t necessarily think it’s the right approach. The World Health Organization and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration say omicron-specific vaccines might not be needed, and that public-health agencies around the world — not drug companies — should work together to decide the composition of the next vaccines. (Lisa Jarvis, 1/20)

Scientific American: COVID Threatens To Bring A Wave Of Hikikomori To America 
In 2014, a vibrant and well-traveled patient I will call Alice, whom I (Berman) was treating for bipolar disorder, began refusing to leave her home after a prolonged course of physical rehabilitation for a spinal injury. None of the usual diagnoses—depression, anxiety or agoraphobia—explained her withdrawal, which continued after medications stabilized her mood. Patients with these conditions typically maintain a desire to be with others, but Alice had shut out the world. (Carol W. Berman and Xi Chen, 1/19)

Miami Herald: No, Covid Isn't A Benign Infection In Kids. Florida Doctors Urge Unity To Fight Virus
As chairs of pediatrics in Florida’s medical schools, we are unified in our fight to protect Florida’s children against COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, deaths and long-term sequelae. Protecting our children against COVID-19 requires alignment and collaboration among Florida’s pediatricians, nurses, health systems, public-health experts, parents, schools, child-care centers, communities, media outlets and policymakers. This requires all of us to be on the same page about the facts: (Glenn Flores, F. Daniel Armstrong, Patricia Emmanuel, Mark Hudak and Desmond Schatz, 1/19)

The New York Times: Omicron Is Not The Final Variant
Each time a new variant of the coronavirus emerges, the world follows a similar pattern. Scientists share the discovery, and panic ensues. Not enough is done between each wave to prevent or prepare for the next one. Omicron caught much of the world off guard. Not by its existence — that’s what viruses do — but by how contagious it was and how quickly it spread. Countries tried to institute policies in real time that should have been in place much earlier, such as making sure to have enough testing supplies. (John Nkengasong, 1/20)

The Boston Globe: It’s Time To Revamp Testing And Quarantine Policy For Asymptomatic Students 
We were among the earliest advocates of testing in schools, and this past summer we recommended implementation of a test-and-stay program that leveraged daily antigen testing to keep unvaccinated kids exposed to COVID-19 in schools. But the context of the pandemic has changed — specifically, new variants and vaccine availability for all K-12 students — and these changes render the program obsolete. (Westyn Branch-Elliman, Elissa Perkins and Shira Doron, 1/19)

The Star Tribune: 'Colorblind' Treatment Decision Won't Promote Racial Justice 
Last week the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced that it has switched to a scoring system that no longer considers race when determining which patients with COVID-19 should receive monoclonal antibodies. This change came on the heels of a threatened suit alleging unfair racial preference policies. This purportedly "colorblind" decision is both disappointing and detrimental to communities of color across our state who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 for nearly two years. (Rachel R. Hardeman and Eduardo M. Medina, 1/19)

CNN: Covidtests.Gov Is Off To A Strong Start But Big Hurdle Awaits 
The Tuesday news that the Biden administration's free rapid Covid-19 test site had gone online a day early, part of a quiet beta launch to test the site, rocketed through social media with such intensity that I was sure the site would crash. I was already skeptical -- my experience of new government websites is forever tarnished by the debacle of healthcare.gov's initial crash and burn. Plus, when I logged on, I knew I only had a few minutes between meetings, and I've never met a government website that didn't require two forms of ID, proof of residency and endless forms to fill out. Still, I clicked. Two minutes later, I had an email telling me that the tests would be on their way in a few weeks. (David Perry, 1/19)

Bloomberg: Why You Can Still Get Omicron Even If You Are Fully Vaccinated 
The omicron variant spreads so rapidly that sometimes it feels as if resistance is futile. It’s disheartening to hear of omicron infecting people who are up-to-date on their shots and wear an N95 mask every time they leave home. Even some well-known public-health experts are getting infected. But that doesn’t mean everyone is going to get it. (Faye Flam, 1/19)

