AP: US Hits 70% Vaccination Rate — A Month Late, Amid A Surge
The U.S. on Monday finally reached President Joe Biden’s goal of getting at least one COVID-19 shot into 70% of American adults -- a month late and amid a fierce surge by the delta variant that is swamping hospitals and leading to new mask rules and mandatory vaccinations around the country. In a major retreat in the Deep South, Louisiana ordered nearly everyone, vaccinated or not, to wear masks again in all indoor public settings, including schools and colleges. And other cities and states likewise moved to reinstate precautions to counter a crisis blamed on the fast-spreading variant and stubborn resistance to getting the vaccine. (Catalini, 8/3)

The New York Times: The U.S. Finally Hits Its 70 Percent Vaccination Goal — Four Weeks Late
There was no celebration at the White House. The announcement today was made on Twitter by Cyrus Shahpar, the COVID-19 data director for the Biden administration. “Let’s continue working to get more eligible vaccinated!” Mr. Shahpar wrote. The White House had hoped to announce the 70 percent vaccination benchmark four weeks ago. Mr. Biden initially used Independence Day to declare a victory of sorts over the pandemic and some kind of return to normal life. (Paybarah, 8/2)

NBC News: U.S. Hits 70 Percent Covid Vaccination Goal — A Month Later Than Biden Had Hoped To
The goal was ambitious, but Monday's development is a good step, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. "We’ve said from the beginning: Even when we set this goal, our work would not be done even when we reached it, and so we're forging ahead," she said. (Helsel, 8/2)

When will the pandemic end? Officials across the US look for a way out —

Axios: White House Hosting First-Of-Its-Kind Global Summit On COVID-19 
The Biden administration is planning a first-of-its-kind, global leader-level summit focused on ending the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing for future pandemics, sources familiar with the discussions tell Axios. The summit is meant to rally the international community to step up its pledges for vaccine distribution and public health resources as the Delta variant surges. It will be held virtually during next month's U.N. General Assembly. (Mucha, 8/2)

Billings Gazette: Pandemic Could Last 3 To 5 Years If Recommendations Are Ignored, Say Health Officials
As of Monday, Billings Clinic was caring for 18 COVID patients with four patients on ventilators, two of whom are in their 30s, said Director of Patient Safety and Infection Control Nancy Iversen. Billings Clinic is also caring for five out-of-state COVID patients. “We’re seeing younger people right now in the hospital and that’s because of Delta,” Iversen said. Montana Department of Health and Human Services (DPHHS) reported on July 28 that there are 112 cases of the Delta variant in Montana, up from 65 cases the previous week. Of those cases, 18.1% were hospitalized. The week ending July 17, DPHHS reported that of the 26 COVID samples sequenced, 20 were the Delta variant. (Schabacker, 8/2)

The New York Times: ‘X’ Marks The Spot: Officials Map A Route Out Of The Pandemic 
At their regular pandemic response meetings over the past year, officials in Suffolk County, N.Y., found themselves returning, again and again, to questions of geography. “One of the common questions I used to get was, ‘Where is it bad?’” said Dr. Harsha Rajashekharaiah, the senior project coordinator for the county’s Covid-19 response. “Where is the Covid transmission bad? Where is the testing bad? Where should we improve? Where should we invest our resources?” To find answers, Dr. Rajashekharaiah used geospatial data, brandishing brightly colored maps that pinpointed the exact neighborhoods where cases were rising or where testing rates were lagging. (Anthes, 8/1)

ABC News: All 50 States Report Rising Vaccination Rates As COVID Infections Surge, Data Shows 
While states like Missouri end a second month enduring a surge in COVID-19 cases as the more contagious delta variant spreads, public health officials across the country are hearing the same story from an increasing number of people getting the vaccine: someone they know recently caught the virus and the experience was unsettling. "We don't want to see more people getting sick as a driving force to get people vaccinated, but we know the case counts and more people in the hospital will play a role in that conversation," Dr. Sam Page, St. Louis county executive, told ABC News. (Mitropoulos and Haslett, 8/3)

Fox News: Rising Vaccination Rates In Several Southern States 'Positive Trend,' White House Says
White House COVID-⁠19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients on Monday noted a "positive trend" across several southern states with an uptick in the number of people receiving the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Louisiana has reported a 302% increase in the number of newly vaccinated people per day, Zients said during a White House briefing, with Mississippi reporting a 250% increase, and Alabama and Arkansas reporting a 215% and 206% increase, respectively. (Rivas, 8/2)

AP: Beshear: Kentucky Posting Higher Recent Vaccination Numbers
Kentucky’s vaccination rate against COVID-19 has taken a sudden upward turn as people seek to protect themselves from the highly contagious delta variant that has caused the most coronavirus cases in months, Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday. The delta variant is “spreading like wildfire” and puts the unvaccinated at significant risk, the governor warned, adding: “Please, go get vaccinated.” (Schreiner and Blackburn, 8/2)

In updates on when the FDA will fully approve a covid vaccine —

Georgia Health News: HHS Chief Visits Georgia, Addresses FDA Vaccine Process, Medicaid 
A top Biden administration health official, visiting Gwinnett County in suburban Atlanta, said Monday that the FDA is relying on science and facts in its decision-making on giving full authorization to COVID-19 vaccines. As of now, COVID vaccines used in the United States have been authorized for emergency use. The wait for full authorization, though, has vexed some political and health care leaders. (Miller, 8/2)

The Washington Post: When Might The Coronavirus Vaccines Get Full Approval? Top Vaccine Official Answers Questions. 
In an interview Friday, Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, which regulates vaccines, said the agency is pursuing “an all hands-on-deck” strategy to accelerate an already expedited effort to grant full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. He said the agency was essentially “in a sprint” to complete the process. He also discussed the differences between emergency use authorizations, which are temporary clearances for public health emergencies, and full approvals, which remain in effect indefinitely unless a problem with a vaccine emerges. (McGinley, 8/2)

Bloomberg: ‘Very Real Fourth Wave’ Presses FDA To Fully Approve Covid Shots
A surge in Covid-19 cases across the U.S. brought on by the fast-spreading delta variant is increasing pressure on U.S. drug regulators to fully approve Pfizer Inc.’s vaccine, the first one to apply for full licensure in the U.S. Full approval could help the Biden administration ramp back up its immunization drive and reassure vaccine holdouts that the shots are safe. It could also make it easier for more schools and workplaces to put immunization mandates in place. (Langreth, 8/2)

Also —

The Washington Post: 40 Percent Of Metro Employees Report Being Vaccinated 
Metro’s top executive on Monday warned employees that the transit system might start mandatory coronavirus testing if the agency’s vaccination rate doesn’t climb to at least 70 percent. Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld said in a memo to employees that about 40 percent of Metro’s workforce has indicated being vaccinated in an employee database. Although he indicated that he suspected the low rate was partly because of underreporting, he said he planned to send technicians to Metro stations, garages and offices with electronic tablets to help workers upload copies of their vaccination cards. (George, 8/2)

AP: Tennessee Won't Incentivize COVID Shots But Pays To Vax Cows
Tennessee has sent nearly half a million dollars to farmers who have vaccinated their cattle against respiratory diseases and other maladies over the past two years. But Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who grew up on his family’s ranch and refers to himself as a cattle farmer in his Twitter profile, has been far less enthusiastic about incentivizing herd immunity among humans. (Loller, 8/3)

Axios: Vaccine Misinformation Spreads To Every Kind Of Media 
Nearly every type of media — newspapers, social media, websites, apps, online stores and television — shares some blame for the proliferation of misinformation influencing vaccine hesitancy in the U.S. Several recent studies and reports suggest that the COVID-19 infodemic has less to do with the failure of one medium than the lack of societal trust in key institutions that are struggling to deliver a clear and consistent message. (Fischer, 8/3)

Houston Chronicle: Memorial Hermann: All 29,000 Employees Must Be Vaccinated By Oct. 9 Or 'Voluntarily Resign'
Memorial Hermann on Monday said it will require all employees to be vaccinated by Oct. 9, becoming the third Houston healthcare institution to do so. The hospital system follows Baylor College of Medicine, which announced its employee vaccine requirement last week, nearly two months after Houston Methodist reached its vaccination deadline. Managers and other leaders across the organizations must be compliant by Sept. 11. The deadline is Oct. 9 for all other employees, including the system’s affiliated providers and volunteers. (Gill, 8/2)

San Francisco Chronicle: Kaiser Permanente To Require All Employees, Physicians, To Be Vaccinated As Delta Cases Rise
Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente healthcare system will mandate COVID-19 vaccines for all employees and physicians, the nonprofit said Monday. The move came as the highly-contagious delta variant of the coronavirus continues to spike infections locally and across the state and country. Under existing state guidance all health workers and state employees must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or get tested weekly, but Kaiser appears to be going beyond those requirements and extending the mandate to all of its employees. (DiFeliciantonio, 8/2)

