ABC News: With Older Americans Largely Vaccinated, More New COVID-19 Cases Among Younger Adults
As more older Americans get vaccinated an increasing number of new COVID-19 cases are impacting younger adults, prompting warnings that Americans remain vigilant in an effort to prevent more people from becoming sick. The number of new COVID-19 cases increased more than 10% in 26 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico since last week, a possible signal that the country is on the cusp of a new surge. And for the first time, the majority of new hospitalizations have been younger adults, with cases among people ages 50-65 increasing more than those older than 65, who are more likely to have been vaccinated. And in some states, like Michigan and Massachusetts, the number of cases among older children, teenagers and young adults have also increased. (Ebbs and Brownstein, 3/31)

NBC News: New Rise In Covid Cases Shows That, Yes, The Vaccines Work
The increase in immunity among older adults is illustrated in the shift in age groups most likely to seek care for Covid-19. Nationwide, "the number of 25-to-49-year-olds visiting U.S. emergency departments for diagnosed Covid-19 is now higher than the number of visits among patients 65 and older," the CDC said in a statement to NBC News.(Edwards, 3/30)

Bloomberg: U.S. Covid-19 Deaths Expected To Rise Soon With New Wave Emerging 
Covid-19 deaths in the U.S. are expected to bottom out in the next two weeks and then may inch higher as the nation races to blunt an incipient new wave of cases with its vaccination campaign. A plateau or small increase -- instead of the hoped-for decline -- could mean tens of thousands of additional fatalities. The deaths are likely to dip to 6,028 in the week ending April 10 before slightly increasing, according to the Covid-19 Forecast Hub, a project from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Reich Lab. Its so-called ensemble forecast, which was updated Tuesday, is based on dozens of independent models and projects fatalities four weeks into the future. (Levin, 3/30)

The Atlantic: The Fourth Surge Of The Pandemic Is Upon Us 
Across the United States, cases have started rising again. In a few cities, even hospitalizations are ticking up. The twists and turns of a pandemic can be hard to predict, but this most recent increase was almost inevitable: A more transmissible and more deadly variant called B.1.1.7 has established itself at the precise moment when many regions are opening up rapidly by lifting mask mandates, indoor-gathering restrictions, and occupancy limits on gyms and restaurants. (Tufekci, 3/30)

CNN: A Dangerous Coronavirus Variant Is Wreaking Havoc In Parts Of Europe. Experts Fear US Could Be Next 
A dangerous coronavirus variant is already wreaking havoc in other parts of the world and an expert says it's critical the US sticks with safety measures during the next few months to be able to beat another surge and keep people safe. The B.1.1.7 variant, first spotted in the UK, is more contagious, may cause more severe disease and is rapidly infecting younger populations, epidemiologist Michael Osterholm told CNN on Tuesday night. Recent research suggests the strain may also be more deadly. (Maxouris, 3/31)

Axios: Advocates Warn: The Clock Is Ticking On New Variants 
Some experts say the world may only have a year or less to stave off a new round of COVID-19 variants that could evade the existing vaccines, according to survey conducted by advocates trying to speed up vaccinations in developing nations. Variants emerge when viruses spread widely, so quickly vaccinating the entire world is the best way to curb new variants. But some experts are afraid we won't get there fast enough. (Fernandez, 3/31)

From Florida —

The Hill: New Research Questions Florida's COVID-19 Death Toll
A study published this month says that Florida has underreported its coronavirus deaths by thousands of cases. As Yahoo News reported Tuesday, the study published in the American Journal of Public Health states that the impact of the pandemic in Florida “is significantly greater than the official COVID-19 data suggest.” Researchers came to their conclusions by comparing the estimated deaths in the state from March to September and compared that figure to the actual number of recorded deaths, or the “excess deaths.” (Choi, 3/30)

WUSF Public Media: Florida's COVID Positivity Rate Of 7.58% Is Highest Since Early February 
The positivity rate for new coronavirus cases in the state reached 7.58% percent on Monday, the highest since the beginning of February. It's the fourth straight day the rate has increased, the Florida Department of Health reported. That came on 56,848 tests returned Sunday, about 45,000 fewer than the two-week daily average. From those tests, 3,374 people were positive Monday. That's the lowest daily count in a week. (Newborn, 3/30)

AP: Pfizer Says Its COVID-19 Vaccine Protects Younger Teens
Pfizer announced Wednesday that its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and strongly protective in kids as young as 12, a step toward possibly beginning shots in this age group before they head back to school in the fall. Most COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out worldwide are for adults, who are at higher risk from the coronavirus. Pfizer’s vaccine is authorized for ages 16 and older. But vaccinating children of all ages will be critical to stopping the pandemic — and helping schools, at least the upper grades, start to look a little more normal after months of disruption. (Neergaard, 3/31)

CNBC: Covid Vaccine: Pfizer Says Shot Is 100% Effective In Kids Ages 12 To 15
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the company plans to submit the new data on the vaccine, which is developed in partnership with German drugmaker BioNTech, to the Food and Drug Administration and other regulators “as soon as possible,” with the hope that kids in the age group will be able to get vaccinated before the next school year. “We share the urgency to expand the authorization of our vaccine to use in younger populations and are encouraged by the clinical trial data from adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15,” Bourla said in a press release. (Lovelace Jr., 3/31)

The Wall Street Journal: Pfizer To Test Covid-19 Vaccine That Doesn’t Need Ultracold Storage
Pfizer Inc. PFE -1.39% and partner BioNTech SE BNTX 8.89% plan to begin soon testing a freeze-dried version of its Covid-19 vaccine, which if proven to work safely could ease storage and handling of the shots in rural U.S. areas and low-income countries. In April, Pfizer is set to start a clinical trial evaluating a so-called lyophilized formulation in adults 18 to 55 years old in the U.S., according to a government database, clinicaltrials.gov, and confirmed by the company. The 1,100-subject study would last about two months, with researchers seeking to determine whether the lyophilized version is as safe and effective as the version authorized by regulators beginning late last year. Researchers would administer to subjects either the lyophilized version or the current formulation. (Hopkins, 3/30)

The Atlantic: The AstraZeneca Vaccine Blood-Clot Issue Won't Go Away 
The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is indispensable right now. As one of the first vaccines out of the gate, it’s been at the center of the World Health Organization’s plan to roll out some 2 billion doses to 92 nations by the end of the year. It’s also one of just a handful of vaccines that are already being produced and distributed on such a massive scale that they might change the near-term course of the pandemic. That’s why the past few weeks have felt so catastrophic. (Bastian, 3/30)

AP: Germany To Restrict AstraZeneca Use In Under-60s Over Clots
German health officials agreed Tuesday to restrict the use of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine in people under 60, amid fresh concern over unusual blood clots reported in a tiny number of those who received the shots. Health Minister Jens Spahn and state officials agreed unanimously to only give the vaccine to people aged 60 or older, unless they belong to a high-risk category for serious illness from COVID-19 and have agreed to take the vaccine despite the small risk of a serious side-effect. The same option will be available to anyone who gets the shot at their GP, which will start to become possible later this month. (Jordans, 3/30)

