Category: Public Health

CDC Tells Pharmacies to Give 4th Covid Shots to Immunocompromised Patients

The health agency and the White House acted in the wake of a KHN story about pharmacists refusing to give shots to patients with moderate to severe immune suppression.

HHS launches reproductive health task force

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services deployed an intra-agency task force to strengthen and support reproductive healthcare access.

Pediatric COVID-19 cases top 1 million in one week

More than 1.1 million COVID-19 cases were reported among children for the week ending Jan. 20, according to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association. 

Delta vs. omicron surge: A comparison of key trends

Becker’s has compiled some key U.S. COVID-19 metrics from both the delta and omicron surges. 

Don’t let the term fool you — ‘Endemic’ can be dangerous 

The word “endemic” is one of the most misused of the pandemic, contributing to a dangerous complacency about COVID-19’s potential future toll, Aris Katzourakis, PhD, professor of evolution and genomics at St. Hilda’s College Oxford in the U.K., wrote i…

Why the US should relax public health restrictions as soon as cases fall: Viewpoint

Once U.S. COVID-19 cases decline significantly, mask mandates and restrictions on indoor gatherings should be relaxed, according to Ashish Jha, MD. 

Omicron subvariant found in 40 nations: 8 things to know

A new version of the omicron variant, known as BA.2, has been reported in 40 countries, The Washington Post reported Jan. 24.

COVID-19 deaths during omicron mirror delta wave

The nation’s seven-day average for new COVID-19 cases is falling, but deaths continue to rise and now match levels seen during the delta wave, CDC data shows. 

Immune protection lasts 4 months after Pfizer booster, study finds

Antibodies able to block the omicron coronavirus variant last four months after a third dose of Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine, according to a study published Jan. 22 by bioRxiv.

Pharmacies Are Turning Away Immunocompromised Patients Seeking 4th Covid Shot

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quietly changed its guidance to allow an extra shot in certain cases, but some pharmacy personnel are confused about who is eligible.