The rapid spread of the Delta variant around the rich world has injected increased urgency into the debate around booster shots, but the World Health Organization and public health experts are trying to keep the focus on getting vaccines to those who don’t yet have access.
Why it matters: Israel last week became the first country to offer boosters to people with weak immune systems, and Pfizer is pushing for rapid approval of boosters in the U.S., citing preliminary data that suggests immunity may begin to wane after six months.
The federal government has proposed raising penalties on hospitals that do not publish prices they negotiate with private health insurers.
Why it matters: Many hospitals were not complying with the new regulation that required them to post prices for at least 300 "shoppable" services, in part because the maximum penalty was only $110,000 per year. The federal government is proposing to raise the maximum penalty to $2 million per year for the largest hospitals.
A federal judge on Monday gave colleges their first major win in the battle to require that students be vaccinated.
Why it matters: Many students and parents consider these mandates essential to safely returning to campus. 586 colleges nationwide have some form of vaccine mandate, per The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are currently residing in the United States will be able to enter Canada for nonessential travel without quarantining starting Aug. 9, Canada announced on Monday.
Why it matters: The U.S.-Canada border was closed for nonessential travel beginning in March 2020. With rising vaccination rates and falling case numbers, officials have faced criticism for not moving faster toward a full reopening of the border, the Washington Post reports.
The American Academy of Pediatrics said Monday there should be "universal masking" of students older than 2 years old when school returns, regardless of vaccination status.
The big picture: TheAAP says they are making the recommendation because a "significant portion of the student population is not yet eligible for vaccines," and if masks are used, "opening schools generally does not significantly increase community transmission."
President Biden attempted to clarify comments he made last week about Facebook, saying on Monday that the company itself is not "killing people" — but those who post misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines are.
Why it matters: The Biden administration has ratcheted up pressure on social media companies, especially Facebook, to increase their efforts to eliminate misinformation on vaccines and the virus from their platforms.
In an early test of COVID surveillance at the Summer Olympic Games, several athletes have already tested positive for COVID-19 following arrival in Tokyo. But International Olympic Committee [IOC] officials say they are confident the Games can be carried out safely.
The latest: An alternate for the U.S. women's gymnastics team tested positive for COVID-19 in Japan on Sunday, according to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Rising new cases and Prime Minister Boris Johnson's journey back into quarantine dampened England's "freedom day" on Monday, when the country lifted most of its remaining coronavirus-related restrictions.
Why it matters: Face masks and capacity limits are no longer allowed in England, freeing up people to attend large events again, though scientists have warned that it could be dangerous to fully reopen when infections are increasing, according to AP.
Coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths are back on the rise in the U.S. as the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads across the country.
The big picture: This is happening almost exclusively to people who aren’t vaccinated, and it’s worse in places where overall vaccination rates are low.
Before the Cleveland Clinic said it would not administer Aduhelm, the new FDA-approved Alzheimer's drug, the hospital system was promoting the unproven drug on its social media accounts.
Why it matters: Cleveland Clinic was the first major medical center to say it would not use Aduhelm, and two hospital systems have followed the clinic's lead. But the abrupt change could confuse patients, who were told less than two weeks ago by the clinic that the drug offered "hope."
The in-hospital mortality rate among patients treated by physicians who were women was lower compared with those cared for by physicians who were men, a recent study published in JAMA found.
Driving the news: To be clear, the difference was small. But it supports previous evidence that suggested women often have different behavioral characteristics in care such as spending longer time communicating with patients, showing higher levels of empathic concern or providing more time researching studies and observing health records.
Of note: New South Wales police said in a statement they helped the Australian Border Force transfer a 46-year-old U.K.-bound woman, later identified as Hopkins, to Sydney International Airport and issued her with an AU$1000 fine ($737) for breaching hotel quarantine rules by not wearing a face covering.