North Carolina Health News: The Bumpy Road To Vaccine Trial Participation-Part III 
Dec. 11, 2020. I consider that my first official day as a participant in the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine clinical trial.I’d volunteered a month earlier and gone in twice before but that’s the day I finally got the jab. Months would pass before I knew for sure whether I’d been given saline or a real therapeutic. I drove home with a long list of instructions and a host of mixed feelings. (Newsome, 3/31)

Axios: The Growing Fight Over Coronavirus Vaccine Patents 
A growing chorus of advocates wants to weaken some of the intellectual property protections for coronavirus vaccines, which they say will quickly expand global supplies. But critics say the move wouldn't work, and would set a bad precedent. The Biden administration is evaluating the idea, including whether it would work as intended. (Owens, 3/30)

AP: WHO Team Urges Patience After 1st Look For Origin Of Virus
An international team behind a long-awaited study of the possible origins of COVID-19 with Chinese colleagues on Tuesday called it a “first start,” while the United States and allies expressed concerns about the findings and China trumpeted its cooperation. Team leader Peter Ben Embarek of the World Health Organization presented the team’s first-phase look into the possible origins of the pandemic that has killed nearly 2.8 million people and pummeled economies since it first turned up in China over a year ago. (Keaten, 3/30)

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Calls For Independent Study Of Covid-19 Origin
The U.S. and more than a dozen other countries expressed concern about a World Health Organization-led mission to China to explore the origins of Covid-19, saying it came too late and wasn’t afforded full or timely access to pertinent data. The statement, backed by Australia, Japan, Canada, the U.K. and other states, called for “transparent and independent analysis and evaluation, free from interference and undue influence.” (Hinshaw and Page, 3/30)

Politico: WHO Chief: Team Investigating Coronavirus Origins Had Difficulties Accessing Data
The team investigating the origins of the coronavirus in China had difficulties accessing the raw data, World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Tuesday. Referring to the team’s investigation into the theory that the pandemic could have resulted from a laboratory leak, Tedros said that he did “not believe that this assessment was extensive enough.” “Further data and studies will be needed to reach more robust conclusions,” he added. He made his remarks to member countries before a press conference coinciding with the publication of the report. (Furlong, 3/30)

The New York Times: White House Demanded China Provide More Access Over Virus Origin
The White House on Tuesday accused China of hampering the World Health Organization’s investigation into the origins of the coronavirus and demanded Beijing be more “transparent” by providing greater access to data about the initial outbreak in late 2019. The joint report from a W.H.O. team and Chinese scientists, released on Tuesday, was inconclusive, but surmised that the pandemic most likely began from animal-to-human transmission and began widely circulating in the city of Wuhan, China, as Chinese officials have long asserted. (Thrush, 3/30)

The Washington Post: WHO Report Fails To Settle 'Lab-Leak' Theory On Origins Of Covid Pandemic
Shortly after evidence emerged that a new coronavirus was spreading in the Chinese city of Wuhan in January 2020, speculation mounted about the origins of the lethal pathogen. Right-wing news outlets in the United States published tendentious and thinly sourced reports that the virus may have come from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, famous in the scientific community for researching coronaviruses in bats. In April, President Donald Trump suspended U.S. funding for the World Health Organization, which he accused of being subservient to Chinese officials, and said that the U.S. government was investigating the lab as a potential source of the virus. (Harris, Rauhala, Guarino and Mooney, 3/30)

USA Today: Coronavirus Origins: Five Key Points From WHO Report On China Trip
The World Health Organization released a report Tuesday detailing the findings of its review into the origins of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The report is the result of a trip to China taken by a 17-person WHO team from Jan. 14 to Feb. 10. The team collaborated with an equal number of Chinese scientists to explore genetic, epidemiological and animal data from the earliest known days of what became a pandemic. The 120-page report, produced by the WHO team, offered four possible origin stories for the SARS-CoV-2 virus – ranging from a lab leak to a jump from animals to humans. Rather than offering firm conclusions, it called for further investigation. (Weibtraub, 3/30)

Politico: Biden Faces First Covid Surge As Allies Brush Off Warnings
The Biden administration is confronting its first surge of Covid-19 with few public health options and even some of its Democratic allies ignoring pleas to slow down reopening their states. New infections are up 20 percent in the past two weeks, spurred by more contagious strains of the virus, increased travel and a loosening of public health restrictions across the country. That’s left President Joe Biden fighting two battles: speeding up the vaccine rollout while pushing crisis-weary states to tamp down infections through mask mandates, social distancing and other measures in the meantime. (Goldberg, 3/30)

AP: GOP Governors Ignore Biden's Latest Plea On Mask Mandates
President Joe Biden’s pleas for states to stick with mask mandates to slow the spread of the coronavirus were being largely ignored Tuesday as several Republican governors stayed on track to drop the requirement in their states. Biden and the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a day earlier that this is no time to relax safety measures. In a call with governors on Tuesday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky buttressed that message by citing “concerning” national trends: The seven-day average of 61,000 new COVID-19 cases per day is up 13%, and the seven-day average of deaths is up 6%. (Selsky, 3/30)

The Hill: Louisiana Lifts Most Coronavirus Capacity Limits, Keeps Mask Mandate
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) on Tuesday announced plans to lift some capacity limits on businesses and other coronavirus restrictions, though the statewide mask mandate will remain in place. Tuesday’s order, which will take effect Wednesday and last through April 28, includes loosened capacity restrictions for bars and restaurants. (Castronuovo, 3/30)

AP: Next Slide, Please: Inside Wonky White House Virus Briefings
No matter how encouraging Andy Slavitt’s news is at the government’s coronavirus briefings, he can always count on next-up Dr. Rochelle Walensky to deliver a downbeat. After the tumultuous briefings of the Trump era — when top doctors would troop to the podium in the White House press room only to be upstaged by spurious pronouncements from Donald Trump himself — the thrice-weekly virtual sessions of 2021 have taken on a more restrained and predictable rhythm.President Joe Biden stays away. The core players stick to their expertise. Data rules. (Benac and Miller, 3/31)

In other Biden administration news —

AP: Beyond Bridges: Biden Redefines Infrastructure To Add People
Beyond roads and bridges, President Joe Biden is trying to redefine infrastructure not just as an investment in America the place, but in its workers, families and people. The first phase of his “Build Back Better” package to be unveiled Wednesday in Pittsburgh would unleash $2 trillion in new spending on four main hard infrastructure categories — transportation; public water, health and broadband systems; community care for seniors; and innovation research and development, according to people familiar with the proposal. (Mascaro, Boak and Lemire, 3/31)

Modern Healthcare: CDC Data Modernization Lead Outlines 4 Challenges To Tracking COVID-19
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's acting deputy director for public health science and surveillance on Monday said the U.S. is handicapped when collecting COVID-19 data and tracking the outbreak. Here are the four challenges Dr. Dan Jernigan shared during a panel discussion at HHS' Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology's virtual annual meeting: (Cohen, 3/29)

