By Jeff Mason and Julie Steenhuysen
Read the full article from Reuters, here.
When President Joe Biden entered office, his administration made clear it intended to fight the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on getting the country vaccinated. With the Delta variant of the coronavirus now raging and a large chunk of Americans rejecting vaccines, that strategy is under scrutiny.
By Peter Sullivan
Read the full article from The Hill, here.
Pfizer made waves earlier this month when it said it would be applying for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorization for a third dose of its vaccine.
Still, it is not fully clear yet when and if a booster dose will be needed. It is possible booster shots will only be needed for more vulnerable people like the elderly or those with compromised immune systems.
By Neil Irwin
Read the full article from The New York Times, here.
But while there is no reason to expect a repeat of the huge disruption of 2020, the new variant puts at risk the kind of rapid recovery that has been underway for months. Just as major parts of the economy were figuring out how to return to full functioning, this may amount to throwing sand in the gears.
By Michael D Shear
Read the full article from The New York Times, here.
The Biden administration is considering requiring all federal employees to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or be forced to submit to regular testing, social distancing, mask requirements and restrictions on most travel, officials said Tuesday — a major shift in approach by President Biden that reflects the government’s growing concern about the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.
By Ethan Hauser and Jesus Jiménez
Read the full article from New York Times, here.
On Monday, U.S. officials matched the growing concern with steps aimed at controlling travel to and from the United States to stem the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.
The Biden administration said it would continue to restrict the entry of Europeans and others into the country, citing concerns that infected travelers could contribute to Delta’s spread. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged Americans to avoid traveling to Spain and Portugal, saying that as cases rise in both countries, “even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading Covid-19 variants.”
By Tara Parker-Pope
Read the full article from The New York Times, here.
Although studies of a third dose are underway, experts agree that the vaccines are still working well, even against the Delta variant, and that booster shots are not necessary right now.
By Michael D. Shear and Noah Weiland
Read the full article from The New York Times, here.
Faced with a steep decline in vaccination rates, President Biden said on Tuesday that his administration would send people door to door, set up clinics at workplaces and urge employers to offer paid time off as part of a renewed push to reach tens of millions of unvaccinated Americans.
But top health experts say that it is simply not enough, and that the president needs to take the potentially unpopular step of encouraging states, employers and colleges and universities to require vaccinations to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
By Carmen Sesin
Read the full article from NBCNews, here.
Latinos have been lagging in inoculation rates compared to whites. As of June 14th, 36 percent of Latinos had received at least one vaccine dose compared to 45 percent of whites, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. According to an analysis by the foundation, equity in vaccination rates has been improving since March 1st.
By Conor Murray
Read the full article from NBCNews, here.
Zinnah is one of many health care professionals who celebrated on Twitter a return to more normal hospital business after more than a year of being overwhelmed with Covid-19 cases.
By Luke Savage
Read the full article from Jacobin here.
“More than any Marxist text ever could, the COVID-19 emergency cash relief programs — and the furious reaction to them from employers — lay bare the raw truth about capitalism: bosses’ profits depend directly on workers’ remaining terrified of destitution.”