The U.S. government needs to contract with coronavirus vaccine makers by the end of the month in order to have enough booster shots for most Americans this fall but can't proceed until Congress approves more money, according to two senior Biden administration officials.
Why it matters: The debate over another round of booster shots is already heating up, and some experts are skeptical that they'll even be needed soon. But there's no telling what will happen between now and September, when the administration wants to have doses on-hand in case they're needed.
More than a quarter of cancer patients depleted most or all of their savings to cover the costs of their care, according to a study released Thursday by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
Why it matters: The cost of cancer care is having a substantial impact on the lives of cancer patients, even among those who have insurance.
The Omicron variant resulted in five times as many hospitalizations of children ages 4 and younger than during the previous COVID peak, when the Delta variant was the prevalent strain, according to CDC data released on Wednesday.
Why it matters: The findings are more evidence that the virus can cause severe illness in very young children who aren't eligible for COVID-19 vaccines.
Jeff Zients is set to leave his position as the White House's COVID-19 response coordinator in April, President Biden announced Thursday.
State of play: Zients will be replaced by Ashish Jha, who currently serves as dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. Biden called Jha "one of the leading public health experts in America."
U.S. intelligence officials are privately bracing for a massive influx of more than 170,000 migrants at the Mexico border if COVID-era policies that allow instant expulsions during the public health emergency are ended, sources with direct knowledge of the discussions tell Axios.
The response under way includes a newly created — and previously unreported — Southwest Border Coordination Center (SBCC), essentially a war room to coordinate an interagency response.
Pfizer says that at least some Americans will soon need a fourth shot of its coronavirus vaccine. The problem is that, if true, that may raise questions about the utility of the vaccine in the long run.
The catch: Regulators want to see more data before they're convinced another booster is necessary. If the data does show the third shot's ability to ward off severe disease drops after a few months, that may suggest Americans need a better booster.
The single most effective set of muscles you can work to extend your life is in your hands.
Why it matters: This shocked us, too. But many health and fitness experts argue that since falling is the leading cause of injury-related death once we cross 65 years old, we should start strengthening our hands now.
The head of the World Health Organization on Wednesday warned of the increasingly dire and "catastrophic" humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia's Tigray region, saying, "There is nowhere on Earth where the health of millions of people is more under threat."
Driving the news: As world leaders focus on Russia's war in Ukraine and the growing refugee crisis in Europe, UN bodies and humanitarian groups are urging nations to not forget other crises around the globe.
Health insurers that sell private Medicare plans collected $12 billion more caring for seniors in 2020 than it would have cost in traditional Medicare, according to a report from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.
It shows the need for major payment reforms, according to the report.
The White House is intensifying pleas for new emergency COVID funding, warning Tuesday that a continued standoff in Congress on the matter will result in cutbacks in the U.S. pandemic response as early as next week.
Why it matters: With many Americans and lawmakers eager to move on from the health crisis, the Biden administration is fighting an uphill battle trying to convince Congress that $22.5 billion in additional spending is worth it.