Louisville Courier Journal: Norton Healthcare, Baptist Health Announce Staff COVID Vaccine Mandate
Norton Healthcare and Baptist Health are the latest Kentuckiana hospital systems to require their staffs to get a COVID-19 vaccine as cases continue to climb in the region. Norton employees must get their first shot by Sept. 15, Norton President and CEO Russell Cox said in a company news update posted Monday. And in a Monday email to staff obtained by The Courier Journal, Baptist CEO Gerard Colman also announced a vaccine mandate. (Ramsey, 8/2)

In more news about vaccine mandates —

Bloomberg: New Jersey Orders State Hospital, Jail Staffs To Vaccinate Or Test
People who work in New Jersey state-run hospitals, nursing homes and jails must be fully vaccinated by Sept. 7 or undergo routine Covid-19 testing, Governor Phil Murphy said. The order applies to veterans homes, psychiatric hospitals, home health agencies, the acute-care University Hospital in Newark and other high-risk congregate-care facilities. Additional employees may be subjected to the requirement if virus data continue to worsen, Murphy said Monday at a press briefing. (Young, 8/2)

Indianapolis Star: Indiana University COVID-19 Requirements Upheld By Appeals Court
Students who don't like Indiana University's COVID-19 vaccine requirement can go elsewhere for their education. That was the message delivered by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in a ruling issued Monday that will allow the public university's requirement that all students and employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine before the start of the fall semester to stand. The court said that colleges and universities may decide what is necessary to keep students safe in the decision denying a request for an injunction made by a group of eight students seeking to block the mandate, alleging that it violates their constitutional rights. (Herron, 8/2)

Axios: Cuomo Urges Private Businesses To Move To "Vaccine-Only Admission" 
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Monday called for private businesses to incentivize getting vaccinated against the coronavirus by instituting "vaccine-only admission." The Delta variant is driving up COVID-19 cases around the country, but deaths and hospitalizations are overwhelmingly occurring in unvaccinated people. (Reyes, 8/2)

Fox News: New York Teachers Union Opposed To Cuomo Suggestion Of COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates
The teachers union that represents more than 60,000 current and retired educators across New York reiterated its opposition Monday to COVID-19 vaccine mandates after Gov. Andrew Cuomo encouraged school districts to require the doses. The New York State United Teachers released a statement following Cuomo's COVID-19 briefing in which he said teachers in the state should be required to get the vaccine or submit to weekly testing if they are in an area defined as high-risk by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Casiano, 8/3)

The Boston Globe: As Janey Considers Vaccine And Testing Mandate, Boston Does Not Track Vaccination Status For All City Employees
How many of the City of Boston’s 18,000 workers are vaccinated against COVID-19? Authorities said Monday that they do not know. Citing a recent uptick in cases and hospitalizations, Acting Mayor Kim Janey last week said the city is “leaning toward” a vaccine and testing mandate for city workers. Her office has acknowledged that such a move would need to be collectively bargained with the city’s various municipal unions. But questions remain, including how many would need to take tests regularly to prove they were COVID-19 free. (McDonald, 8/2)

Bangor Daily News: Poll: Nearly Two-Thirds Of Mainers Support Mandating COVID-19 Vaccine
Nearly two-thirds of Mainers would support a universal COVID-19 vaccine requirement, according to a new survey that comes as a more contagious strain continues to drive up cases here among the state’s unvaccinated population. The survey, conducted in June and July by researchers at four universities, found that nearly 66 percent of Maine respondents would “somewhat” or “strongly” back a government mandate for the COVID-19 vaccine. The margin of error was 5.6 percent. Support in Maine was just over national levels, with 64 percent of adults across the U.S. favoring a mandate, the survey found. (Piper, 8/3)

Also —

NPR: Vaccine Mandate Laws Are Banned In Several States
Hemi Tewarson of the National Academy for State Health Policy is tracking state legislatures for such bills, and spoke to Morning Edition's A Martínez about what she's seeing. Notably: As of late last week, 9 states have enacted 11 laws with prohibitions on vaccine mandates (Arizona and Arkansas have each enacted two). They weren't all introduced or enacted at this stage of the pandemic — in fact, some were introduced back in February and March, and the most recent took effect in late June. Some of these laws are tied only to vaccinations that have emergency use authorization, so the prohibition will no longer apply if the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines get full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (Treisman, 8/2)

The Hill: Graham's COVID-19 'Breakthrough' Case Jolts Senate
The coronavirus officially returned to the United States Senate on Monday. News that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) tested positive quickly jolted through the Capitol and sparked an hours-long scramble to figure out who else might have been exposed, which only escalated after sources confirmed that the South Carolina Republican attended an outdoor event on Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) houseboat over the weekend with other senators.  (Carney, 8/2)

CNBC: Sen. Lindsey Graham Positive For Covid After Manchin Party
At least seven U.S. senators revealed Monday that they had attended a party with Sen. Lindsay Graham, who announced he had tested positive for Covid-19 on the heels of being a guest. The South Carolina Republican said in a tweet that he began having flu-like symptoms Saturday night and went to the U.S. House physician Monday morning. Graham attended a Saturday night party on fellow Senator Joe Manchin’s DC-based “Almost Heaven” house boat, according to Graham’s office, NBC News reported. (Constantino and Pramuk, 8/2)

AP: Graham 1st Vaccinated Senator To Test Positive For COVID-19
Graham, who was vaccinated in December, has long been a proponent of vaccination, saying during a visit this spring to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston that “the sooner we get everybody vaccinated, the quicker we can get back to normal.” (Kinnard, 8/3)

Sen. Graham's diagnosis is almost certain to delay work on the infrastructure bill —

Bloomberg: Senate Bid To Speed Infrastructure Runs Into Virus Hurdle 
The Senate doesn’t allow proxy voting like the House, so the quarantine would mean Graham would miss votes on the legislation, which Schumer wants passed before the end of the week. Graham’s vote alone wouldn’t necessarily hold up the bill. There were 67 votes last week to advance it, including 17 Republicans. Sixty votes will be needed finish the legislation. ... Further complicating the timetable, many senators will leave Washington to attend the Friday funeral of former GOP Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming. The retired senator died last week following a bicycle accident. (Litvan and Dennis, 8/2)

Politico: Democrats Scramble For Cash To Cover Biden’s $3.5T Plan 
Democrats are scouring for savings and new tax money to bankroll their multitrillion-dollar plan of liberal spending priorities, drumming up a list of options ranging from raising the corporate tax rate to lowering prescription drug costs. The majority party has said the still-forthcoming bill will be “fully paid for.” But it won’t be easy to raise enough money to offset as much as $3.5 trillion in spending — a sum so massive it would eclipse the total GDP of Spain, Australia and Switzerland combined. (Scholtes and Faler, 8/3)

The New York Times: $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill Pours Money Into Long-Delayed Needs
The sprawling, $1 trillion bill that the Senate took up on Monday — a 2,702-page bipartisan deal that is the product of months of negotiating and years of pent-up ambitions to repair the nation’s crumbling infrastructure — would amount to the most substantial government expenditure on the aging public works system since 2009. It is also stuffed with pet projects and priorities that touch on nearly every facet of American life, including the most obscure, like a provision to allow blood transport vehicles to use highway car pool lanes to bypass traffic when fresh vials are on board and another to fully fund a federal grant program to promote “pollinator-friendly practices” near roads and highways. (Price tag for the latter: $2 million per year.) (Cochrane, Flavelle and Rappeport, 8/2)

USA Today: One-Third Of All COVID Cases Reported In Florida And Texas
Florida and Texas had one-third of all COVID cases reported last week, White House COVID-19 Response coordinator Jeff Zients said during a Monday news conference. Florida broke two records — in cases and hospitalizations — this weekend. Texas now has more total statewide deaths than New York, the early epicenter of the pandemic in the United States. The U.S. reported 599,334 cases in the week ending Sunday. A week earlier, cases numbered 364,123. The nation is now reporting 2,500 deaths per day, according to USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data. (Aspegren, 8/3)

In updates from Florida —

Politico: Florida Covid Hospitalizations Shatter Record As DeSantis Downplays Threat
The head of Florida’s largest hospital association warned that the skyrocketing number of Covid hospitalizations is unlike anything the state has seen before — even as Gov. Ron DeSantis downplays the spike. The Florida Hospital Association on Monday reported 10,389 Covid-19 hospitalizations, the most statewide during any point in the pandemic. This follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting over the weekend that the state had more than 21,000 new coronavirus infections on Friday. It was the highest one-day total for Florida, which now makes up roughly one and five new cases nationally. (Dixon and Ritchie, 8/2)

