- National security adviser: No ‘definitive answer’ on COVID lab leak | The Hill: White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that President Biden has directed the intelligence community to investigate the origin of COVID-19, and if any new information is found, it will be shared with Congress and the American people. However, there is currently no definitive answer.
- San Diego and California COVID-19 Emergency Declarations Expire Tuesday: The COVID-19 pandemic is coming to an end as the state’s emergency declaration expires. This shift in approach means that measures such as mask-wearing and restrictions on public gatherings will have to go through a more formal approval process, and mass vaccination and testing clinics will no longer be operational.
- Shionogi sees COVID pill reaping $2 billion in annual sales upon U.S. approval – Reuters: Shionogi & Co Ltd expects to receive U.S. approval for their COVID-19 pill, Xocova, by late 2024. The drug has already been granted emergency approval in Japan and is expected to be approved in South Korea and China next month. If approved, the company believes it could easily generate $2 billion in annual sales.
- Corrections officer at prison near Gig Harbor dies following COVID-19 complications: A memorial was held Wednesday for Jay Miller, a long-time state correctional officer who died from COVID-19 complications. People remembered him as someone with a smile who was always eager to help others. The Washington Corrections Center for Women reported 6,459 confirmed COVID-19 cases across all Washington State Department of Corrections locations.
- US agency says Covid likely emerged from China lab leak: reports – Medical Xpress: The US Department of Energy now believes that the coronavirus pandemic likely originated from a Chinese laboratory leak, although the White House maintains that intelligence remains divided on the issue.
- COVID-19 emergency ends Tuesday in San Diego | cbs8.com: The COVID-19 emergency will be lifted in San Diego, the county, and the state of California on Tuesday. Dr. Davey Smith, Chief of Infectious Diseases at UC San Diego, reflected on some of the defining moments of the pandemic, such as quarantining patients at Miramar Air Station and the stress on healthcare workers.
- US Departments Now Divided on COVID Lab Leak Theory, Says White House : ScienceAlert: The US Department of Energy now believes that the coronavirus pandemic likely originated from a Chinese laboratory leak, although the White House maintains that intelligence agencies remain divided on the issue.
- What Is Reasonable? Handling Employee Requests For An Extended Leave Of Absence: When assessing extended leave requests, employers must be aware of legal requirements for paid and unpaid leave, as well as potential disability-related accommodations. This is especially important in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a lasting impact on employees.
- Democrat ‘not entirely surprised’ by Energy’s COVID lab leak conclusion | The Hill: Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) expressed his lack of surprise at the Energy Department’s reported determination that a lab leak likely caused the COVID-19 pandemic, citing the Chinese government’s mismanagement of the virus.
- U.S. Energy Department Assesses With ‘Low Confidence’ COVID May Have Originated …: The Energy Department concluded with “low confidence” that the Covid-19 pandemic likely originated from a laboratory leak in Wuhan, China. Key lawmakers on the House and Senate Intelligence Committees were briefed about the classified report last month, but there are interagency disagreements about Covid’s origins.
- E&C GOP Leaders Statement on COVID-19 Lab Leak Theory Report – House Energy and Commerce: House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) released a statement regarding a U.S. Department of Energy report that the most likely cause of COVID-19 is a lab leak incident. They affirmed their belief that the circumstantial evidence favors this theory, and called for an investigation into why high-ranking government officials, with help from Big Tech and the media, sought to silence any debate into this theory while the Chinese Communist Party stonewalled.
- United States: Blowing The COVID-19 Whistle: NJ Court Finds Whistleblower Protections … – Mondaq: In February 2023, the Superior Court of New Jersey in Middlesex County ruled that New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) extends protections to employees suffering from COVID-19 symptoms. The plaintiff, John Hollibaugh, had been exposed to COVID-19 and was experiencing symptoms. He quarantined based on advice from his health care provider and CDC guidelines, and his employer responded by terminating his employment. The court found that this constituted a violation of CEPA.
- Macao eases COVID mask mandate as virus situation stabilizes – NewsTimes: Macao has eased its mask mandate due to the stable virus situation in the area, while Hong Kong has extended its mandate until March 8th and is considering easing it soon. Both cities had followed China’s “zero-COVID” strategy but abandoned it late last year as more virulent strains spread.
- Can Covid-19 increase autoimmune disease risk? Here’s what a new study says | Health: A study found that people who had caught COVID-19 were more likely to develop an autoimmune condition than those who had not, with vasculitis, thyroid problems, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis being particularly strongly linked. Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha believes that Covid can open autoimmune genes or lead to relapse of autoimmune diseases.
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.