Politico: More Potential Biden Hires Penalized For Marijuana Use
The Biden administration reiterated today that it wants to end criminal penalties for marijuana use nationally. That hasn't stopped it from penalizing people who want to join the administration for past pot use, however. Responding to a Daily Beast story earlier this month, White House press secretary Jen Psaki stated that, “of the hundreds of people hired” by the White House “only five people who had started working...are no longer employed as a result of this policy." But that’s an incomplete picture of the situation. Other staffers have been told they had White House positions — including at least one that was publicly announced — only to have the offers withdrawn before they officially began working, according to people familiar with the matter. (Thompson, Fertig, Barrón-López and Meyer, 3/30)

AP: Over 4,000 Migrants, Many Kids, Crowded Into Texas Facility
The Biden administration for the first time Tuesday allowed journalists inside its main border detention facility for migrant children, revealing a severely overcrowded tent structure where more than 4,000 people, including children and families, were crammed into a space intended for 250 and the youngest were kept in a large play pen with mats on the floor for sleeping. With thousands of children and families arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in recent weeks and packing facilities, President Joe Biden has been under pressure to bring more transparency to the process. U.S. Customs and Border Protection allowed two journalists from The Associated Press and a crew from CBS to tour the facility in Donna, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, the nation’s busiest corridor for illegal crossings. (Spagat and Merchant, 3/31)

Reuters: Where Is My Aunt? Kids Separated From Relatives At The Border Strain U.S. Shelters
As President Joe Biden’s administration grapples with how to house thousands of unaccompanied minors crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, advocates say ending a long-standing practice of separating children like Leonardo from caretaking relatives would help reduce overcrowding in U.S. government custody. Under U.S. immigration law, families are narrowly defined as children and their parents or legal guardians. Children separated from grandparents, aunts, older siblings and other relatives are classified as “unaccompanied” and sent to shelters or foster care overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) until they can be released to a vetted sponsor, usually a parent or close family member. (Cooke and Rosenberg, 3/30)

Fox 5 San Diego: COVID-19 Cases At San Diego Convention Center: 82 Teens Test Positive At Migrant Shelter
Officials say 82 of the nearly 750 migrant children staying at the San Diego Convention Center have tested positive for COVID-19. The unaccompanied minors are tested for the coronavirus before they leave for San Diego, when they get here, and every three days after their arrival. (3/30)

CNN: All 50 States Will Open Covid-19 Vaccine Eligibility To Everyone 16 And Older 
All 50 states have announced when they plan to open up coronavirus vaccinations to everyone eligible under US Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorizations -- if they haven't done so already. Arkansas is the latest state to announce plans to expand vaccine eligibility to anyone 16 and older, starting on Tuesday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced. (Howard, 3/30)

Axios: Demand For Coronavirus Vaccines Varies Significantly Across The U.S. 
Some states are expanding vaccine eligibility partially because of a troubling reason: Not enough people want to get vaccinated. Vaccine supplies are still limited, but they're already outpacing demand in some parts of the country, especially rural areas. And that could be a bad sign for the future. (Owens, 3/31)

The Atlantic: The Great Vaccination Campaign
As of today, more than 565 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered around the world, at a rate of about 14 million doses a day. Shots are being given at mass-vaccination sites, hospitals, small clinics, and in people’s homes, as governments and organizations work to reach everyone currently eligible. The work has only just begun, though; despite encouraging early numbers, only 4 percent of the global population has received at least one dose so far. Collected here are images from around the world over the past few months, of people delivering and receiving vaccines to protect against the dreaded COVID-19. (Taylor, 3/30)

Bloomberg: Drugstores Can’t Wait For Scheduling Covid Shots To Get Simpler 
While millions of Covid-19 vaccine doses are available, it could be months until anyone can just walk into their local pharmacy for a dose, a frustrating situation for big chains like Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and CVS Health Corp., as well as their customers. People still need to make appointments online or over the phone to get vaccinated at drugstores, a policy designed to prevent crowds from forming and help pharmacists manage scarce supplies. The system isn’t working optimally and is unlikely to change anytime soon, said Rina Shah, Walgreens vice president of pharmacy operations. (LaVito, 3/30)

The Washington Post: Michigan’s Whitmer Asks White House To Surge Vaccines To Virus Hot Spots As Cases Climb
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), battling a surge of coronavirus infections in her state, appealed on Tuesday to White House officials to shift away from a strict population-based formula for vaccine allocation and instead rush more doses to hard-hit parts of the country. “I know that some national public health experts have suggested this as an effective mitigation tool,” she said during the White House coronavirus response team’s weekly call with governors, according to a recording of the conversation obtained by The Washington Post. “And I know we’d certainly welcome this approach in our state.” (Stanley-Becker, 3/31)

Politico: Biden Administration Builds Volunteer Network To Boost Vaccine Confidence
The Biden administration is creating a network of outside health experts and community leaders charged with building trust in coronavirus vaccines, as the shots become available to the entire adult population, according to documents obtained by POLITICO. The all-volunteer group — dubbed the Covid-19 Community Corps — would amplify the government’s vaccine messaging within their own communities, and lead on-the-ground efforts to combat skepticism and misinformation. (Cancryn, 3/30)

AP: Cases Of Vaccinated People Getting COVID-19 Confirmed In WA
The Washington State Department of Health is investigating reports of people in the state who tested positive for COVID-19 more than two weeks after they were fully vaccinated. Scientists call these “vaccine breakthrough” cases, which officials said are expected with any vaccine. Out of 1 million fully vaccinated people in Washington state, epidemiologists report evidence of 102 breakthrough cases in 18 counties since Feb. 1, State officials said Tuesday in a news release. That represents .01 percent of vaccinated people in Washington. (3/31)

Axios: Poll: 61% Of Americans Have Been Vaccinated Or Intend To Be 
The number of Americans who have already been vaccinated or want to receive their shots as soon as possible continues to rise, although enthusiasm still varies significantly by demographic group, according to the latest KFF vaccine tracking poll. Republicans, white evangelical Christians and rural residents remain most likely to say that they won't get the vaccine, while older Americans, Democrats and college graduates are most enthusiastic. (Owens, 3/30)

The New York Times: Confidence In Covid-19 Vaccination Keeps Rising Significantly In The U.S., But Pockets Of Resistance Remain, A Survey Shows
As eligibility for Covid-19 vaccination rapidly expands to all adults in many states over the next month, a new poll shows a continuing increase in the number of Americans, particularly Black adults, who want to get vaccinated. But it also found that vaccine skepticism remains stubbornly persistent, particularly among Republicans and white evangelical Christians, an issue that the Biden administration has flagged as an impediment to achieving herd immunity and a return to normal life. By now, roughly 61 percent of adults have either received their first dose or are eager for one, up from 47 percent in January, according to the latest monthly survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation. (Hoffman, 3/31)

