- The Department of Veterans Affairs is requiring its frontline health care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
- Pfizer announced it will supply the U.S. with another 200 million doses of their COVID-19 vaccine through next April, in a push to protect kids (65 million doses tailored for kids under 12) and potential boosters for those with compromised immune systems.
- New data suggests the country is experiencing its fifth wave of COVID-19 – propelled by the Delta Variant – and it is growing faster than the first two waves from the spring and summer of 2020.
- Director Fauci warned that the U.S. is headed in “the wrong direction” with rising case numbers.
- The CDC updated its website and many of its guidelines, including How to Protect Yourself & Others; Considerations for Institutes of Higher Education; Changes in Influenza and Other Respiratory Virus Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, 2020–2021.
White House and Federal Agencies
- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is investing more than $1.6 billion toward COVID-19 testing and mitigation in vulnerable communities.
- $100 million will be allocated to expand testing and contact tracing for those with mental and substance abuse disorders.
- $630 million will be allocated to people living in shelters, including $80 million for the homeless, and $550 million for survivors of domestic violence and those in tribal shelters.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs is requiring its frontline health care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
- The U.S. is indefinitely maintaining its travel restrictions due to rising case numbers.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Justice have determined that long-term COVID-19 symptoms can qualify as a disability for purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act after an individual assessment.
Economy, Vaccines, Testing and Treatment
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) announced Thursday that the benefits of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the risks of rare but serious side effects.
- Pfizer announced it will supply the U.S. with another 200 million doses of their COVID-19 vaccine through next April, in a push to protect kids (65 million doses tailored for kids under 12) and potential boosters for those with compromised immune systems.
- New data suggests the country is experiencing its fifth wave of COVID-19 – propelled by the Delta Variant- and it is growing faster than the first two waves from the spring and summer of 2020.
- COVID-19 cases are increasing in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with the seven-day average of new infections up 65% compared to the previous week.
- CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said there has been no change to the agency’s masking guidance amid increasing cases and the spread of the Delta variant.
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said the CDC is considering revising their COVID-19 guidelines to recommend that even fully vaccinated Americans wear masks in public.
- Director Fauci warned that the U.S. is headed in “the wrong direction” with rising case numbers.
- Director Fauci said yesterday on CNN that federal health officials might suggest booster shots for those with compromised immune systems.
- The CDC announced a record low number of influenza cases in the U.S. during the 2020-2021 Flu Season.
- Fewer than 1% of more than 1.1 million samples obtained from patients with flu-like symptoms tested positive for the flu.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Updates
- Overall U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update as of Mon, 26 Jul 2021 06:00:00 EST
- Cases in the U.S.
- COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Country
- When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated
- How to Protect Yourself & Others
- COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens
- Healthcare Facilities That Have Implemented COVID-19 Electronic Case Reporting
- Considerations for Institutes of Higher Education
- Changes in Influenza and Other Respiratory Virus Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, 2020–2021