NBC News: Covid Is Surging In Florida. Doctors And Nurses Are Back In Crisis Mode.
Florida, the third most populous state, has become the new national center for the virus, accounting for about a fifth of all new cases in the country. In hospitals across the state, doctors, nurses and staff members are confronting a fast-moving and escalating crisis with no end in sight. (Hillyard, Arkin and Sesin, 8/2)

The Washington Post: The Surge In Coronavirus Cases Seems To Be Spurring More Vaccinations
However much Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wishes it weren’t so, the coronavirus is ravaging his state. DeSantis (R) has been at the forefront of the Republican effort to find a middle ground between his party’s stated opposition to measures aimed at containing the virus and keeping case totals low. That has meant that he has been more vocal than many about the need for widespread vaccinations, but the emergence of the delta variant (and not, as he has tried to argue, simple seasonality) has meant an alarming spike in new cases in the state. (Bump, 8/2)

Axios: Local Florida Leaders Eye Ways To Take On DeSantis' Anti-Mask Stance 
With Florida at the forefront of the nation's COVID surge, local governments across Tampa Bay are wondering if — or how — they can subvert Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration to do something to slow the spread. A day after Florida broke its record for daily cases, it did the same for the total number of COVID hospitalizations — set way back in July 2020, per the AP. (San Felice, 8/3)

Newsweek: 'Wrong-Headed': Miami Beach Mayor Blames DeSantis After Florida Sets COVID-19 Case Record
Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber blamed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after the state reported 21,683 new COVID-19 cases Saturday, its highest single-day total during the ongoing pandemic. "We're not allowed to have mask mandates now, we were one of the first cities to require it and we charged a fine just to get people to do it. The governor stopped allowing us to do it and then immediately we saw a surge across our county and state when he did that," Gelber told CNN. The Democratic mayor said city officials are "trying to do everything we can to get around the governor's very wrong-headed desires." (Zhao, 8/1)

Fox News: Florida Family Sees 3 COVID-19 Deaths In Matter Of Days
A Florida woman is grieving the loss of her grandmother, mother, fiancé and future father-in-law who all died within days of each other after contracting COVID-19. Tiffany Devereaux, of Callahan, told local news outlets that none of the family had been vaccinated aside from her 85-year-old grandmother. "I feel lost," Devereaux told News4Jax.com. "I feel so lost. I don’t know what to think or what to feel right now. I want my loved ones back. They’re the ones that always got me through the hard times in my life and now they’re all gone." (Hein, 8/2)

In updates from Texas —

Houston Chronicle: Mayor Sylvester Turner To Require City Workers To Mask Up, Bucking Governor's Ban On Mandates
Mayor Sylvester Turner told city employees Monday that they again must wear masks when they are at work and unable to socially distance, a requirement that could run afoul of Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest executive order. Turner’s memo mentioned the recent uptick in cases because of the delta variant of the coronavirus and the importance of remaining vigilant against the spread of the virus. (McGuinness, 8/2)

Dallas Morning News: North Texas Officials Revisit COVID-19 Safety Measures As Cases Surge
North Texas officials are reconsidering safety protocols as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations surge. The renewed efforts follow the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s update of mask guidelines last week, including a recommendation that fully vaccinated people cover their faces indoors in places that are struggling with community spread of COVID-19. According to an updated forecast from the UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas and Tarrant counties are on track to report at least 1,500 coronavirus cases each day by Aug. 19. Hospitalizations in both counties have more than doubled in the last two weeks, and the model predicts they’ll continue climbing rapidly. (Somasundaram, 8/2)

Houston Chronicle: Harris County DA Kim Ogg Tests Positive For COVID-19
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg on Monday afternoon tested positive for COVID-19, her office announced. She is fully vaccinated, experiencing mild symptoms and will quarantine, the office said in a tweet. Experts say vaccines remain highly effective against severe illness from the virus. Unvaccinated people make up the majority of surging hospitalizations throughout Houston-area and Texas. However, it's still possible for vaccinated people to become infected. (Gill, 8/2)

The Texas Tribune: COVID-19 Is Spreading Fast Among Texas’ Unvaccinated. Here’s Who They Are And Where They Live.
Many of those unvaccinated are children who are ineligible to receive the shots; around 5 million Texans are under 12. But still 83% of Texans, or 24 million residents, are eligible for the vaccine. With 15 million Texans who have received at least one shot as of Aug. 1, that leaves 9 million eligible Texans who have not gotten their vaccine yet. This places the state’s vaccination rate at 36th in the country and has helped drive another troubling wave in the pandemic. COVID hospitalizations in Texas quadrupled in July. Preliminary data from the state indicates that more than 99.5% of people who died due to COVID-19 in Texas from Feb. 8 to July 14 were unvaccinated. The percentage of fully vaccinated residents has gone from 3% to 42% in that time span. (Deguzman and Cai, 8/3)

CNBC: CDC Says 7-Day Average Of Daily U.S. Covid Cases Surpassed Peak Seen Last Summer
The seven-day average of daily coronavirus cases in the U.S. surpassed the peak seen last summer when the nation didn’t have an authorized Covid-19 vaccine, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Monday, citing data published over the weekend. U.S. Covid cases, based on a seven-day moving average, reached 72,790 on Friday, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s higher than the peak in average daily cases seen last summer, when the country was reporting about 68,700 new cases per day, according to the CDC. (Lovelace Jr. and Rattner, 8/2)

San Francisco Chronicle: Bay Area Coronavirus Cases Surpass Last Summer's Peak
The Bay Area has been averaging more than 1,400 coronavirus cases a day over the past several days, surpassing the peak of last year’s summer surge in mid-August. Regional hospitalizations have not yet reached last summer’s peak, but — despite high vaccination rates in much of the Bay Area — they are not far off: 815 people were in the hospital with COVID-19 on July 28 last year, compared with 713 on Sunday. (Allday and Vaziri, 8/2)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Nevada COVID Hospitalizations Surpass Peak Levels Of Last Summer, Data Shows
Nevada on Monday reported that 1,224 people were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases in the state, surpassing the peak of the virus’ second wave last summer. State data shows that the second wave peaked on July 31, 2020, when 1,165 people were hospitalized. The data shows that 1,144 people were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 on Aug. 1, 2020. A year later, according to the data, that number is at 1,224. (Dylan, 8/2)

CNN: Federal Assistance Team Arrives At Louisiana Hospital To Help With An Influx Of Covid-19 Patients
A 33-member federal Disaster Medical Assistance Team arrived Monday at a major Louisiana hospital to provide support for what the hospital called "the highest volume of Covid-19 patients the region has experienced thus far due to the Delta variant." Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge said an average of one infected patient is being admitted every hour. The hospital was treating 155 Covid-19 patients, with about one third of them in the intensive care unit, according to a statement from the hospital. (Lemos, 8/2)

CNN: 'These Are The Darkest Days Of The Pandemic,' Louisiana Hospital Administrator Says As State Struggles With Rising Cases 
The ICU of Louisiana's largest hospital is stretched to its limit with Covid-19 patients while others experiencing symptoms were waiting for a bed Monday, an official said. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Catherine O'Neal said there were 23 names on the list of those waiting for space to open up in the ICU. "You have people with chest pain sitting in an ER right now while their families sit in the waiting room, and they are wringing their hands, and they are calling everybody they know," to get into an ICU, O'Neal said during a news briefing Monday. (Holcombe, 8/3)

And outbreaks are being investigated —

Bay Area News Group: Brentwood District Schools Reporting COVID-19 Cases Days After They Reopen
With in-person classes open less than a week, dozens of students and staff at two Brentwood school districts are being quarantined after being exposed to 13 peers in elementary schools and 10 in high schools who apparently have COVID-19, authorities confirmed Monday. Brentwood Union School District Superintendent Dana Eaton said that through contact tracing, it’s been determined that none of the 13 elementary school students caught the virus on campus. Regardless, 55 students and two staff members came into contact with the 13 infected with COVID in elementary schools, which opened on July 28, and they are now in quarantine, Eaton said. (Prieve, 8/2)

Detroit Free Press: 16 COVID-19 Cases Associated With Muskegon Bike Time, Per State Health
At least 16 cases of COVID-19 are being associated with the four-day motorcycle event Muskegon Bike that was held last month in west Michigan, the state health department announced Monday. Attendees of the event are urged to get tested for the coronavirus. The event was held July 15-18. The cases have been identified among this year's attendees and their contacts, including people who were at the event while they were infectious, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said in a news release. (Hall, 8/2)

The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Department Of Health Investigating Possible COVID Outbreak Linked To Cecil County Fair 
The Maryland Department of Health is investigating a possible COVID-19 outbreak linked to the Cecil County Fair, which ran from July 23 to July 31. Health department spokesman David McCallister confirmed Monday that an investigation is ongoing. He did not specify how many cases had been traced back to the fairgrounds or whether any of them had undergone genomic sequencing data to determine which strain of the coronavirus they were. (Miller, 8/2)