Stat: The Painfully Weak Evidence On Taking Collagen To Treat Arthritis 
One Thursday in September, I woke up with achy knees. That was nothing new. I’ve had knee pain on and off for a few years. Before the pandemic, I had visited an orthopedist, who told me that I’d lost some cartilage in my knee joint — an early sign of osteoarthritis. “Come on, I’m just over 50,” I told her. “That’s much too young for arthritis.” “Yeah,” she laughed, “I hear that a lot.” (Paul T. von Hippel, 1/20)

Chicago Tribune: Superbugs Are Coming. The U.S. Needs To Spur The Development Of New Antimicrobials
Chicago is one of a handful of American cities where a deadly fungal infection, Candida auris, has been spreading rapidly. It was first detected five years ago. By 2019, researchers were noting the emergence of a strain of the infection that is resistant to antifungal medications. (Latania K. Logan, 1/19)

Stat: The Global Toll Of Antimicrobial Resistance: 1.27 Million Deaths In 2019
Antimicrobial resistance is a critical global health threat, affecting the human, animal, and environmental health sectors. Although many countries have national action plans to combat this growing and deadly problem, their implementation in low- and middle-income countries has been stalled by the lack of evidence from robust data to quantify and surface the problem for policy makers. In countries around the world, doctors are being left powerless to treat common infections such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and others that are often acquired in the very hospitals they work at. Yet clinicians have lacked the data needed to encourage government ministers to invest more in interventions that can control antimicrobial resistance (AMR), such as infection prevention and control, or better diagnostics. (Janet Midega, 1/19)

The Washington Post: Medical Aid In Dying Should Not Be Proscribed By Society’s Laws Or Condemned By Its Mores 
Late last year, at 3 a.m. in what is a now-normal night, Kim Hoffman awoke with “an unbelievable headache.” These are related to the 30 brain lesions, and the steroids needed to reduce the swelling of the brain. After dawn that day, she said, speaking by phone from her home in Glastonbury, Conn., “I felt a new neck lesion.” She has so many skin lesions that “it feels as though my skin is being torn like someone has a serrated knife.” What began as ovarian cancer has, she said, metastasized to “both breasts, my right lung, the lining of my spine, and many lymph nodes.” She says, “I’m a pretty sick puppy.” (George F. Will, 1/19)

The Star Tribune: When Death Is Coming, Difficult Choices Are Required 
As critical care and emergency physicians on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic we were saddened and frustrated to read of the recent court order requiring Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids to keep a patient on life support after it appears medical teams had determined that continued treatment would not benefit the patient ("Judge: COVID patient must be kept on ventilator," Jan. 15). Since the advent of critical care in the 1950s, cases have been common in which a patient has no chance of survival despite best efforts, and essentially is dead but for the machines and interventions that keep the patient in medical purgatory, awaiting an infection, stroke or other event that yields final closure. This can take weeks, months or even years, but the outcome is a foregone conclusion. (John Hick, Michele LeClaire and Heidi Erickson, 1/19)

Stat: PrEP Can Help Anyone Prevent HIV. Why Do So Few People Take It? 
About 60% of older Americans take a cholesterol-lowering statin to prevent heart attack, stroke, and other forms of cardiovascular disease. In contrast, only 25% of eligible, HIV-negative people take pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a safe, highly effective way to prevent HIV infection. But recent changes in how health care providers should think about PrEP and who it is for have the potential to transform the HIV epidemic in the U.S. and possibly put it in the rearview mirror. (Kathryn Macapagal, 1/20)

USA Today: Teenage Mental Health Crisis: I'm Not Counting On My Anxiety Ever Going Away
I’m not sure how old I was when I started experiencing anxiety. It might have started the first time I translated an immigration form for my parents. I didn’t know I was translating. They pointed to English words and I told them what they meant in Spanish, and I started to understand that my parents could be taken away from me at any moment. I was terrified of police cars or anything or anyone that might be connected to the government. I was 7 years old. (Ashley Juarez, 1/20)