- GSK nixes next-gen COVID collaboration, leaving Vir to fly solo – Fierce Biotech: GSK is discontinuing some antibody and vaccine projects, but is still collaborating on two COVID-19 assets and programs related to other respiratory illnesses.
- Covid’s Omicron Variant Can Increase Risk for Diabetes, Study Finds – Bloomberg: A study of 24,000 patients during the omicron era has found that those infected with Covid-19 are at an increased risk of developing diabetes and other related diseases. Vaccination appears to help reduce these risks.
- New Challenge for Docs: End of COVID Federal Public Health Emergency – Medscape: Physicians nationwide will be challenged by the winding down of the federal public health emergency declared for the COVID-19 pandemic. The Biden administration intends to end certain emergency measures used to aid in the response to the pandemic by May 11, while many others will remain in place. The result is a patchwork of emergency COVID-19 measures with different end dates.
- GOP asks Fauci to testify in investigation into Covid pandemic origins – CNBC: House Republicans have asked Dr. Anthony Fauci, former White House chief medical advisor, to testify before Congress as they launch an investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. Fauci has said he will cooperate with any oversight hearings in the Republican-led House.
- Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers On State’s Progress Combating COVID-19: Governor Hochul is urging New Yorkers to stay up to date on vaccines and practice proper hygiene to protect against the spread of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory infections that become more common in the winter season. She also recommends testing before gatherings or travel, and talking to a doctor if you test positive.
- New insights into the role of T-cells during long COVID – News Medical: In a recent study, researchers used three “omics” and serological assays to characterize the trajectory of long COVID (LC) in patients eight months after recovering from SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study found that LC manifests with T cell dysregulation, inflammation, and an uncoordinated adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2.
- What we don’t know – COVID-19 and pregnancy – Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences: A study conducted by Monash University scientists found genetic changes in babies whose mothers caught COVID-19 while pregnant. The results, published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity – Health, suggest that more research is needed to understand the impact of the virus on pregnancies.
- Risk of developing diabetes after Covid-19 continued in Omicron period, study says – WKBT: A new study has found that people who have had Covid-19 are at a higher risk of developing diabetes, and this link appears to have persisted into the Omicron era. The study looked at the medical records of over 23,000 adults who had Covid-19 and found that they were more likely to get a new diagnosis of diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol in the three months after their Covid-19 infection compared to the three months before.
- Most long COVID patients have organ damage a year later, study finds – Sky News: Researchers are concerned about the long-term effects of COVID-19, especially among healthcare workers. A study suggests that more than half of long COVID patients suffer from organ damage a year after their initial symptoms, including extreme breathlessness and cognitive dysfunction. MRI scans six months later revealed the lasting extent of their health.
- Opinion | Long covid needs more research – The Washington Post: A study of 24 post-covid patients with mild respiratory symptoms found a statistically significant loss of volume in the brain’s cortical gray matter, which could be the source of their memory impairment. This highlights the need for further research by the government.
- COVID-19 Vaccination Appears to Reduce Diabetes Risk After Virus – Medscape: A new study from Cedars-Sinai Health System suggests that vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 may reduce the risk of developing diabetes following COVID-19 infection. Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of the virus.
- Gilead Demonstrates Transformative Potential Impact Of Antiviral Innovation at CROI 2023: Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced the upcoming presentation of new clinical and real-world data from its HIV, COVID-19 and viral hepatitis research and development programs at the 30th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI). Gilead is committed to advancing the next wave of scientific discovery to treat, prevent, cure and help eradicate viral diseases.
- NYC teachers who refused COVID vaccine slapped with ‘scarlet letter’ in personnel files: lawyer: Lawyer John Bursch has accused the New York City Department of Education of blacklisting teachers and other school employees who refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine by placing a “scarlet letter” in their personnel files, hindering their ability to find work elsewhere.
- COVID-19 discrimination connected to psychological distress and work impairment: A study published in Scientific Reports on Dec. 23, 2022 found that discrimination and mental health are important factors in the development of psychological distress and work impairment in COVID-19 survivors, and should be targeted for intervention.
- Unvaccinated UM staff, teachers confident of success in ‘discrimination‘ suit – FMT: UM staff and teachers are suing for discrimination after refusing Covid-19 vaccination.
- Long COVID Now Looks like a Neurological Disease, Helping Doctors to Focus Treatments: Tara Ghormley was one of the first people to get infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus in her small coastal town in California. Despite clearing the virus from her body, she still suffers from exhaustion, racing heartbeats, and other symptoms.