In other news about the spread of the coronavirus —

Des Moines Register: If Unvaccinated, 'You Will Get COVID,' Health Director In Iowa Warns
Polk County's public health director had a stark warning Monday for Iowans as the delta variant of the coronavirus surges throughout Iowa: "If you remain unvaccinated, you will get COVID," Helen Eddy said. "The only question is how sick you will become." Eddy spoke at a Monday afternoon news conference in Des Moines shortly after federal experts declared Polk County to be a "high transmission" area for the coronavirus. Just last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had shifted the county's designation to "substantial spread" from "moderate." (Leys and Coltrain, 8/2)

AP: Maine CDC Head: Set Aside Anger, Fear Over Virus Resurgence
The head of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention used a radio appearance to call on residents to set aside anger and fear as the state battles a resurgence of the coronavirus. Maine has had more success than many states in controlling COVID-19, but cases have been rising in recent weeks. Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah told Maine Public on Monday that it’s a good idea to “cast aside the anger and fear” about the rising cases and work together. (8/3)

NPR: As COVID Concern Grows In Kansas, So Does Confusion Over Who Is In Charge
It's been difficult to make sense of all of the varying guidance and mandates on masking and vaccines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, states and local governments. But in Kansas, where cases are rising, it is also difficult to know who has the power to call the shots since Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's executive authority remains in legal limbo. The state's Republican attorney general is expected to appeal a recent ruling saying that the Kansas Legislature's limits to Kelly's emergency powers are flawed and unenforceable, but the court fight has left confusion about the power of the governor and local public health officials to impose rules aimed at combating the pandemic. (Censky, 7/31)

USA Today: McDonald's Requires Masks Again For Customers And Employees In Areas With High COVID Transmission
McDonald's is requiring customers and employees to wear masks again at U.S. restaurants located in areas with high or substantial transmission of the coronavirus. The fast-food giant is the largest national chain to add the requirement back for both employees and customers following updated masking guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Tyko, 8/3)

Axios: Target Reinstates Mask Mandate For Employees In High-Risk Counties After CDC Guidance 
Target will start to require masks for employees in high-risk counties across the United States starting Tuesday, the company announced Monday. The new policy comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated guidance recommending vaccinated people wear masks in indoor, public settings if they are in parts of the country with substantial to high transmission. (Frazier, 8/2)

CNBC: Facebook To Require All U.S. On-Campus Employees To Wear Masks
Facebook on Monday announced it will begin requiring all of its employees to wear masks when on its campuses in the U.S., regardless of an employee’s vaccination status. “The health and safety of our employees and neighbors in the community remains our top priority,” a spokeswoman for the company said in a statement. “Given the rising numbers of COVID cases, the newest data on COVID variants, and an increasing number of local requirements, we are reinstating our mask requirement in all of Facebook’s U.S. offices, regardless of an employee’s vaccination status.” (Rodriguez, 8/2)

Also —

AP: Louisiana Reinstates Indoor Mask Mandate Amid COVID Surge
Louisiana on Monday reinstated a mask mandate in all indoor locations, including schools and colleges, as the state experiences the highest per capita COVID-19 growth in the nation, driven by the delta variant and one of the country’s lowest vaccination rates. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards said the mandate will go into effect on Wednesday and will apply to both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents. Less than three months ago, Edwards lifted a previous face covering requirement amid hopes that the virus was abating. But the state’s fourth coronavirus surge since the pandemic began 17 months ago shows no sign of flattening, Edwards said. (Deslatte, 8/2)

The New York Times: Mask Mandates Are Returning In Many Cities. N.Y.C. Is Holding Back
With the Delta variant of the coronavirus surging, Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York on Monday stopped short of reinstating an indoor mask mandate even as more cities and at least one state did so. City officials have been deliberating what measures might be needed to head off a more serious resurgence in New York, the nation’s largest city and once the epicenter of the pandemic. Los Angeles County and Washington, D.C., have recently reintroduced mask requirements indoors; Louisiana did so on Monday, as did San Francisco and several surrounding Northern California counties. (Fitzsimmons and Rubinstein, 8/2)

AP: Central Michigan Orders Masks At Least Through September
Central Michigan University joined the ranks of schools to require people on campus to wear masks when students to return to campus this fall, the school’s president announced Monday. In a letter to students, President Bob Davies said students, faculty and staffers must wear masks in class at least through the end of September. The letter comes as the school said classrooms will return to full capacity and that the vast majority of classes will involve a “face-to-face component.” (8/2)

NBC News: Supreme Court Won't Block Maine's Covid Restrictions On Churches
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a request from a church in Maine to prevent the state's reimposing Covid-related restrictions. Calvary Chapel of Bangor said the rules were the "most severe restrictions in the nation on places of worship," beginning with a ban on gatherings for religious worship, which was modified later to allow 50 worshippers in the church. The limits violated its religious freedom while making exceptions for other gatherings, it said. (Williams, 8/2)

Los Angeles Times: Bay Area Mandates Indoor Masks Amid Delta Variant
In another sign the Delta variant is upending California’s attempts to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind it, officials in a large swath of the Bay Area announced Monday that residents will again need to wear masks in indoor public settings regardless of vaccination status. The move comes several weeks after Los Angeles County became one of the first in the nation to return to an indoor mask mandate, and it greatly expands the number of people in California covered by such rules. (Dolan and Seidman, 8/2)

Oklahoman: Oklahoma Democrats Call For Special Session To Repeal School Mask Ban
A contingent of legislative Democrats is calling for a special legislative session to repeal a new law that prevents school districts from imposing mask mandates unless a state of emergency is in effect. More than a dozen House Democrats want the GOP-led Oklahoma Legislature to undo the law that passed with support from more than two-thirds of state lawmakers. (Forman, 8/2)

Axios: FDA Authorizes Antibody Treatment To Prevent COVID After Exposure 
The Food and Drugs Administration has authorized a COVID antibody treatment for use as a preventative measure after exposure to the coronavirus. Though the FDA said it should not be considered a vaccine substitute, the monoclonal antibodies can protect against severe illness by overwhelming the infection before it leaves the nose and throat, according to researchers. (Chen, 8/2)

Crain's Cleveland Business: University Hospitals To Launch COVID Recovery Clinic
University Hospitals is launching a comprehensive clinic for patients affected by the post-acute residual symptoms of COVID-19, according to a news release. The UH COVID Recovery Clinic, centered at UH Ahuja Medical Center, will promote pathways to healing for affected patients of all ages, including children and young adults. "It is estimated that 20% or more of individuals infected with COVID-19 will experience health problems for weeks, even months after their body has cleared the virus, and unfortunately we know many are suffering in silence," said Dr. David M. Rosenberg, of UH's Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, in a provided statement. (8/2)

The Oregonian: Long COVID-19 Can Cause ‘Significant Disability,’ Symptoms Include ‘Brain Fog,’ Sexual Dysfunction: Study 
If you get COVID-19, you probably won’t die. The observed case-fatality ratio in the United States is 1.8%, according to Johns Hopkins University. But even if you survive the disease, you might suffer from its effects for months -- and possibly years. A peer-reviewed study published last month in the medical journal The Lancet concluded that “a significant number of patients with COVID-19 experience prolonged symptoms, known as Long COVID,” and that these symptoms often result in “significant disability.” (Perry, 8/2)

CIDRAP: Age Groups Tied To Different Frequent COVID-19 Symptoms
Researchers found that different age-groups had different associations with various COVID-19 symptoms, according to a Lancet Digital Health study late last week. The study was evaluating an artificial intelligence (AI) model for early COVID-19 detection (1 to 3 days of symptom onset). ... Participants from 16 to 39 years of age showed higher COVID-19 associations with loss of smell, chest pain, and abdominal pain. Loss of smell, however, had less significance in those aged 60 to 79. For those 80 and above, it was not the most common indicator. Instead, chest pain, diarrhea, and sore throat were. Overall, men were more likely to report shortness of breath, fatigue, chills, and shivers, while women were more likely to report loss of smell, chest pain, and a persistent cough. (8/2)

CIDRAP: Study: Severe COVID, Higher Viral Loads, Immune Response Linked To Obesity 
Among US Military Health System (MHS) beneficiaries diagnosed as having COVID-19, obesity was independently and strongly associated with hospitalization, need for oxygen therapy, higher viral load, and an altered immune response, according to a prospective study late last week in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. (Van Beusekom, 8/2)

Bloomberg: Eviction Moratorium Expires; Biden Moves To Stave Off Mass Evictions
President Joe Biden and top White House officials sought Monday to stave off a wave of evictions after the expiration of a federal moratorium, pressing federal, state and local government agencies to act quickly to stop tenants from losing their homes. The push comes amid intensifying criticism from liberals within his own party, who have complained the White House waited too long to ask Congress to pass legislation extending the moratorium. And it underscores the challenge the administration has faced in distributing billions of dollars in pandemic assistance through bureaucracies around the country. (House and Sink, 8/2)