CNN: Blaming Tuskegee Syphilis Study For Black Communities' Distrust In Vaccines Doesn't Capture Everything 
To get more Black people vaccinated against coronavirus infections, Dr. Kimberly Manning is determined to keep doing what she has had a conviction to do since before the pandemic hit. "I'm determined to make sure that people who, historically, have not been seen or who have felt undervalued know that they matter, that they are extremely important," said Manning, a professor of medicine and the associate vice chair of diversity, equity and inclusion in the department of medicine at Emory University in Atlanta. She knows that fewer Black people have been vaccinated against coronavirus than White people. While some people have attributed these lower rates to distrust stemming from the fallout of the unethical Tuskegee Syphilis Study conducted from 1932 to 1972, Manning said it's more complicated. Modern circumstances, too, are at play. (Rogers, 3/30)

KHN: ‘I Can Breathe Again’: Older Adults Begin To Test Freedom After Covid Vaccinations
With a mix of relief and caution, older adults fully vaccinated against covid-19 are moving out into the world and resuming activities put on hold during the pandemic. Many are making plans to see adult children and hug grandchildren they haven’t visited for months — or longer. Others are getting together with friends indoors, for the first time in a long time. (Graham, 3/31)

More on vaccine passports —

The Wall Street Journal: Covid-19 Vaccination Cards Are The Only Proof Of Shots, Soon An Essential
Millions of adults vaccinated against Covid-19 have little to prove it beyond a paper card they received at inoculation sites. The U.S. has no central database for immunizations. States maintain an incomplete patchwork of records. Nor is there standard proof of Covid-19 vaccinations like the yellow-fever cards that are required for travel to many countries where that disease remains prevalent. With some countries and businesses preparing to make digital proof of vaccination a requirement for entry and travel, the paper cards may be the only ticket to access those platforms. Proof is already being requested on some first dates and at weddings. (Wernau, 3/30)

The Washington Post: Republicans Attack Biden Administration Over Vaccine Passports
Republicans are opening a new front in the pandemic culture wars, attacking efforts by the Biden administration to develop guidelines for coronavirus vaccination passports that businesses can use to determine who can safely participate in activities such as flights, concerts and indoor dining. The issue has received an increasing amount of attention from some of the party’s most extreme members and conservative media figures, but it has also been seized on by Republican leaders like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate. (Linskey, Diamond and Pager, 3/31)

WUSF Public Media: DeSantis Says He Will Forbid COVID 'Passports,' Signs Liability Bill 
Pointing to privacy concerns, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday he will issue emergency rules this week that prevent businesses from requiring customers to show proof of vaccinations through COVID-19 “passports” and will ask the Legislature to pass a permanent ban. “It’s completely unacceptable for either the government or the private sector to impose upon you the requirement that you show proof of vaccine to just simply be able to participate in normal society,” DeSantis said. (Sexton, 3/30)

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Restores Reproductive Rights Report In Global Survey
The Biden administration is resuming the practice of evaluating women’s reproductive rights in various countries as part of the State Department’s annual survey of global human rights, reversing a decision by the Trump administration. The State Department released its annual human-rights report on Tuesday. The report said an addendum to be added later this year will cover previously dropped topics, including maternal mortality, access to contraception and reproductive healthcare. Those topics were last reported upon in 2016. (Donati, 3/30)

The New York Times: State Dept. Reverses Trump Policies On Reproductive And Religious Freedoms
Women’s access to contraceptives and reproductive care is a global human right that will be monitored by the United States, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken declared on Tuesday, reversing a Trump administration policy that had overlooked discrimination or denials of women seeking sexual health services worldwide. The announcement was one of several departures Mr. Blinken made from the previous administration’s approach as the State Department issued its annual report on human rights violations, even while he similarly condemned abuses and state-sanctioned oppression from China to Syria to Venezuela that have continued for years. (Jakes, 3/30)

In abortion news from the states —

Austin American-Statesman: Texas Senate Approves Legislation Banning Most Abortions, Testing Roe V. Wade
The Texas Senate approved six anti-abortion bills on Tuesday, including a proposal that would outlaw the procedure once a fetal heartbeat is detected, typically before a woman is aware she is pregnant, and another that effectively bans the procedure all together. The second measure would become law if the Supreme Court reverses earlier decisions legalizing abortion. Abortion opponents have pledged to push an aggressive agenda to severely limit availability of the procedure, with an eye to the changing power dynamics at the U.S. Supreme Court, where conservatives now hold a 6-3 majority. (Mekelburg, 3/30)

Lexington Herald Leader: Legislature Passes Constitutional Amendment Declaring No Right To Abortion In KY
The Kentucky General Assembly scrambled to pass a series of last-minute bills in the waning hours of the final day of the 2021 legislative session, including a constitutional amendment dealing with abortion. With the minute hand on the clock inching toward midnight, the House filed a flurry of floor amendments, none of which the public had the opportunity to read, to pass last-minute items from their legislative wish-list. (Desrochers and Brammer, 3/30)

Delaware News Journal: In Delaware, Abortion Is Still A Felony. Why Lawmakers Are Changing It Now
Delaware lawmakers want to erase a 19th-century law that classifies abortion as manslaughter and a felony. Abortion rights advocates argue the change is necessary to protect abortion rights in case the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade following last year's confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett. (Gamard, 3/30)

Modern Healthcare: Threat Of Medicaid Cuts Weighs On Outlook For Safety-Net Providers
It’s budget season in most states, meaning safety-net hospitals are anxiously waiting to hear whether their Medicaid payments will be cut. The concerns regarding Medicaid reimbursement reductions are greater given the pandemic-related threat of an economic downturn, which generally translates to more people being added to the program when tax revenue may be falling. “It’s this perfect storm that leads to states having to make some very difficult decisions,” said Matt Salo, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, who saw this pattern play out during the Great Recession of 2008 and the 2001 recession. (Van Dyke, 3/27)

CNN: Nursing Home Residents Have A Little More Time To Spend Stimulus Checks Before Losing Medicaid
Nursing home residents on Medicaid have some more time to spend their stimulus checks, but they shouldn't wait too long. Typically, Medicaid enrollees are only allowed to have a limited amount of assets, outside of their primary residence, car and other essentials. For single people, it's usually around $2,000. Those who exceed that threshold could find themselves kicked out of the health insurance program for low-income Americans. (Luhby, 3/30)

NBC News: Missouri Voters Passed Medicaid Expansion. Now State Republicans May Not Pay For It.
Missouri House Republicans blocked funding for Medicaid expansion multiple times Tuesday — even though Missouri voters passed the measure in a statewide referendum in August. Advocates for health care expansion called the move the latest example of political theatrics in the state, while Democratic lawmakers deemed it a threat to the state Medicaid program. The groups agreed that the move was deeply frustrating and noted that it imperiled billions of dollars of federal aid. (McCausland, 3/30)

AP: Arkansas Lawmakers Approve Overhaul Of Medicaid Expansion
Arkansas lawmakers on Tuesday gave final approval to Gov. Asa Hutchinson's plan to overhaul the state's Medicaid expansion by encouraging work by recipients rather than requiring it. The House voted 64-34 for the legislation, sending it to the Republican governor's desk. Under the measure, the program will continue to use Medicaid funds to place recipients on private health insurance. But under the proposal, those who don’t work or attend school could be moved to the traditional fee-for-service Medicaid program. More than 300,000 people are currently on the state’s Medicaid expansion. (3/30)

