Veterans, their spouses and caregivers will be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through the Department of Veterans Affairs as soon as doses are available, according to newly finalized legislation.
Why it matters: The VA has counted more than 11,000 deaths and recorded more than 223,500 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, according to data from the medical system.
COVID-19 cases are spiking at an "exponential rate" in Germany and there may not be enough vaccine doses to avoid a third wave, German Health Minister Jens Spahn warned at a press conference on Friday, according to Deutsche Welle.
Why it matters: The deteriorating health situation means that Germany may need to consider more restrictive measures, halting reopening plans, Spahn noted.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday received his first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and said he "did not feel a thing."
Why it matters: Public leaders around the world have gone live on air to receive their coronavirus jabs to boost confidence in the vaccines' efficacy. In the U.S., both President Biden and Vice President Harris received their vaccines on TV.
The U.S. distributed the 100 millionth dose of the coronavirus vaccine on Friday, the White House COVID-19 response team confirmed.
Why it matters: The achievement puts the Biden administration well ahead of schedule for its goal of distributing 100 million doses in the first 100 days in office, and emphasizes the extent to which the administration has aggressively ramped up vaccination efforts.
K-12 schools may reduce classroom desk distances from 6 feet down to 3 feet if community transmission is low-to-moderate, new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday.
Why it matters: This could be another incentive for closed schools to feel logistically ready to reopen, especially those with limited space or large class sizes.
Washington Post journalists Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta will be out June 29 with "Nightmare Scenario," a scoopy narrative of President Trump's chaotic response to the pandemic.
Javelin'sKeith Urbahn and Matt Latimer are the agents. Harper V.P./Executive Editor Jonathan Jao is editor.
Why it matters: Harper, the publisher, says the authors "reveal the numerous times officials tried to dissuade Trump from following his worst impulses ... And they show how the petty backstabbing and rivalries amongst cabinet members, staff, and aides, created a toxic cycle of blame, sycophancy, and political pressure."
The Biden administration on Thursday took a modest first step toward sharing coronavirus vaccines with the world, announcing that it intends to send 1.5 million AstraZeneca doses to Canada and 2.5 million to Mexico.
Why it matters: The vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University hasn't been approved in the U.S., and the White House has faced growing criticism for sitting on doses that could be used elsewhere
With Xavier Becerra's confirmation on Thursday as Health and Human Services secretary, the Biden administration's health care team is clicking into place — not that it's been sitting around waiting.
The big picture: Many of the most important health care jobs in the executive branch right now aren't the Senate-confirmed leadership roles, but the management advisers and rank-and-file civil servants in charge of the vaccination effort.