AP: White House Calls On States To Prevent Evictions
The White House moved to pressure state and local governments to swiftly adopt policies to protect renters after an eviction moratorium expired over the weekend, potentially pushing millions of Americans out of their homes. In a statement on Monday, the White House emphasized that the federal government has provided $46.5 billion to keep renters in their homes. But it accused states and cities of being “too slow to act,” preventing that aid from making its way to tenants whose livelihoods have been upended by the pandemic. (Boak and Mascaro, 8/3)

The Hill: White House Says CDC Can't Renew Eviction Ban
The White House asserted on Monday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not have the legal authority to issue another eviction ban after Democratic leaders urged the Biden administration to take unilateral action. In a statement, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that CDC officials “have been unable to find legal authority for a new, targeted eviction moratorium” after the administration floated a one-month emergency extension. (Lane, 8/2)

The Washington Post: Liberals Erupt In Fury At White House Over End Of Eviction Moratorium
Tensions escalated sharply Monday between liberal Democrats and President Biden, as disputes over the end of an eviction moratorium and the fate of the Democrats’ social agenda threatened to upend the Democrats’ delicate center-left alliance. Anger among left-leaning lawmakers centered on Biden’s decision not to extend a directive designed to keep people from losing their housing during the pandemic. White House officials said that despite Biden’s appeals to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to consider extending the order over the weekend, the agency found no legal authority to do so. (Sullivan, Sotomayor and Pager, 8/2)

AP: Landlords, Tenants Fill Courts As Eviction Moratorium Ends
Gabe Imondi, a 74-year-old landlord from Rhode Island, had come to court hoping to get his apartment back. He was tired of waiting for federal rental assistance and wondered aloud “what they’re doing with that money?” Hours later, Luis Vertentes, in a different case, was told by a judge he had three weeks to clear out of his one-bedroom apartment in nearby East Providence. The 43-year-old landscaper said he was four months behind on rent after being hospitalized for a time. “I’m going to be homeless, all because of this pandemic,” Vertentes said. “I feel helpless, like I can’t do anything even though I work and I got a full-time job.” (Casey and Marcelo, 8/3)

The New York Times: Biden Administration Will Keep Using Covid Rule To Limit Border Immigration 
With the number of migrants crossing the southern border surging and the pandemic proving to be far from over, the Biden administration has decided to leave in place for now the public health rule that has allowed it to turn away hundreds of thousands of migrants, officials said. The decision, confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday, amounted to a shift by the administration, which had been working on plans to begin lifting the rule this summer, more than a year after it was imposed by the Trump administration. The C.D.C. said allowing noncitizens to come over the border from either Mexico or Canada “creates a serious danger” of further spread of the coronavirus. (Sullivan and Kanno-Youngs, 8/2)

NPR: Title 42 Foes Go Back To Court To Try To End COVID Measure Blocking Asylum-Seekers
Immigration advocates who had been negotiating with the Biden administration to end a Trump-era rule that blocks most migrants from entering the United States have given up waiting. The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups are going back to court. They plan to file a preliminary injunction to stop the continued use of the Title 42 public health law that has allowed border agents to swiftly remove tens of thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers arriving at the southern border. (Ordoñez, 8/2)

The Hill: Biden Administration To Keep Trump-Era Rule Of Turning Away Migrants During Pandemic
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Monday announced it would be moving forward with a lawsuit to force the administration to lift the policy. "It is now clear that there is no immediate plan to do that," ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt said in a statement. "The administration made repeated public statements that it just needed some time to build back the asylum system the Trump administration depleted. We gave them seven months. Time is up." (Choi, 8/2)

And in news about "Havana Syndrome" —

CNN: Havana Syndrome Stokes Fear And Frustration Among Diplomats Over Response From State Department 
As reports continue to rise of US diplomats and intelligence officials being sickened by the mysterious Havana Syndrome, inside the State Department frustration is rising among rank-and-file staffers and diplomats over what multiple officials say has been a tepid response by the department. Of particular concern is a lack of information from leadership, including what some say has been a hands-off approach from Secretary of State Tony Blinken who has yet to meet with any of the State Department victims despite saying he would prioritize the incidents. (Atwood, Bertrand and Williams, 8/2)

Politico: Senators Introduce Bill To Push White House On 'Havana Syndrome' Investigation 
A bipartisan group of senators unveiled legislation on Tuesday aimed at improving the U.S. government’s sprawling investigations of and response to the mysterious brain injuries affecting hundreds of American officials and personnel around the world. The bill, introduced by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), represents Congress’s latest bid to boost the Biden administration's efforts to get to the bottom of what has been dubbed “Havana syndrome” — so named after dozens of U.S. officials there were afflicted with suspicious ailments. The bill comes after POLITICO first reported earlier this year that U.S. officials were sounding the alarm to Congress about Americans’ increasing vulnerability to these incidents, which officials have struggled to understand. (Desiderio, 8/3)

Modern Healthcare: CMS Wants To Help Home Health Aides Get Health Coverage
CMS wants to allow state Medicaid programs to pay for home health aides' benefits, including health insurance. A proposed rule would permit state Medicaid agencies to use voluntary payroll deductions from home health workers' wages to pay third parties for employee benefits. Offering part-time workers benefits could help home health agencies recruit and retain employees, which in turn can improve access to home and community-based services, CMS said in a news release Friday. (Brady, 8/2)

Modern Healthcare: Inpatient Pay Rule Gives Hospitals A $2.3 Billion Boost
Providers will no longer have to disclose their contract terms with Medicare Advantage insurers after CMS signed off on its 2022 inpatient pay rule Monday. The final rule gives providers a 2.5% bump for inpatient services payments, or $2.3 billion more than 2021. CMS expects Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments and Medicare uncompensated costs to fall by $1.4 billion compared to 2021. Long-term care hospitals will also get a 1.1% raise, a boost of $42 million. In addition, Medicare will continue paying add-on payments for COVID-19 treatments through the end of the fiscal year in which the pandemic ends. (Brady, 8/2)

In other health industry news —

Oklahoman: OU Health Launches Programs To Boost Nursing Workforce Amid Shortage
OU Health announced several new initiatives Monday aimed at strengthening the state's nursing workforce amid a shortage of nurses in Oklahoma and nationwide. Among the new initiatives is a weekend nursing program, which will pay nurses for 72 hours of work if they commit to four 12-hour weekend shifts over two weeks, which they can also choose to split with a coworker. (Branham, 8/3)

North Carolina Health News: Appeals, Deals Delay Assisted Living Centers Paying Fines 
When Ashe Gardens Assisted Living in Pender County “failed to provide supervision for 11 residents with assaultive, aggressive, sexually expressive and wandering behaviors,” state officials fined the facility $70,000 for that and other lapses, state records show. But the center hasn’t paid a dime of the fines levied in December 2019. All of those fines remain under appeal to the state Department of Health and Human Services more than a year and a half later. A representative from the facility said they could not comment on this situation. (Goldsmith and Dougani, 8/2)

Modern Healthcare: Allegheny Health Network Sues Property Insurer For $1 Billion In COVID-19 Claims
Allegheny Health Network says its property insurer refuses to pay up to $1 billion in claims the health network is owed for losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and it's taking them to court. The Pittsburgh-based not-for-profit 13-hospital chain asserts that American Guarantee & Liability Insurance Co. is "obligated" to cover those losses and expenses. The company, along with 43 direct and indirect subsidiaries, seeks a jury trial in the Pennsylvania Civil Division's Court of Common Pleas. Allegheny's allegations mirror those of at least 177 U.S. businesses, many of which are healthcare providers, that are suing the U.S. subsidiary of Zurich Insurance Group over unpaid COVID-19 claims. (Tepper, 8/2)

Stat: With Apple's Backing, Can An App Help Heart Attack Patients Recover?
In July 2016, two cardiologists and a handful of computer scientists and developers rolled up in a minivan to Apple’s special projects office in Cupertino, Calif., with a big idea to show a company with grand designs on transforming health care. The team from Johns Hopkins University had received a rare invitation from Apple to workshop their mock-ups for Corrie, an app to guide heart attack patients through the maze of recovery. For a week, Apple and the Hopkins team labored on the design, carefully talking through the minutiae of each feature. (Aguilar, 8/3)

Georgia Health News: Northside, United Sign New Deal, Ending Months-Long Dispute 
UnitedHealthcare and Northside Hospital have signed a contract to bring all of Northside’s Atlanta-area hospitals into the insurer’s network. The two organizations announced their new deal Monday. The new contract restores United members’ access to Northside’s Lawrenceville and Duluth hospitals, which will also be part of United’s Medicare Advantage plans. The two hospitals had been out of network for United members for five months. (Miller, 8/2)