AP: S Carolina Democrats Want Medicaid Expansion; GOP Says No
Democratic state senators said a sweeter offer from Congress ought to be enough to get South Carolina to join 38 other states and expand Medicaid to about 200,000 more people. But Republicans in South Carolina said the extra money for two years still isn't enough for them to feel confident about expanding the government-run health insurance program to more people. Senate Democrats held a news conference Tuesday to tout the offer made in the nearly $2 trillion coronavirus relief package passed earlier this month. (Collins, 3/30)

AP: Mississippi: No Extension Of Postpartum Medicaid Coverage
An effort to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage has failed in Mississippi, a state with high rates of infant mortality and maternal mortality. The state’s program usually has two months of coverage for women after giving birth. Physicians recommended extending coverage to a full year to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies. Senators approved the extension earlier this year, but the provision was not included in the final version of a Medicaid bill that the House and Senate both passed Tuesday night. (Wagster Pettus and Willingham, 3/31)

The Hill: House Democrats Target HHS 'Sunset' Rule With Congressional Review Act
House Democrats are eyeing the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn a controversial Department of Health and Human Services rule passed in the final days of the Trump presidency that would require the agency to review thousands of regulations to prevent them from expiring. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) and Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) on Monday introduced a resolution of disapproval over the HHS "sunset" rule, which requires all 18,000 agency regulations to be reviewed every 10 years, or else they expire. (Weixel, 3/30)

The Wall Street Journal: Democrats Look At Lowering Medicare Eligibility Age In Healthcare Package
Congressional Democrats and the Biden administration are planning another round of healthcare initiatives that could include lowering the Medicare eligibility age, following their major expansion of the Affordable Care Act this year. Democrats are still negotiating over which healthcare policy elements could be in the second of two spending programs the administration plans to unveil soon, according to congressional aides and industry groups. (Armour and Peterson, 3/30)

The Hill: GOP Lawmakers Press Social Media Giants For Data On Impacts On Children's Mental Health
Four Republican lawmakers are pressing social media giants for data on the impact their products have on children’s mental health. The lawmakers, led by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.), who is the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, sent letters to Facebook, Twitter and Google on Tuesday asking for the information by April 16. (Williams, 3/30)

CNN: It's Possible To Reach Herd Immunity, Then Lose It. Repeatedly. Here's What You Can Do To Help Prevent That From Happening 
If you think herd immunity is the finish line to this pandemic, it's time for a reality check. Herd immunity with Covid-19 could come and go, scientists say. Or we might never reach it at all. "There's a lot of things that have to go our way to actually get to herd immunity," said Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. (Yan, 3/30)

CNN: Cleveland Clinic And IBM Hope Their Tech Partnership Could Help Prevent The Next Pandemic 
After a year in which scientists raced to understand Covid-19 and to develop treatments and vaccines to stop its spread, Cleveland Clinic is partnering with IBM to use next-generation technologies to advance healthcare research — and potentially prevent the next public health crisis. The two organizations on Tuesday announced the creation of the "Discovery Accelerator," which will apply technologies such as quantum computing and artificial intelligence to pressing life sciences research questions. As part of the partnership, Cleveland Clinic will become the first private-sector institution to buy and operate an on-site IBM quantum computer, called the Q System One. Currently, such machines only exist in IBM (IBM) labs and data centers. (Duffy, 3/30)

Reuters: T Cells Induced By COVID-19 Infection Respond To New Virus Variants: U.S. Study
A critical component of the immune system known as T cells that respond to fight infection from the original version of the novel coronavirus appear to also protect against three of the most concerning new virus variants, according to a U.S. laboratory study released on Tuesday. Several recent studies have shown that certain variants of the novel coronavirus can undermine immune protection from antibodies and vaccines. But antibodies - which block the coronavirus from attaching to human cells - may not tell the whole story, according to the study by researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). T cells appear to play an important additionally protective role. (Steenhuysen, 3/30)

CIDRAP: Study Shows Deeper COVID Impact In Socially Vulnerable Neighborhoods
An analysis of neighborhood-level data in three US cities highlights the racial and socioeconomic disparities in COVID-19 positivity, incidence, and mortality, researchers reported today in the Annals of Internal Medicine. For the study, researchers from Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health used data on the total numbers of tests, confirmed cases, and deaths by ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) of residence from Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia from the beginning of the pandemic through early October 2020. (3/30)

In other research news —

Stat: A CRISPR 2.0 Pioneer Sees Imitation, Not Flattery, In A Competitor's Slides
Last week, the genome-editing scientists behind base editing, a technology dubbed CRISPR 2.0, gathered for an update from the competition. Intellia Therapeutics, a company invested in the classic form of CRISPR, was to unveil its take on base editing, a refined approach to fixing DNA that corrects single letters of the genome without breaking the double helix. The presentation, hosted by the famed Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, sounded familiar. (Garde, 3/30)

Stat: Most U.S. Universities Get An 'F' On Ensuring Access To Drugs They Discover
Despite large amounts of taxpayer funding, dozens of the largest U.S. universities failed to commit to policies ensuring that essential medicines and health technologies generated by their labs would be equally accessible around the globe, a new analysis finds. Of the 60 universities that were examined, only 22% committed to specific global access licensing strategies and just 12% adopted licensing that places a priority on generic production of medicines for lower-income countries, according to the Universities Allied Essential Medicines, an organization led by medical students who seek to improve affordable access worldwide. (Silverman, 3/30)

The New York Times: ‘It Felt Like Deception’: An Elite NYC Hospital Charges Huge Virus Test Fees
Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan advertised its “Covid-19 Testing” on a large blue and white banner outside its Greenwich Village division’s emergency room. The banner said nothing about cost. But cost turned out to be the testing’s most noteworthy feature. Lenox Hill, one of the city’s oldest and best-known hospitals, repeatedly billed patients more than $3,000 for the routine nasal swab test, about 30 times the test’s typical cost. “It was shocking to see a number like that, when I’ve gotten tested before for about $135,” said Ana Roa, who was billed $3,358 for a test at Lenox Hill last month. (Kliff, 3/30)

Modern Healthcare: Insurers Test Re-Enacting Cost-Sharing For COVID-19 Treatment
Blue Cross North Carolina will soon begin charging members for COVID-19 treatment, representing one of the nation's first insurers to end its waiver pausing cost-sharing and out-of-pocket expenses for coronavirus care during the public health crisis. Come April 1, Blue Cross NC's fully-insured and group members will be responsible for all the copayments, coinsurance and deductibles related to their treatment for COVID-19. The North Carolina Department of Insurance declined to comment. (Tepper, 3/30)

Modern Healthcare: FCC Retools COVID-19 Telehealth Program Application Process
The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday voted to formalize new procedures and criteria for its COVID-19 telehealth program. The FCC is gearing up to start accepting applications for the second round of the program, which Congress established through COVID-19 relief bills. It's designed to provide healthcare organizations with funds to purchase telecommunications equipment, information-technology services and devices needed to offer telehealth services during the pandemic. (Cohen, 3/30)