- Assessment of symptom, disability, financial trajectories in patients hospitalized for COVID …: This study of adults discharged after COVID-19 hospitalization suggests that symptoms, disabilities, and financial problems remain highly prevalent at six months. Some participants reported new problems six months after hospital discharge.
- Many COVID-19 Hospital Survivors Face Adverse Effects at Six Months – Physician’s Weekly: Six months after hospital discharge for COVID-19, symptoms, functional status, and fatigue remain highly prevalent. A study published in JAMA Network Open found that symptoms, disabilities, and financial problems remained highly prevalent at one, three, and six months after discharge from 825 adult patients.
- What happens to COVID vaccines and drugs after health emergency? – Los Angeles Times: The national emergency declaration for COVID-19 will end on May 11, but Americans will still have access to vaccines, drugs and medical devices authorized for emergency use. Coronavirus tests that require nose swabs will remain available.
- White House Orders 1.5 Million More Novavax Covid Shots – Kaiser Health News: Novavax has agreed to sell 1.5 million more doses of its Covid-19 vaccine to the U.S. government, as the Biden administration prepares to end the national public-health emergency for the pandemic and start selling the shots commercially.
- The Rockefeller Foundation Extends Project ACT to Continue Providing Free At-home Covid …: The Rockefeller Foundation has reached an agreement to extend Project Access Covid Tests (Project ACT) for four more months, with funding commitments totaling $33.2 million from six states. This turnkey public-private partnership allows states to pay below-market costs for tests through agreement.
- Illinois Senate President Don Harmon Tests Positive for COVID-19 – NBC Chicago: Illinois Senate President Don Harmon has tested positive for COVID-19 and will isolate at home. He will not be in attendance for Wednesday’s State of the State address by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Harmon represents the 39th District, which includes the Austin neighborhood in Chicago as well as multiple suburbs.
- New NC bill wouldn’t allow mandatory COVID-19 vaccines – YouTube: A new bill in North Carolina would prohibit mandatory COVID-19 vaccines.
- Republicans say in-person Congress will help bipartisanship; not everyone agrees: In her first term, Deborah Ross was able to virtually attend hearings and markups, even if it meant pulling all-nighters. However, in the 118th Congress, virtual participation is no longer allowed. House rules were changed to allow members who were sick with COVID-19 or concerned for their health to vote by proxy on the floor.
- City of Chicago: Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision should end ‘bodily autonomy’ claims vs …: Lawyers for the City of Chicago have used the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade to argue that the “right to bodily autonomy” should not extend to those seeking to defeat Covid vaccine mandates. The city workers have been in court against Lightfoot and City Hall, claiming that they were wrongly forced to choose between taking a Covid jab or keeping their jobs.
- NYT sues EC for failing to reveal texts with Pfizer CEO Bourla – Fierce Pharma: The European Union has ignored a request for information in an investigation into Pfizer’s alleged attempts to avoid a lawsuit by filing for a court judgment in August 2020 related to their COVID-19 vaccine.
- TX Physicians Win No Surprises Act Court Case, PHE to End: HHS has announced that the COVID-19 public health emergency will end on May 11, 2021. This marks the end of three years of emergency measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
- Prison Workers Not Owed Hazard Pay for Covid, Fed. Cir. Rules – Bloomberg Law News: Corrections officers who claimed they were owed hazard pay for workplace coronavirus exposure without sufficient protective gear failed to convince the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to revive their wage-and-hour allegations. The court ruled that the Office of Personnel Management had not yet adopted regulations that provide for Covid-based differential pay, dooming the suit.
- Federal workers not entitled to COVID hazard pay -U.S. appeals court – WSAU: A U.S. appeals court ruled that federal workers are not entitled to extra pay for being exposed to COVID-19 through their jobs. The ruling was made against 188 current and former correctional employees at a federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut who argued they deserved hazardous duty and environmental differential pay due to their exposure to the virus.
- Prison Workers Not Owed Hazard Pay for Covid, Fed. Cir. Rules – Bloomberg Law News: A federal appeals court ruled against corrections officers who sought hazard pay for workplace coronavirus exposure without sufficient protective gear, saying that the Office of Personnel Management had not adopted regulations to provide for Covid-based differential pay. Nearly 200 people who worked at a low-security federal correctional institute in Connecticut were affected by the ruling.
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.