KHN: A Health Care Giant Sold Off Dozens Of Hospitals — But Continued Suing Patients 
Tennova Healthcare-Lebanon doesn’t exist anymore as a hospital. But it still sued Hope Cantwell. A knock came on the door of Cantwell’s Nashville, Tennessee, apartment early this year. She said she hadn’t been vaccinated against covid-19 yet and wasn’t answering the door to strangers. So she didn’t. But then several more attempts came over the course of a week. Eventually she masked up and opened. A legal assistant served her a lawsuit; she was summoned to appear in court. (Farmer, 8/3)

Stat: Sanofi Pays $3B To Purchase Translate, Raising Stakes Around MRNA
Major drug makers are getting into mRNA, the technology behind the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccines, in a big way. Sanofi, one of the largest vaccine makers, announced Tuesday it will spend $3.2 billion to purchase Translate Bio, its partner in an effort to create an mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine. That follows a June announcement that Sanofi would create an mRNA vaccines center of excellence, funded with almost $500 million annually, with the goal of creating six experimental vaccine candidates by 2025. (Garde and Herper, 8/3)

The Wall Street Journal: Sanofi Snaps Up MRNA Specialist For $3.2 Billion Amid Vaccine Success 
Sanofi agreed to pay $3.2 billion to acquire mRNA specialist Translate Bio, a big vote of confidence that the new technology underpinning two successful Covid-19 vaccines holds promise beyond the pandemic. The French healthcare company said the deal would accelerate work already under way with Translate Bio, based in Lexington, Mass., to develop mRNA vaccines for Covid-19, seasonal flu and other infectious diseases. It will also hand Sanofi a platform to pursue further drugs and vaccines using mRNA technology. (Roland, 8/3)

In other pharmaceutical industry news —

Stat: FTC Pulls Pay-To-Delay Case Involving AbbVie After Losing Certain Authority
The Federal Trade Commission has reluctantly withdrawn a remaining claim in a lawsuit over a so-called pay-to-delay deal after the U.S. Supreme Court determined the agency does not have authority to force companies to relinquish ill-gotten profits. And the development indicates that it may now be harder for the FTC to successfully bring antitrust cases against drug makers that reach these sorts of deals. (Silverman, 8/2)

Stat: Even As It Breaks Biotech’s Unwritten Rules, Amylyx Is Raising Big Money
If you want to raise big money in biotech, there are a few unwritten rules. You need a partnership with an established pharmaceutical company. You need an idea that gives you more than one shot at finding something that works. And you need seasoned executives or serial entrepreneurs at the helm. Amylyx Pharmaceuticals is breaking every single one of those industry edicts — yet it still managed to bring in a $135 million Series C last month. (Sheridan, 8/3)

Modern Healthcare: Drug Utilization Management Drains $93 Billion A Year, Study Shows
Insurance companies often restrict University of Utah Health physicians from prescribing the optimal drug for a patient's illness. Providers are left to choose between the second or third choice after insurers initially deny coverage, in part, to steer doctors and patients toward lower-cost options. In some cases, patients have to go through months of ineffective treatment to merit a more expensive drug, said Erin Fox, senior pharmacy director at University of Utah Health, which has an entire pharmacy technician team devoted to prior authorizations. (Kacik, 8/2)

In updates on Alzheimer's —

Stat: Alzheimer's Scientists Critique Cassava Sciences' Study Results
Independent researchers are expressing doubts about the purported benefits of an experimental treatment for Alzheimer’s from Cassava Sciences. The company said Thursday that a preliminary analysis of a small clinical trial showed its drug, called simufilam, improved the cognition of patients with Alzheimer’s disease — a benefit that no other treatment for Alzheimer’s has ever shown. Asked by STAT to examine the simufilam data, Alzheimer’ scientists not involved in Cassava’s study said the cognitive benefit claim was exaggerated and not supported by the design of the clinical trial. (Feuerstein, 7/30)

Boston Globe: Retired Neurologist With Alzheimer’s Knows Firsthand The Risks Of Aduhelm
Daniel Gibbs had received only four monthly doses of Biogen’s experimental Alzheimer’s drug in a clinical trial in 2017 when he ended up in an intensive care unit. He had an excruciating headache, and his blood pressure was so high that doctors thought he might be having a stroke. It turned out that the retired Portland, Ore., neurologist ― who had treated Alzheimer’s patients before he was diagnosed with the disease himself in 2015 ― was experiencing some of the worst reported side effects of the drug. (Saltzman, 8/1)

CBS News: Alcohol Consumption Linked To Nearly 750,000 Cancer Cases In 2020, New Study Says 
Doctors are sounding the alarm over research showing a link between drinking alcohol and cancer. More than 700,000 new cancer cases were linked to alcohol consumption in 2020 — a time when many Americans reported drinking more. The research, published in the July 13 edition of Lancet Oncology, found that over 4% of all new cancer cases in 2020 were caused by alcohol consumption. While most cancers linked to alcohol use were in people who have more than two drinks a day, more than 100,000 cases worldwide were in people who averaged less than that, the study said. (Chen, 8/2)

In other public health news —

NBC News: Covid Pandemic Linked To Increased Nearsightedness In Kids
More children may have developed nearsightedness as an unexpected side effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new study suggests. An analysis of eye test data from nearly 2,000 Hong Kong school-age children revealed that the rate of nearsightedness that developed during the pandemic more than doubled what was found in a pre-pandemic study of children the same age, according to the report in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. (Carroll, 8/3)

Fox News: NJ Man Dies Following West Nile Diagnosis, Officials Say
A New Jersey man who died last month had tested positive for West Nile virus, health officials confirmed. The man, who was in his 60s, was from Camden and was first admitted to the hospital for symptoms on July 16. After treatment, he was discharged to a sub-acute care center where he died, Camden County officials said Saturday. (Hein, 8/2)

CIDRAP: US Reports 254 More Cyclospora Cases, Food Links Still Under Investigation
In a monthly update on domestic Cyclospora activity, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said 254 more cases have been reported, raising the national total to 462.So far no specific food item has been identified. Cyclospora infections in people who haven't traveled out of the country typically rise in warmer months. Past outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce such as mesclun, basil, cilantro, and fresh raspberries. (8/2)

Stat: No New Monkeypox Cases Reported After Health Officials Monitor Hundreds
No new cases of monkeypox have been identified among the people monitored for possible exposure after they came into contact with an infected person last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday. Health officials had been monitoring more than 200 people in 23 states and territories, as well as other countries, most of whom flew on one of the two flights the person took to travel from Lagos, Nigeria, to Dallas on July 8 and 9. (Joseph, 8/2)

The Washington Post: Alerts For Destructive Thunderstorms To Appear On Your Phone
Before a violent thunderstorm complex unleashed winds up to nearly 140 mph in Iowa last August, many residents had no idea it was coming. It was the most costly thunderstorm disaster in U.S. history, but severe thunderstorm warnings issued by the National Weather Service did not sound on smartphones like they do for tornadoes and severe flash floods. Starting Monday, the Weather Service is implementing changes to their warning alerts to differentiate the threats posed by typical severe thunderstorms and those that are particularly dangerous, such as the Iowa complex last year. With winds rivaling those in a major hurricane, meteorologist classified it as a “derecho,” which is an extreme, fast-moving wind storm. Now, your smartphone will blare ahead of such violent storms, but will not for more common events. (Jeromin, 8/2)

KHN: New Moms Latched On To Remote Breastfeeding Help. Will Demand Wane As Pandemic Fades? 
Madison Cano knew she wanted to breastfeed her son, Theo. But breastfeeding was painful for her. The skin on her breasts was chafed and blistered last July when she returned home from the hospital. And Theo sometimes screamed during feedings. Cano, 30, realized she needed help to get the short- and long-term health benefits of breastfeeding for moms and babies. New studies also have shown that covid-vaccinated mothers pass protective antibodies on to their newborns. However, Cano lives in Montrose in western Colorado, 60 miles away from her lactation counselor, Ali Reynolds, in Grand Junction — and it was during the thick of the pandemic. (Ruder, 8/3)

KHN: Long Drives, Air Travel, Exhausting Waits: What Abortion Requires In The South
Just a quick walk through the parking lot of Choices-Memphis Center for Reproductive Health in this legendary music mecca speaks volumes about access to abortion in the American South. Parked alongside the polished SUVs and weathered sedans with Tennessee license plates are cars from Mississippi, Arkansas, Florida and, on many days, Alabama, Georgia and Texas. Choices is one of two abortion clinics in the Memphis metro area, with a population of 1.3 million. While that might seem a surprisingly limited number of options for women seeking a commonplace medical procedure, it represents a wealth of access compared with Mississippi, which has one abortion clinic for the entire state of 3 million people. (Varney, 8/3)

