- Are there places you should still mask in, forever? Three experts weigh in – NPR: COVID cases and deaths are still being reported in the U.S., but with the end of mask mandates and the national emergency health declaration, life is beginning to look more normal. China had a recent increase in cases, and airports have renewed recommendations due to a new variant. 65 million people are still struggling with the effects of COVID, and we still need to learn more about the disease.
- Establishment of the Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division – Federal Register: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has modified its structure, establishing the Coronavirus and other Respiratory Viruses Division and other organizational components within the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases (DDID). This reorganization was approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on January 24, 2023, and became effective February 8, 2023.
- What lies beyond the Covid health emergency – POLITICO: HHS has laid out the end of the PHE, stating that broad flexibilities for health care providers are no longer necessary and will end. The agency is providing more information in the form of a fact sheet from CMS early next week to detail the impacts on providers. They have also given 90 days instead of 60 before the PHE’s end to allow more time to work out details with stakeholders.
- Covid-19 vaccines added to routine immunization schedule in US | New Scientist: The CDC has added covid-19 vaccines to its recommended immunization schedules for children, adolescents and adults. The agency recommends that children between 6 months and 12 years old without underlying health conditions receive two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech covid-19 vaccine, followed by a third dose of a bivalent vaccine.
- Johns Hopkins winds down pioneering pandemic data tracking – JHU Hub: Johns Hopkins University & Medicine will be ending its Coronavirus Resource Center’s collection and reporting of COVID-19 data on March 10, 2023. The data will remain free and accessible to researchers, journalists, and the public for all data reported between Jan. 22, 2020, and March 10, 2023.
- How a COVID Diagnosis Saved This Long Island Toddler’s Life – NBC New York: A two-year-old boy, William Long, and his parents contracted COVID-19 when he was 8 months old. After being sick with a high fever, doctors discovered a brain tumor and were able to remove it during surgery. The family believes that the virus may have helped save William’s life by alerting them to the tumor.
- Local hospitals struggle financially in COVID’s aftermath – The Keene Sentinel: Hospitals in New Hampshire and across the US are facing financial difficulties due to workforce shortages, supply-chain issues, inflation, and the fiscal burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal and state relief funds have been helpful in getting through the pandemic, but they are now empty and hospitals are still struggling.
- COVID drug shows promise in new study — but will patients ever get access? | CBC News: Scientists are excited about a potential drug to treat severe COVID-19, but some doubt it will ever reach patients. Monoclonal antibodies, once thought to be life-saving, have proven ineffective against the virus.
- The Psychological Science Accelerator’s COVID-19 rapid-response dataset | Scientific Data: The PSACR project was a survey conducted online, consisting of health behaviors, COVID-19 information, and demographics. Participants were able to select from 44 languages and read an informed consent form before taking the survey. The entire study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Ashland University.
- The best treatment for COVID-19 could be the one you can’t get – The Boston Globe: A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that one shot of interferon lambda can reduce the risk of hospitalization or emergency room visit by 51 percent overall in vaccinated people and 89 percent in unvaccinated people. This is the first major COVID-19 study to demonstrate this benefit in a trial comprised of mostly vaccinated participants.
- Vaping may raise risk for severe COVID-19 among healthy young people – UPI.com: Smoking and vaping may increase the risk of developing severe COVID-19, according to new research. The key message is that smoking is the worst, but vaping is not innocent.
- New York Plans To Lift Mask Mandate In Medical Settings – Yahoo News: New York officials will not be renewing the state’s mask mandate policy in medical settings after it expires on Sunday. Hospitals and health care facilities are encouraged to come up with their own plan for when masking may be required for their staff, based on community cases, not on vaccine status. This marks the end of one of New York’s few remaining COVID-19 safety protocols.
- Disability Data Suggests Long Covid Is Weighing on the Labor Market – Barron’s: Data from a long-term government survey suggests that there has been an increase in disability consistent with long Covid. This complicates the Federal Reserve’s campaign against inflation, as the labor market remains tight despite economists’ expectations of a quick recovery.
- After surviving COVID-19, formerly incarcerated people tackle trauma through dance: Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, Suchi Branfman has been tracking coronavirus statistics in California prisons, with a particular focus on the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, where she taught dance workshops for 10 years. As of today, there are 91,000 confirmed cases and 260 deaths from COVID-19 in California prisons.
- North Dakota Senate amends bill banning COVID-19 shots into vaccine study: The North Dakota Senate amended and passed a bill to study vaccines, including COVID-19 shots, in a 25-22 vote. The bill now goes to the state House of Representatives. The original bill would have banned mRNA vaccines and penalized providers with a misdemeanor charge.
- HHS Shares COVID-19 Public Health Emergency End Date, What to Expect: Treatment Doses for Uninsured, Long-term Impact of COVID, Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, CMS, and Policy/Regulation.
- COVID-19 cases, transmission risk remain stable in North Dakota – The Bismarck Tribune: State and federal health officials report little change in the frequency of new COVID-19 cases in North Dakota or in the risk of coronavirus transmission. The state Department of Health and Human Services’ coronavirus dashboard reported 818 new cases statewide over the past seven days, with 112 weekly cases in Burleigh-Morton counties. Forty-one of North Dakota’s 53 counties are at low risk of coronavirus transmission.
- Senate approves new NM health secretary, as state’s toll from COVID-19 pandemic eclipses …: Patrick Allen was confirmed as the head of New Mexico’s Department of Health on a 26-5 vote, despite questions about his past and the state’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state recently reduced its weekly COVID-19 reports to bi-weekly, but still tracks deaths, cases, and hospitalizations.
- Chair Rodgers Statement on COVID-19 Vaccination Addition to CDC Immunization Schedule: The House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) expressed her concern over the CDC’s decision to add COVID-19 vaccinations for children, adolescents, and adults to the immunization schedule, citing that there is no clear benefit to vaccinating young children against the virus. She also criticized the CDC Director for failing to explain the rationale behind the decision during her testimony before the committee.
- Alberta NDP demands answers on premier’s conversations with accused in COVID cases: Alberta’s NDP is calling for Premier Danielle Smith to disclose all her conversations relating to COVID-19 court cases after she admitted to contacting an accused before his trial. The NDP is also demanding an independent inquiry to ensure the justice system is not being compromised.
- Judge rules against Aspen Skico’s bid to toss wedding lawsuit | AspenTimes.com: A judge denied Aspen Skiing Co.’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit from a family who claimed the company refused to refund their down payment on a wedding event they canceled due to pandemic restrictions. The judge noted that the family’s claims were plausible and could not be dismissed at this stage of litigation.
- Allegheny Co. Jail fires nurse with long COVID-19 as she waits for disability – WTAE: Michelle Breninghouse, an Allegheny County Jail employee, was fired while living with long COVID-19 that she got at the jail. Her doctors sent letters to the county saying her prolonged symptoms from COVID-19 prevent her from working, but she was still fired. Millions of workers fighting long Covid are struggling to keep their job or collect disability.
- Long COVID Is Keeping So Many Young People Out of Work | SELF: At least 1 in 13 adults in the US have long COVID, which is characterized by persistent symptoms that last for at least three months after initial infection. Common symptoms include fatigue, headaches, and brain fog. More research is needed to understand the full scope of long COVID.
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.