Modern Healthcare: Hospital, Nursing Home COVID-19 Liability Protections Poised For Repeal
New York legislation nixing broad legal protections for healthcare providers during the pandemic stands ready to become law after receiving the approval of veto-proof majorities in the Assembly and state Senate. The vote drew the condemnation of healthcare and nursing home industry representatives, who called the move premature. "What if the variants do something unexpected? What happens if something goes awry in the near future?" asked Southern New York Association President Neil Heyman, whose group represents long-term-care facilities in New York City, Long Island and Westchester. "I think people should still be protected until we reach herd immunity and this thing is gone." (Kaufman, 3/30)

ProPublica: The Two Hospitals Have Similar Infant Death Rates — Until You Look At Extremely Premature Babies
Lax state oversight leaves unanswered questions about the deaths of extremely preterm babies at Albuquerque’s Lovelace Women’s Hospital, which markets itself as a state-of-the-art newborn facility. Experts say transparency could save lives. (Furlow, 3/30)

Stat: FTC Seeks To Block Illumina From Buying Grail, Citing Threats To Competition
The Federal Trade Commission is once again trying to block Illumina (ILMN), a dominant maker of genetic sequencing machines, from pursuing a big acquisition. And this time, the agency is targeting the planned $7.1 billion purchase of Grail, which is developing a long-sought blood test for detecting cancer early by using DNA sequencing. (Silverman, 3/30)

The Washington Post: Health-Care Workers At Higher Risk Of Insomnia And Burnout As Pandemic Resurges, Warns WHO
As new coronavirus cases and deaths surge again across most regions of the world, with new deaths rising by 5 percent over the past week, health-care workers are facing mounting mental health challenges, the World Health Organization warned Wednesday. Doctors, nurses and other medical staff now report higher levels of anxiety and depression than other professional groups, the WHO said in its weekly epidemiological report. The organization cited a recent study published by the British Medical Journal that found that insomnia, sleeping disorders and burnout were significant risk factors for covid-19 infection among health-care workers in six Western countries. (Cunningham, 3/31)

NPR: Many Nursing Home Staff Opted Out Of Getting COVID Vaccines 
Janet Caldwell was looking forward to visiting her mother again as she did before the pandemic, with no dirty window or awkward outdoor booth between them. Her 87-year-old mom's nursing home in Arkansas had announced in mid-March it would allow family members to visit residents indoors — something it had not permitted for an entire year in the coronavirus pandemic. But a few days later, the nursing home called Caldwell back to say the visits were off. There was a COVID-19 outbreak among the staff, even though weeks before the workers at the facility had already been offered the coronavirus vaccine twice. (Essley-Whyte, 3/31)

KHN and The Guardian: Lost On The Frontline: Explore The Database For This Week's New Profiles
As of Wednesday, the ongoing KHN-Guardian project is investigating 3,605 deaths of U.S. health workers in the fight against covid-19. Today we add 10 profiles, including a dialysis technician who was a "protector" of his tribe and "drag mother" at the club, and an EMT and 9/11 responder who taught firefighters to save lives. Our interactive database investigates the question: Did they have to die? (3/31)

Modern Healthcare: Loretto Hospital CEO George Miller Suspended Amid COVID Controversy
Now we know the sanctions against the chief of Chicago's Loretto Hospital after weeks of revelations about improper distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. CEO George Miller will be suspended without pay for two weeks from the hospital—but not until the board finds a replacement for another high-ranking executive, according to sources. The punishment was decided at a March 19 board meeting. (Quig, 3/30)

Stat: With Light At The End Of The Tunnel, Loved Ones Feel The Anguish Of Covid-19 Deaths Particularly Hard
Mark Collins received his Covid-19 vaccine earlier this year through work. His husband, Tony Murray — his partner of 25 years, his co-host for front yard barbecues, his accomplice for getaways to Las Vegas and Atlantic City — had not yet gotten his. And then this month, Murray started feeling sick. Collins did not. “And then he just kept getting sicker and sicker,” said Collins, who lived with Murray in New York’s Rockaway Beach. “And it was just so overwhelming.” (Joseph, 3/31)

AP: USA Football Recommends 8 Procedures For Youth Safety
USA Football has introduced eight procedures to enhance safety and health for youth players, with all of those methods endorsed by some major medical organizations. USA Football’s Athlete Health & Wellness Recommendations for youth football play have been supported by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), and the National Youth Sports Health & Safety Institute (NYSHSI). Using new training and practice standards, the eight recommendations include use of the two-point stance and days of rest between full-contact games and scrimmages. (Wilner, 3/31)

In other public health news —

CNN: Toxic Chemical 'Hall Of Shame' Calls Out Major Retailers For Failing To Act 
A dozen major companies earned an F for failing to publicly address the growing problem of toxic chemicals that may be in the products they sell to consumers, according to the 2021 Who's Minding the Store? A Report Card on Retailer Actions to Eliminate Toxic Chemicals. The report is a collaboration of nonprofit partner organizations, including the environmental advocacy groups Toxic-Free Future, WE ACT for Environmental Justice and Defend Our Health. (LaMotte, 3/30)

KHN: Dramatic Drop In Common Viruses Raises Question: Masks Forever?
Masks and physical distancing are proving to have major fringe benefits, keeping people from getting all kinds of illnesses — not just covid-19. But it’s unclear whether the protocols will be worth the pain in the long run. The teachers at New Hope Academy in Franklin, Tennessee, were chatting the other day. The private Christian school has met in person throughout much of the pandemic — requiring masks and trying to keep kids apart, to the degree it is possible with young children. And Nicole Grayson, who teaches fourth grade, said they realized something peculiar. (Farmer, 3/31)

The Hill: New York Senate Passes Bill To Legalize Recreational Marijuana
The New York state Senate passed a measure that would legalize recreational marijuana Tuesday night, the Albany Times Union reported. The bill, which is estimated to help bring in $350 million in annual revenue for New York, passed the Senate with a 40-23 vote Tuesday night. Three Democrats joined Republicans in voting against the bill. The measure is also expected to pass the Assembly later Tuesday night, the Times Union noted. (Polus, 3/30)

Politico: New York Legislature Votes To Legalize Adult-Use, Recreational Cannabis
New York state lawmakers voted late Tuesday to legalize adult-use cannabis and create the country’s second-largest recreational marijuana market, setting the stage for the Empire State to officially join 16 other states that have embraced full legalization. The “Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act” NY S854 (21R) / NY A1248 (21R) cleared the Assembly and Senate after hours of debate on the bill’s proposed regulatory structure, public safety and health implications. It now awaits final approval from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has said he looks forward “to signing this legislation into law." (Young, 3/30)

AP: Lawmakers OK Arizona Business Pandemic Liability Shield
The Arizona Senate voted Tuesday to give businesses, nursing homes and others a broad shield from lawsuits related to COVID-19, joining the House in approving the measure and sending it to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey for his expected signature. Senate Republicans approved the measure in a 16-14 party-line vote.. GOP House members approved it Monday on a 31-29 vote with no Democratic support. Republicans said businesses struggled during the pandemic and shouldn’t have to worry about the potential for frivolous lawsuits. (3/30)

