Black people in the city of Philadelphia, the nation's largest predominantly Black county, are lagging far behind white people when it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations, the Washington Post reports.
Why it matters: It's a reflection of larger racial disparities in vaccination rates across the United States. "Coronavirus immunizations are the latest iteration of the pandemic’s unequal burden," the Post writes.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said that hospitalizations are up among the unvaccinated and that vaccinations have slowed in his state during an appearance Sunday on CBS' "Face of the Nation."
Why it matters: States nationwide are seeing a worrying trend of increased hospitalization and slowing vaccinations. Arkansas, in particular, has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, per Politico.
The biggest messaging appin the world teamed up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention beginning this week to increase vaccination rates among U.S. Latinos.
Details: Latinos use WhatsApp more than any other demographic group in the U.S., and remain the second-least vaccinated group, after Black Americans, per CDC data.
The first cruise ship to leave a U.S. port since the start of the pandemic will set sail out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Saturday evening with nearly all vaccinated passengers aboard, AP reports.
The big picture: Celebrity Edge,operated by Celebrity Cruises, has a 40% passenger capacity and 99% of passengers on board are vaccinated against COVID-19, surpassing the 95% requirement set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, per AP.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Saturday resigned following outcry over photos showing him breaking the country's coronavirus regulations by kissing one of his aides.
Driving the news: The tabloid newspaper, The Sun, published images and video of Hancock kissing Gina Coladangelo, a senior aide. The newspaper said the photos were from May 6, two weeks before cross-household contact was allowed indoors in England.
Many elder LGBTQ Americans, already disproportionately isolated before the pandemic, faced greater loneliness in quarantine as they lost access to resources and community, two older LGBTQ Americans told Axios.
Why it matters: Data is lacking on how LGBTQ Americans have been affected by the coronavirus — especially older populations, who battle a myriad of complications as a high-risk and under-resourced group.
Australian authorities announced a two-week lockdown in the city of Sydney and surrounding areas as the Delta coronavirus variant continues to rapidly spread.
Why it matters: This is the first full lockdown for Sydney since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. It takes effect from Saturday at 6 p.m. local time until at least midnight on Friday, July 9.
Johnson & Johnson reached a $230 million settlement with the state of New York for its role in the opioid crisis, state Attorney General Letitia James announced Saturday.
The state of play: The company will also be required to stop manufacturing or selling opioids in New York. The agreement "acknowledges Johnson & Johnson’s exit from the opioid business nationally."
