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COVID-19 Federal Responses: Monday, May 16, 2022

COVID-19 Federal Responses: Monday, May 16, 2022
  • The NIHhas licensedits stabilized spike protein technology to the World Health Organization. The WHO will utilize the technology to help manufacturers worldwide develop COVID-19 vaccines. The spike protein is a key component of the COVID-19 vaccines that causes an immune response.
  • Patients arerelyingon telehealth appointments to get Paxlovid prescriptions. Despite ample availability of the drug at pharmacies, the sickest patients were having difficulty getting a prescription.
  • Researchers from Singaporefoundthat mix-and-match mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may offer more protection against infection from Omicron.
  • An analysis published in the 2021JAMANetwork Open modeling studyfoundthat 60% of COVID transmission is asymptomatic.

White House and Federal Agencies

  • White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jhawarnedthat the U.S. is vulnerable to fall and winter surges of COVID-19 if Congress does not authorize more funding for vaccines and treatments.

Economy, Vaccines, Testing and Treatment

  • The NIHhas licensedits stabilized spike protein technology to the World Health Organization. The WHO will utilize the technology to help manufacturers worldwide develop COVID-19 vaccines.
    • The spike protein is a key component of the COVID-19 vaccines that causes an immune response.
  • 33% of Americans over the age of 65 who completed their initial course of vaccinationshave not receiveda booster shot.
  • State health departments havestruggledto spend$2.25 billionof COVID-19 aid given to them by the CDC. The aid was intended to help mitigate the spread amongst those most at risk in underserved communities.
  • Patients arerelyingon telehealth appointments to get Paxlovid prescriptions. Despite ample availability of the drug at pharmacies, the sickest patients were having difficulty getting a prescription.
  • Pfizersaystheir vaccine likely saved 110,000 lives in 2021.
  • Researchers in Singaporefoundthat mix-and-match mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may offer more protection against infection from Omicron.
  • An analysisfoundthat 60% of COVID transmission is asymptomatic.
  • COVID-19 vaccination rates amongst nursing home staffincreasedfrom 63% to 88% nationally after the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate for healthcare workers in August 2021.
  • The percentage of Americans with medical debtdecreasedduring the pandemic. 23.6% of adults reported having medical debt in March 2019, compared to 16.8% in April 2021.

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