The Baltimore Sun: Public Health Experts Urge Caution In Maryland As COVID Cases, Positivity Rate Rise 
Maryland residents have reached another turning point in the coronavirus pandemic, public health experts say, as the state sees rising numbers of COVID-19 cases and a spiking testing positivity rate — signs that the public health crisis continues to rage even as more people get inoculated against it. “This is the time for all officials to urge caution,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a former Baltimore health commissioner and public health professor at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. “We need to keep wearing masks in public places, and we need to be very diligent about avoiding crowded indoor gatherings for those who are not yet vaccinated.” (Miller, 3/30)

The Baltimore Sun: ‘If I Don’t Do It, Who’s Going To Help Them?’: Maryland Group Works To Ensure Equity In COVID Vaccine Access 
In the minutes before the clock struck midnight and Thursday melted into Friday, María Peterson had her desk ready for battle. Two laptops with color-coded spreadsheets were open, neon sticky notes surrounded the screens and a desk lamp dimly lit the room that Peterson rarely used until the coronavirus pandemic hit and it became her ground zero. Twenty minutes passed and Peterson, a Columbia resident, was calling the night a flop. “Right now I’m sitting here waiting and wondering how long do I wait?” (Faguy, 3/31)

WJCT 89.9 FM Jacksonville: No Lines, High Spirits At Jax Vax Sites As Florida Eligibility Age Drops To 40 
People who are 40 and older are now eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in Florida, and at Jacksonville’s two major vaccination sites, the lines were short when WJCT News stopped by - and people’s spirits were high. “It’s emotional,” said Amy Love, 45, as she exited the vaccination site at the Gateway Town Center. “I’m very grateful and happy, and this was very efficient, and everyone was really nice.” (Boles, 3/30)

Axios: Colorado Tries To Combat COVID Vaccine Hesitancy 
Colorado announced it will make COVID-19 vaccines available to everyone over 16 starting Friday. The problem is that not everyone wants one. The vaccine-hesitant population in Colorado shrank since September, but remains persistent, according to a recent poll commissioned by the state and obtained by Axios. (Frank, 3/30)

WLRN 91.3: Homebound Seniors Can Sign Up For Door-To-Door Vaccine Program 
More than 5,200 elderly Floridians have been vaccinated as part of the state’s door-to-door effort to inoculate homebound seniors. The program, which launched in February, was created to help vaccinate seniors who have limited mobility or don’t feel comfortable leaving their homes. After 1,500 people were inoculated in a trial run, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced March 11 they would be expanding the program for seniors to “have the vaccine come directly to them.” (3/30)

Tampa Bay Times: How Life Changed For 10 Florida Health Experts Who Got Coronavirus Vaccines
As Florida continues to roll out coronavirus vaccines, some health experts who were among the first to receive shots are taking baby steps back toward regular life. Ten from across the state spoke with the Tampa Bay Times about how they’ve changed their habits since vaccination. They specialize in infectious diseases, public health and epidemiology. One is at the forefront of the effort to make the state’s vaccine distribution equitable. Another is head of operations at Tampa Greyhound Track, where thousands of doses are administered each day. (Reeves and Weber, 3/30)

The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Comptroller Joins Calls For Hogan, Health Department To Sever Ties With Redfield Over COVID Comments 
Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot has joined the chorus of elected officials in Maryland urging the state to sever its ties with Dr. Robert Redfield, the former head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under President Donald Trump who currently serves as an unpaid adviser to Gov. Larry Hogan. Last week, Redfield’s comments endorsing an unproven theory that the coronavirus “most likely” escaped from a lab in Wuhan, China, went public, drawing the ire of several state lawmakers who called on Redfield to walk back his statements or step down from his post. (Miller, 3/30)

Tampa Bay Times: Times Project Exposing Lead Dangers At Florida Factory Cost About $500,000
Inside Florida’s lone lead smelter, hundreds of workers have been exposed to alarming levels of poisons... Factory workers break down 50,000 used car batteries a day. They extract the lead, melt it in furnaces and reforge it into new blocks. Employees have had so much of the neurotoxin in their blood that it can severely damage their health, and the company gave workers respirators that didn’t protect them when poison levels spiked. (Katches, 3/31)

KHN: Durango’s Covid ‘Cowboy’ Rounds Up Spring Break Scofflaws, Lines ’Em Up For Shots
Bartenders were pouring Old-Fashioneds at a bar with a bullet hole straight through the wood. Servers in corsets and fishnet stockings roamed the room, passing an old piano that, twice a week, fills the building with ragtime tunes. It was a Friday evening at the Diamond Belle Saloon on the main drag in Durango, Colorado. Outside, a man in boots, a cowboy hat and a button-down vest adorned with a U.S. marshal badge patrolled the block, eyes scanning the streets for trouble. If trouble were to appear, it would likely take the form of errant Texans. (Ellen Bichell, 3/31)

The New York Times: Why Virus Tests At One Elite School Ran Afoul Of Regulators
It was supposed to be a pandemic triumph, a way for a prestigious school to keep its doors open when many others could not. Instead, the coronavirus testing program at New Trier High School, outside Chicago, offers a cautionary lesson about what happens when educators are asked to take on public health responsibilities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has urged school administrators to implement regular testing of students in order to identify coronavirus outbreaks before they become more widespread. Late last year, New Trier, which serves families from some of Chicago’s most affluent suburbs, rolled out a $1.3 million testing campaign, part of an ambitious plan to keep classrooms open for the school year regardless of rising infection rates in the community. (Mandavilli, 3/30)

Bloomberg: Pfizer And Moderna Research Shows Vaccines Will Save Us 
Following pandemic news too closely can be an emotional roller coaster, with dire public health warnings immediately followed by hopeful new studies. The latest soaring discovery: a new CDC study showing vaccines sharply cut all Covid-19 infections — not just symptoms. That news puts to rest one worst-case-scenario: that vaccines might protect the vaccinated against hospitalization, but allow millions of silent infections to continue circulating. (Faye Flam, 3/30)

NBC News: For Covid Long-Haulers, Is Getting Reasonable Accommodation Under The ADA The Next Issue?
The wide range and unquestionable severity of long-term effects for a subset of Covid-19 patients is already well-supported by a number of studies. They experience often unpredictable combinations of symptoms, including chest pain, intermittent fevers, gastrointestinal problems, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, memory and attention problems, low energy and more. It's still unclear exactly how many people who have been infected by the coronavirus will develop long-lasting symptoms, but the number appears substantial. An immunologist at London’s Imperial College told Scientific American in December that his “guesstimate is that we probably have way more than 5 million people on the planet with long Covid. ”And as daily global cases remain well over 500,000, even with massive vaccination drives underway, it's likely that a nontrivial fraction of total patients — some have estimated 2 percent — will develop long-term symptoms. (Vincent White, 3/31)

