- Adherence to Healthy Lifestyle Prior to Infection and Risk of Post–COVID-19 Condition: A study of 1981 women who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 found that those who had a healthy lifestyle prior to infection (healthy body mass index, never smoking, high-quality diet, moderate alcohol intake, regular exercise, and adequate sleep) had a significantly lower risk of post–COVID-19 condition (PCC).
- New Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Rule Takes Effect – SHRM: The new Cal/OSHA COVID-19 regulation has been approved and is now officially in effect. Employers should familiarize themselves with the regulation, assess their workplace for potential hazards, and create a written COVID-19 prevention plan to ensure compliance.
- Householder trial canceled Tuesday after juror tests positive for COVID-19 – The Columbus Dispatch: A corruption case has been put on hold due to COVID-19, and there is insider information about a ballot campaign to block House Bill 6.
- Bill to ban COVID-19 ‘vaccine passports’ clears Georgia Senate: The Georgia Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that would permanently ban any state or local agency, government, or school from requiring anyone to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill does not apply to health care providers and passed with a party-line vote of 31-21.
- Georgia Senators Vote to Bar COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements – USNews.com: The Georgia Senate voted to make permanent a ban on schools and most state and local government agencies from requiring people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The measure was sponsored by Republican Senator Greg Dolezal, who believes that the government should not be able to discriminate against citizens based on their vaccination status.
- Court dismisses case against N.B. pastor for holding services during COVID lockdown: A New Brunswick judge has dismissed a contempt of court case against a pastor accused of ignoring COVID-19 public health rules. The judge ruled that the tent erected by the pastor was not an enclosed space as defined by the provincial health order. The pastor’s lawyer said this was a win for due process and government accountability.
- COVID test kits, treatments and vaccines won’t be free to many consumers much longer: The federal government has been purchasing COVID-19 shots at low or no cost, but when the public health emergency ends and the government-purchased supplies run out, the manufacturers will raise the price of the vaccines to somewhere in the range of $110 to $130 per dose. This could translate to tens of billions of dollars in revenue for the manufacturers. Medicare, Medicaid, and health plans via the Affordable Care Act exchanges will continue to get COVID-19 vaccines without charge, but people with limited-benefit or short-term insurance policies and those without insurance may have to pay out of pocket. These price hikes could drive additional disparities and affect everyone with insurance, as the costs will flow through to premiums.
- Bivalent boosters provide better protection against severe COVID-19:Researchers studied data from North Carolina to compare the effectiveness of the original booster shots for SARS-CoV-2 against the newer bivalent boosters. They found that the bivalent shot was 37% more effective at preventing severe COVID-19 than the original shot. This is why it is important for people to get the updated booster shot even if they had already had the original one.
Daily News Pulse for March 13, 2023
Summary: Princeton students have seen an overall improvement in course satisfaction since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Japan, many people are still wearing masks despite the government’s easing of guidelines.
