Multiple brands of rapid COVID-19 tests that can be taken at home without a doctor's prescription are finally available over the counter.
Why it matters: Rapid at-home COVID-19 tests put the power of diagnostics in the hands of individual consumers, allowing anyone to surveil themselves regularly for the coronavirus. But getting the most out of them requires a new paradigm around diagnostics — and ultimately, driving down the cost.
Americans of color are disproportionally and pervasively affected by fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5), the nation's most deadly pollutant, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.
Why it matters: PM2.5 exposure in the U.S. causes roughly 85,000 to 200,000 more deaths of all Americans than anticipated, the study notes.
Senior aides to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) engaged in a sustained campaign over several months to keep state health officials from releasing the full nursing home death toll caused by the coronavirus, the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: The FBI is investigating Cuomo's office following a probe by New York Attorney General Letitia James, also a Democrat, that found his administration undercounted deaths in nursing homes by as much as 50%.
The New York state legislature on Tuesday said they will suspend a COVID-era rule requiring that people order food when purchasing alcohol, the New York Times reports.
What they're saying: "It is time to begin removing certain restrictions and regulations that are no longer necessary, so we can safely reopen and rebuild our state's economy," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, per a local ABC affiliate.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 94% effective in preventing hospitalization for COVID-19 among adults 65 years and older, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Why it matters: The research, which studied 417 hospitalized adults in 14 states between January and March, adds real-world evidence from the clinical trials that vaccination protects against severe illness and hospitalization.
White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci during an interview with NBC's "Today" on Wednesday shot down podcast host Joe Rogan's suggestion that young people do not need to get the coronavirus vaccine.
What he's saying: "That’s incorrect," Fauci said. "You're talking about yourself in a vacuum. You're worried about yourself getting infected and the likelihood that you're not going to get any symptoms. But you can get infected, and will get infected, if you put yourself at risk."
Novavax's shot could become the next coronavirus vaccine in the U.S. arsenal, potentially jumping ahead of AstraZeneca in the line for U.S. authorization, Politico reports.
Why it matters: The vaccine proved to be just as effective as Pfizer and Moderna's mRNA vaccines in a U.K. clinical trial, and could become a crucial tool in the global vaccination effort.
A slew of colleges and universities are embracing vaccine mandates — a controversial tool that other large institutions have chosen to avoid, at least for now.
The big picture: For the most part, getting Americans vaccinated is an act of persuasion. But public and private schools alike are taking a harder tack.
Employer plans spend more money each month, on average, on enrollees ages 60-64 than Medicare spends on people between 65 and 74, a new KFF analysis found.
Why it matters: Shifting these high-cost enrollees to Medicare would likely save employers a lot of money. But it would also mean payment cuts for hospitals and doctors.
If it wasn't already clear that federal health officials really think you should get a coronavirus vaccine, yesterday's guidelines about outdoor mask-wearing should help.
Why it matters: The new guidance — which says vaccinated people can go maskless in many outdoor settings — changes little in practical terms. But experts hope it could help convince folks on the fence to get immunized, particularly since vaccination rates have fallen in recent weeks.
India's COVID-19 death toll surged past 200,000 on Wednesday, as the country set another daily global cases record.
Of note: Medical experts and members of India's opposition parties say the actual death toll and case numbers are much higher, a charge Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party denies.
Officials are stepping up efforts to reach some of the world's most remote regions in a global vaccination drive, as the world crosses 1 billion total COVID-19 vaccines administered.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) signed into law Tuesday a bill that would ban abortions in cases in which they are sought "solely" because of genetic issues, such as Down syndrome.
Why it matters: Facing the welcome prospect of a conservative-leaning Supreme Court, many Republican states have been passing bills to limit abortion access.