Modern Healthcare: Racial Inequities In COVID Vaccines Demand Federal Action
As the woman at the helm of the New York City Health Department when the city became the epicenter for COVID-19 in the U.S., I'm excited and relieved that more than a year into this deadly pandemic we have three vaccines approved that hold great promise for bringing this global nightmare to an end. It was inevitable that launching a nationwide mass vaccination effort would have serious challenges from supply issues to getting shots in arms, so it's encouraging to see the speed at which people are being vaccinated is accelerating, as Americans step up to help one another navigate clumsy online vaccination portals and more vaccination sites are opened. The number of people wanting to be vaccinated is still outpacing vaccine supply, but all indications show manufacturers are on pace to accelerate production to meet that demand. However, we are destined to reinforce inequities in rates of vaccination among Blacks and Latinos if the imbalance between the momentum of COVID and the inertia of structural racism isn't met with leadership that leans into equity. (Dr. Oxiris Barbot, 3/30)

USA Today: My Patient Got COVID And Died. He Thought Life Was Back To Normal, But We Aren't There Yet.
I was out on the streets of San Francisco last weekend when I noticed something I hadn’t seen in over a year: The hustle and bustle of city life was coming back. People were gathered outside bars and restaurants, crowded and unmasked. There were handshakes and hugs as they moved from one group of friends to the next. It seemed so… normal. The difference was stark when I returned to work as a hospital physician the next day and witnessed my elderly patient with COVID-19 pass away after days of gasping. A grandfather, he had traveled from the Midwest to visit his family right after receiving his first vaccine shot. But within a week, he developed difficulty breathing. (Dr. Thomas K. Lew, 3/31)

Los Angeles Times: What Should The U.S. Do With Its Surplus Vaccines? Follow The Playbook It Used During WWII
The United States is making and distributing COVID-19 vaccines so fast that production will soon outstrip demand, leading officials to ask: What should we do with the extra doses? Most answers have focused on the home front: Dozens of states, including California, are rapidly opening vaccination eligibility to all adults, and President Biden has doubled the speed of his initial rollout calendar, now calling for 200 million Americans to be vaccinated by the end of April.While these responses are heartening, there is another way to handle America’s growing stockpile of vaccines, and it draws from a playbook the country used during World War II — give them away. (Michael Falcone, 3/31)

The Washington Post: My Osage Tribe Is Swimming In Vaccines — But The People Won’t Take Them 
Downtown Pawhuska, Okla., is busy these days with filmmakers working on preproduction of the upcoming Martin Scorsese film “Killers of the Flower Moon.” You can tell who is in the film crew by the N95 face masks they wear. The locals don’t wear face masks. Pawhuska is the home of the Osage Nation tribal government and the county seat in Osage County, an area conterminous with the Osage reservation in northeastern Oklahoma. I’m one of about 4,000 Osages who live on the reservation, according to data from the Osage Nation membership office; about 43,000 non-Osages, including members of other Native tribes and White people, live here, too. Hesitancy about getting vaccinated for covid-19 is a potent force in both communities, and it’s troubling. We have to live together safely. I hope we can do it. (Shannon Shaw Duty, 3/30)

Also —

Stat: Vaccination Certificates Won't End Lockdown 
Covid-19 immunity and vaccination certificates are being held up as golden tickets to the new normal. Israel, the country leading the way on vaccination rates, has a green pass program to help its citizens return to public spaces such as gyms and theaters. The European Union and China have announced similar passports to revive travel. In the United States, the Biden administration is assessing the viability of vaccine certificates. These efforts raise serious red flags. Vaccination certificates will likely deepen existing inequalities in health care, education, and employment. And the rush to a new normal via certificates sets the stage for function creep — a way of short-cutting public debates and considerations around surveillance and the use of personal data. (Brian Spisak, 3/31)

The Washington Post: Vaccine Passports Are The Next Front In The Pandemic Culture Wars 
The first thing to know about vaccine passports is that they’re not passports. They’re more like certificates, likely emerging in the form of scannable smartphone codes, that declare one thing and only one thing about their bearer: that they have gotten stuck in the arm the requisite number of times. The second thing to know about vaccine passports is that they don’t even exist yet, at least not at any appreciable scale. The White House is working with private companies to develop standards for whatever products emerge, but the government isn’t crafting a little blue book with an N95-clad eagle embossed in gold that all civilians must carry wherever they go. (Molly Roberts, 3/30)

NBC News: Endometriosis Affects 1 Out Of 10 Women Like Me. Yet It Often Takes A Decade To Get Diagnosed.
My life can be divided into distinct halves: the time I am not in pain and the time I am. From the outside, I seem to be always breezy, a glass of wine in hand, celebrating with friends, traveling around the world (in pre-pandemic times), all while executive producing a national news show. And those things do happen. But what most people who see me don't know is that they mostly happen while I am in some level of pain. (Lauren Peikoff, 3/31)

Scientific American: Microaggressions: Death By A Thousand Cuts 
Microaggressions are the everyday slights, insults, putdowns, invalidations and offensive behaviors that people of marginalized groups experience in daily interactions with generally well-intentioned people who may be unaware of their impact. Microaggressions are reflections of implicit bias or prejudicial beliefs and attitudes outside the level of conscious awareness. Social psychologists have studied implicit bias for decades, along with the role they play in human behavior. Almost any marginalized group can be the object of microaggressions. There are racial, gender, LGBTQ and disability microaggressions that occur daily to these groups. (Derald Wing Sue, 3/30)

The Baltimore Sun: Data Disaggregation Shows Startling Health Disparities Among Asian Americans
With the recent rise in anti-Asian violence and the tragic shootings in Atlanta, there has been an increased focus on individual and institutional racism toward Asian Americans. Our experience as Asian American medical students has revealed another issue that has received little attention: Asian American health disparities are hardly covered in medical education. This makes us wonder: Does anyone care about the health of the communities that we grew up in? (Thomas Le and Emma Zeng, 3/31)

Stat: On Caregiving And Dementia: Q&A With A Caregiver And A Physician 
In his recent First Opinion, “The long, exhausting reach of dementia care,” Jason Karlawish, a geriatric physician and co-director of the Penn Memory Center, wrote about how the coronavirus pandemic has led more Americans to realize how all-consuming life as a full-time caretaker can be. As many spouses and adult children of Alzheimer’s patients have long known, it’s often an isolating, arduous, and expensive experience. To learn more about the implications of dementia, both individual and systemic, STAT’s Patrick Skerrett spoke with Karlawish and Richard Bartholomew, who was the caregiver for his late wife while she was living with Alzheimer’s. (Patrick Skerrett, 3/31)

Stat: Integrate Social Determinants Into Public Health Maps 
Before becoming a public health researcher, I trained as a geologist. That may seem like an unusual career trajectory, but it taught me that you can’t really understand how something exists today without weaving in the stories of its past. (Marynia Kolak, 3/31)

Kansas City Star: Missouri Republicans Defy Voters’ Will On Medicaid Expansion 
The competition for the looniest argument against expanding Medicaid in Missouri was stiff Tuesday, but state Rep. Justin Hill, a Republican, took the prize. Hill, from Lake St. Louis, wandered away from the outer edges of sanity some time ago. He skipped his own swearing-in to attend the insurrectionist rally in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6. He has repeatedly questioned the results of the 2020 presidential election. He wants to trash Missouri’s nonpartisan court system, because of course Missouri can’t abide impartial judges. (3/31)