Medicare has initiated the process to determine whether the federal program for older adults and the disabled will deny, limit or allow full coverage of Aduhelm, the new Alzheimer's drug approved by the FDA despite no proof it effectively treats the brain disease.
The bottom line: The federal government will make a final coverage decision by no later than next April, and the public can submit comments now and after a proposed decision in January.
World Health Organization (WHO) officials said Monday that rich countries with an abundance of coronavirus vaccines should share them with low-income countries instead of using them as boosters.
Why it matters: The plea comes as drugmakers seek authorization for third doses to be used as boosters in wealthier countries like the U.S. The global daily death toll is climbing again after a 10-week decline, primarily due to the more-infectious Delta variant, officials say.
Israel on Monday will begin offering a third dose of Pfizer and BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine as a booster shot for people with weakened immune systems, according to the Times of Israel.
Why it matters: It's one of the first countries to offer booster shots to bolster protection against the rapidly spreading Delta variant. The Israeli Health Ministry is still determining whether an extra shot should be offered to the general public.
The Biden administration will ship over 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines Monday to Laos, Fiji and Costa Rica, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: This allotment is part of the pledge by President Biden to deliver 80 million doses of the vaccine globally as the U.S. seeks to be a leader in distribution on the world stage.
More than half of unvaccinated Americans live in households that make less than $50,000 annually, according to the latest Census Bureau data.
Why it matters: Making it easier for the working poor to get the COVID-19 vaccine, without dinging their already-low incomes, could help boost the country's vaccination rates.
State Republican lawmakers around the country are pushing bills — at least one of which has become law — that would give unvaccinated people the same protections as those surrounding race, gender and religion.
Why it matters: These bills would tie the hands of private businesses that want to protect their employees and customers. But they also show how deep into the political psyche resistance to coronavirus vaccine requirements has become, and how vaccination status has rapidly become a marker of identity.
With about a month until back to school begins in many K-12 districts, most states in the U.S. have no uniform plan to require masks, even as public health guidance still strongly recommends them for the unvaccinated.
Why it matters: Kids younger than 12 still haven't been eligible for vaccination and, without mitigation efforts like masking, the fall could bring an uptick in the spread of COVID.
Pfizer is planning to brief U.S. health officials this week on whether a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine is needed, a company spokesperson told Axios, following the company's announcement last week that it will seek government authorization for such a shot.
Why it matters: The upcoming meeting, first reported by The Washington Post, will come after the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publicly pushed back against the claim that the booster shot will be necessary.
About one-third of U.S. states used federal COVID-19 aid to give bonuses to essential workers during the pandemic, but standards varied widely state-to-state as to who qualified for the rewards and how much they got, the Associated Press reports.
Why it matters: The pandemic highlighted the importance of the many underpaid and under-appreciated workers who helped keep America running, from delivering packages to stocking grocery store shelves.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Sunday urged more rapid distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally, warning that the virus' variants could hinder the worldwide economic recovery, per the New York Times.
The big picture: The comment, made following a meeting in Venice of the finance chiefs of the group of 20 nations, comes as some countries have eased restrictions aimed at curbing the virus.
Australian officials on Sunday announced the country's first COVID-related death this year, and a record 77 new daily cases of the virus in New South Wales, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: Australia has generally fared better in controlling the virus than many developed countries. But it's had a harder time combating the highly-infectious Delta variant, amid a slow vaccine rollout, Reuters writes.