In mental health news —

Houston Chronicle: School Reopenings Spell Relief For All, But Student Mental Health Still A Concern
After 17 months of virtual classes stretching the patience of everyone involved, school communities are celebrating a return to normalcy. Aug. 11 is just around the corner and area school districts are working to update their COVID-19 plan for the start of the new year. “We return to in-person instruction when school begins on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021,” said Sherry Williams, director external communications at Fort Bend ISD. “We know that this is, by far, the most effective setting for learning and we are excited about that.” (Varma, 8/2)

Fox News: Back To School Anxiety: Start Prepping Kids For Return To In-Person Learning Weeks In Advance, Experts Say
Parents can ease children’s transition to in-person learning after months of virtual schooling, depending on the district, through clear talks over safety guidelines, structured sleep schedules, validating worries and addressing grief after a tumultuous year, experts told Fox News. Kids are going to have a lot of questions, and it’s important for parents to keep calm so children feel secure, Dr. Carmen Lopez-Arvizu, medical director of the psychiatric mental health clinic at Kennedy Krieger, told Fox News. (Rivas, 8/2)

San Francisco Chronicle: S.F.'s New Drug Crisis Response: Teams To Offer Care Following Overdoses
As San Francisco struggles with an exploding drug epidemic that killed more than 700 people last year, a new city-run response team hit the streets Monday to try to help people who survive an overdose. The hope is to prevent a future, potentially fatal overdose by directing people to resources and treatment. The influx of fentanyl, a powerful opioid, has exacerbated the city’s drug crisis over the past few years, with fatal overdoses rising from 441 in 2019 and 259 in 2018. (Shaikh Rashad, 8/2)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Allegheny County DA Follows Philadelphia DA Krasner's Lead And Sues Over Opioid Settlement
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. is following the lead of Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner in suing Pennsylvania’s attorney general over a proposed opioid settlement. The two district attorneys’ offices are among dozens of local government entities in Pennsylvania that brought lawsuits against drug companies and distributors in state court, accusing them of fueling the opioid crisis — claims that the companies have denied. (Whelan and Dunn, 8/2)

The Baltimore Sun: University Of Maryland Medical System To Give $1.2 Million To Address Hunger In The State 
The University of Maryland Medical System announced Monday that it has committed $1.2 million to helping address food insecurity in the state. The money will go to organizations that already are working in Maryland to reduce hunger and address longer-term needs. The effort in the 13 regions where the medical system operates is part of a larger effort to reduce the so-called social determinants of health, which have indirect effects on people’s overall well-being. (Cohn, 8/2)

San Antonio Express-News: Texas' Handling Of $25 Million In Foster Care Pandemic Funds Draws Questions
Two attorneys who represent current and former Texas foster care youths are frustrated with the state’s slow progress in disbursing the federal funds and expressed disappointment in what they see as haphazard and arbitrary rules on who qualifies to receive such help. “It just seems very scattered about who has gotten access to this money — some people have been able to get a lot of support, and other people aren’t getting any support,” said Austin attorney Mary Christine Reed, director of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid’s Texas Foster Youth Justice Project. “It’s just sort of luck of the draw, where you’re at and who you’re interacting with and how they’re interpreting it.” Nearly $400 million in funds were awarded to states and tribes across the country this year to help current and former foster care youths during the pandemic. (O'Hare, 8/2)

WUSF 89.7: States Struggle With Nursing Home Surveys, HHS Analysis Shows 
Forty percent of Florida nursing homes had gone at least 16 months without a standard survey aimed at ensuring quality of care, according to an analysis released Friday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The analysis showed that 284 of the 704 Florida licensed facilities had gone without surveys. Nationally, 71 percent of nursing homes had gone beyond 16 months, according to the analysis. (8/2)

PBS NewsHour: California May Spend Billions On Permanent Relief Shelters As Sweltering Heat Blankets The State
As millions of Americans across the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast are under heat advisories, with the climbing temperatures killing hundreds of people, extreme weather and its serious, sometimes fatal implications are raising questions about whether infrastructure could help provide some relief. The rising temperatures across the country are helping fuel congressional attempts to pass a historic infrastructure deal that, among other things, would respond to the growing threat of climate change — spurring a new focus on so-called “resilience hubs” that are meant to coordinate services for communities that need relief from weather disasters. Billions of dollars are being sought in the deal to make “infrastructure more resilient to the impacts of climate change“ on the federal level. In California, that push is taking center stage. (Rodriguez-Delgado, 8/2)

Anchorage Daily News: Anchorage Health Department Director’s Confirmation Vote Expedited As Assembly Raises Questions Over Pandemic-Related Comments 
Some Assembly members said they are concerned about a comment Morgan made during an interview with Alaska’s News Source last week, in which he avoided a question about whether the pandemic is ongoing. “I really can’t answer that,” he said. “I think it’s a, it’s a definitional — it’s a personal view kind of thing. I would not, we are not in a state of emergency, and that’s what I go by for. Pandemic is an adjective that describes a situation.” He later told Alaska’s News Source that he was speaking to the concept of an emergency declaration, and feels that if a person is unvaccinated, they are in a pandemic. (Goodykoontz, 8/2)

CNN: CDC Adds 16 Destinations To 'Very High' Covid-19 Travel Risk List 
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added 16 destinations to its "very high" Covid-19 risk level on Monday, including Greece, Ireland and the US Virgin Islands. According to the CDC, a risk designation of "Level 4: Covid-19 Very High" means people should avoid travel to these locations. Those who must travel should be fully vaccinated first. In its overarching guidance, the CDC recommends against all international travel until you are fully vaccinated. (Langmaid and Hunter, 8/3)

In other global developments —

The New York Times: Germany Will Offer Vaccine Booster Shots Starting In September 
As concerns grow over the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, Germany on Monday became the biggest Western country yet to announce that it will offer vaccine booster shots to a wide range of people considered potentially vulnerable, adding to growing momentum in rich nations to give additional shots to fully vaccinated people. The move by Germany came even as a top European Union official criticized the bloc as falling far short of its promises to donate vaccine doses to Africa and Latin America. (Bennhold, 8/2)

Bloomberg: U.K. Tweaks NHS Covid App To Limit ‘Pingdemic’ Disruption
The U.K. government has changed the National Health Service’s Covid-19 mobile-phone app so that fewer people will be told to self-isolate, seeking to limit disruption to industry from the so-called pingdemic. Under the changes taking effect Monday, only those who come into contact with an infected person within two days prior to the positive test will be asked to self-isolate, rather than within five days previously. The changes won’t affect the sensitivity of the app or change the risk threshold. The announcement from the Department of Health comes after a surge in “pings” caused havoc for British food producers, retailers and pubs who warned supply chains were nearing the breaking point. The government is encouraging people to continue using the app after surveys suggested that many may have deleted it in recent weeks to avoid being alerted. (Gitau and Ashton, 8/2)

The Boston Globe: Can The UK And India Offer Clues Into The Future Of The Delta Variant?
The spike in coronavirus cases in New England due to the Delta variant has sparked familiar worries in a region that has seen more than a year of death and disruption because of the pandemic. But there may be some hopeful signals emerging from places overseas that have experienced earlier Delta outbreaks. Cases have been plummeting in the United Kingdom recently, even as that nation has fully opened up its economy after a long delay. The Netherlands has seen a similar decline. And India, where the super contagious variant was first identified, also saw a rapid drop after the horrific toll of April and May. (Chaidez and Huddle, 8/2)

Reuters: S.Korea On Alert For New Delta Plus COVID-19 Variant
South Korea has detected its first two cases of the new Delta Plus COVID-19 variant, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said on Tuesday, as the country battles with its fourth wave of infections. The Delta Plus variant is a sub-lineage of the Delta variant first identified in India, and has acquired the spike protein mutation called K417N, which is also found in the Beta variant first identified in South Africa. (Cha, 8/3)

AP: China Orders Mass Coronavirus Testing For Wuhan
Chinese authorities have announced mass coronavirus testing in Wuhan as an unusually wide series of COVID-19 outbreaks reached the city where the disease was first detected in late 2019. The provincial capital of 11 million people in central China is the latest city to undergo city-wide testing. Three cases were confirmed in Wuhan on Monday, its first non-imported cases in more than a year. (8/3)

Axios: Nigerian Doctors Go On Strike Amid Nationwide COVID-19 Surge 
Doctors at Nigeria's state-run hospitals began an indefinite strike Monday to protest low pay and inadequate facilities many doctors say they are working in. The strike comes as COVID-19 cases numbers surge in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. July saw the nation's highest case numbers since March, sparking fears of a third wave, Bloomberg reports. (Saric, 8/2)

NBC News: Italian Vaccination Registration System Down In Apparent Ransomware Attack
Hackers have attacked the vaccination registration system in one of Italy’s largest regions, temporarily blocking residents from booking new vaccination appointments, officials said. Residents of Lazio, which includes Rome, won’t be able to book new appointments for several days, the region’s president, Nicola Zingaretti, posted Monday on Facebook. While the hackers’ identity and motivations weren’t immediately clear, the incident appeared to be a ransomware attack, said Allan Liska, an analyst who analyzes such attacks for the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. (Collier, 8/2)

