NIAID director Anthony Fauci told CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday the Pfizer coronavirus booster shot may be ready by the date the administration has aimed for, while Moderna's will likely need more time for approval.
The backdrop: President Biden said last month the government will offer boosters beginning the week of Sept. 20 to adults who got their shots of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna at least eight months prior.
Front-line health workers, including ICU staffers and nurses, have displayed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that has been heightened during the pandemic, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: The recent uptick in COVID cases in the United States, largely driven by the Delta variant, may further increase the number of health workers experiencing symptoms of the disorder.
Gov. Andy Beshear is calling Kentucky's GOP-led legislature into a special session next week on policies to address surging COVID-19 cases in the state.
Why it matters: The Democratic governor had imposed a series of emergency pandemic measures, but the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled last month that a lower court had incorrectly blocked state Republicans from limiting his executive authority.
Hospitalizations among individuals under 18 for COVID-19 rose this summer as the Delta variant spread nationwide, per a pair of studies released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday.
Why it matters: The two studies do not provide conclusive answers about whether Delta causes more severe cases of the virus in children, but they reinforce the importance of widespread vaccination to protect children — many of whom are still ineligible for the vaccine, per the New York Times.
A disagreement between the Biden administration and Moderna over booster shot details has thrown a wrench in the administration's plans, and may result in the booster effort beginning with only some Pfizer recipients later this month.
Why it matters: How the dispute shakes out could have implications for the global vaccine supply chain — as well as for Moderna's bottom line.
A Texas county judge on Friday granted a temporary restraining order against Texas Right to Life and its associates, preventing the anti-abortion group from enforcing a new six-week abortion ban against three Planned Parenthood affiliates.
Why it matters: The Texas law is the most restrictive abortion ban allowed to be enforced since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision enshrined abortion as a constitutional right. It also incentivizes people to sue anyone suspected of helping a pregnant person obtain an abortion — and awards at least $10,000 to people who succeed.