In news from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics —

Reuters: Top Japan Medic Urges Nationwide State Of Emergency Amid COVID Surge
The head of the Japan Medical Association called on Tuesday for a nationwide state of emergency to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases in Olympics host city Tokyo and elsewhere, Kyodo news agency said, as worries grow about a strained healthcare system. The call by JMA President Toshio Nakagawa followed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's announcement that only COVID-19 patients who are seriously ill and those at risk of becoming so will be hospitalised, while others isolate at home, a shift in policy some fear could boost the death toll. (Okamoto, Sieg and Takenaka, 8/3)

AP: Clean, Repeat: At Tokyo Games, Virus Is Olympians' Chief Foe
Holding each other tighter than lovers, the wrestlers smear each other with sweat, spittle and — when they inadvertently cut each other — sometimes blood. Lungs heaving, mouths agape, they huff and puff into each others’ flushed faces. On their glistening bodies, it’s impossible to tell their opponents’ fluids and theirs apart. Underscoring the health risks of such proximity: They are the only people in the cavernous hall not wearing face masks. Watching Olympic wrestling in the midst of the pandemic of a deadly airborne disease feels like being part of a virological experiment, a real-life study of droplets, aerosols and fluid dispersion. (Leicester, 8/3)

The Wall Street Journal: There Will Be A New 800-Meter Champion In Tokyo. Thank The Testosterone Rules
Not a single woman who stood on the podium in the 800 meters in Rio will be in the starting blocks for the race final in Tokyo at this Olympics. That owes more to a change in the International Association of Athletics Federations’ rules than anything to do with athletic performance. In 2018, the governing body of track and field updated its rules to include hormonal regulations for women’s events in distances between 400 and 1,500 meters. Athletes’ testosterone must fall below a specified threshold to compete, something they can achieve with medication if necessary. (Higgins, 8/3)

The Washington Post: It’s Time To Admit It: The Vaccination Campaign Has Hit Its Limit. Mandates Are The Only Way Forward. 
It’s time to acknowledge what few in the public health field are willing to say: The campaign to persuade all Americans to voluntarily accept coronavirus vaccinations has hit its limit. The Biden administration’s vaccine rollout has been remarkable in distributing 400 million doses in the United States. But we have hit a wall with this voluntary approach. The only way out of our covid-19 morass is to mandate vaccines. There are a number of lessons to glean from the failures of the vaccination strategy. Here are a few: (Joseph G. Allen, 8/2)

Bloomberg: Would You Get A Covid Shot For A Lower Health Bill? 
With the highly transmissible delta variant spreading rapidly in the U.S. and Covid-19 vaccine uptake in some areas still disappointingly low, it makes sense to push every lever available to get people protected. One underused tool is is the cost of health coverage. Health insurance is a significant expense for many Americans and could create powerful financial motivation for holdouts to get shots. Using it isn't just the right thing to do for public health as cases surge. Higher vaccination rates can also save money for health plans by reducing avoidable and expensive Covid cases. Further, extra costs don't just fall on the unvaccinated, but on their employers, colleagues via potential monthly premium increases, or other taxpayers. (Max Nisen, 8/2)

The New York Times: Don’t Want A Vaccine? Be Prepared To Pay More For Insurance. 
America’s Covid-19 vaccination rate is at around 60 percent, for ages twelve and up. That’s not enough to reach so-called herd immunity, and in states like Missouri — where a number of counties have vaccination rates under 25 percent — hospitals are overwhelmed by serious outbreaks of the more contagious Delta variant. (Elisabeth Rosenthal and Glenn Kramon, 8/2)

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: About-Face On Masks Undermines Confidence 
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently issued a new executive order that will make it harder for local officials to require face coverings, including in schools, and forbids the state from mandating vaccines. "Today's executive order will provide clarity and uniformity in the Lone Star State's continued fight against COVID-19," said Abbott in an accompanying statement. "The new Executive Order emphasizes that the path forward relies on personal responsibility rather than government mandates." (Cynthia M. Allen, 8/2)

The Star Tribune: Vaccine Questions? Experts Have Answers 
Still undecided about getting the COVID-19 vaccine? Consider this confidence-boosting data point: 99.99%. That skyscraping percentage is the result of some basic math indicating how well the shots work. Among the 163 million Americans considered fully vaccinated, just 6,587 "breakthrough" cases leading to hospitalization or death have been reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (8/2)

CNN: Our Children Will Suffer If Adults Can't Get School Covid Precautions Right 
We will not be lighting up cigarettes in our children's classrooms. I don't expect my child's teacher to light up a cigarette in his or her classroom either. The thought sounds ludicrous to most of us. Why? Because secondhand smoke has been proven to kill. Think of being unvaccinated like being a smoker who is spreading their secondhand smoke. Let's call it secondhand SARS-CoV-2 (which causes Covid-19). It is bad for the person who has it and terrible for the innocent bystanders who are now exposed to this highly contagious infectious disease that can make them very sick. (Comilla Sasson and Robin Cogan, 8/2)

The Star Tribune: Did Americans' Well-Being Improve During The Pandemic? 
Throughout the pandemic, curious minds have wondered what effect lockdowns and social distancing were having on individual well-being and mental health. Humans are a social species and, although temperaments vary, they generally enjoy and seek out social interaction. COVID-19 restrictions have curtailed opportunities for that. Yet a new study finds that individual well-being has, in fact, improved for many Americans over the past year. (8/1)

The Star Tribune: Americans Are Being Bankrupted By Medical Debt 
American health care is too expensive. Exhibit A is a new study of Americans' medical debt published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. That debt is twice as large as had previously been estimated — $140 billion in collections as of June 2020, compared with an earlier estimate of $81 billion. And it disproportionately affects the dozen states like Missouri that have refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. (8/2)

Newsweek: Congress Must Expand Medicare
I've worked my whole life—and for much of my working life I had health insurance. I paid my ever-increasing monthly premiums and rarely needed medical care. (I'm convinced that Aetna made a small fortune off me.) But now at age 63, after 10 years of physically intensive labor, my body is starting to wear down. As a result of health insurance not being affordable as a small business owner and not yet being eligible for Medicare, I've had to go years without regular health screenings. In fact, I didn't realize that I had developed a chronic condition until I injured myself this spring and landed in the emergency room at Metro Health Hospital. During my visit I had an X-ray taken and the report stated that I have arthritis. (Diane Morgan, 8/2)

Modern Healthcare: Together, Healthcare Organizations And Their Communities Can Do Great Things 
“I can do things you cannot; you can do things I cannot. Together we can do great things.” —Mother Teresa. Innovative partnerships were redefining healthcare the same year Modern Healthcare’s magazine came on the scene in 1976, and these collaborations remain at the core to how hospitals and health systems care for patients and communities. These partnerships happen at the local, regional and national level, and will continue to transform the future of healthcare. (Rick Pollack, 8/2)

USA Today: All Health Care Should Be As Easy As Hospice, Even If You're Not Dying
Imagine spending decades trying to unlock doors to secure your loved ones’ survival. You pull at frozen doorknobs, bang on doors, camp out waiting for them to open, try charming the bouncer to let you in. Finding the door often requires navigating a maze of dim corridors. You hit detours and dead ends. Sometimes you succeed and pass through. But inevitably, you encounter another locked door. (Stacy Torres, 8/3)

Modern Healthcare: Who Can Fix The U.S. Healthcare System? It Will Take All Of Us
From my days in solo practice in rural Alabama, to organized medicine, to U.S. Surgeon General, to not-for-profit and corporate boardrooms, I have been working to improve the health of our patients and our communities. Throughout my career, I have discovered that trying to move our healthcare system from one focused on sickness and disease to one based on wellness and prevention is easier said than done. Following are few of my observations over the years. (Dr. Regina Benjamin, 8/2)

The Washington Post: The United States Still Doesn’t Mandate Paid Sick Days. That’s Sick
I’m sick. For the past week, I’ve suffered from the very stuffy nose and barking cough that are the markers of this year’s summer cold that’s not covid. My doctor says I’ve got bronchitis. I don’t tell you this so you feel sorry for me — though, yes, I will accept all thoughts and prayers, not to mention pints of fresh chicken and vegetable soup — but because it got me thinking about the United States and its pathetically inadequate laws about sick days. (Helaine Olen, 8/2)

Modern Healthcare: The Power Of Partnership—Imagining A New Future For Public Health
The past decade marked impressive advancements during the digital era of American medicine. Hospitals across the country digitized their medical records, innovators developed tools for care coordination like telehealth and remote patient monitoring, and patients and consumers increasingly turned to the internet and mobile devices to better engage with their physicians and take ownership of their health. (Dr. Karen DeSalvo, 8/2)