- Johnson and Johnson, along with AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford have begun researching modifications to their COVID-19 vaccines to eliminate the risk of rare blood clots associated with the shots.
- The CDC updated its website and many of its guidelines including Long-Term Effects of COVID-19.
Congress
- The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee plans a hearing Tuesday, July 20 at 10:00 am ET to receive an update on the federal COVID-19 response.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Updates
- The CDC published the following reports and websites updates:
- Overall US COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update as of Wed, 14 Jul 2021 06:00:00 EST
- COVID-19 Vaccine Administration, by Race and Ethnicity — North Carolina, December 14, 2020–April 6, 2021
- COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Among Insured Persons Aged ≥16 Years, by Race/Ethnicity and Other Selected Characteristics — Eight Integrated Health Care Organizations, United States, December 14, 2020–May 15, 2021
- Acceptability of Adolescent COVID-19 Vaccination Among Adolescents and Parents of Adolescents — United States, April 15–23, 2021
- Recommendation to Resume Use of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
- Selected Adverse Events Reported after COVID-19 Vaccination
- Communication Resources for Travelers
- CDC’s Diagnostic Test for COVID-19 Only and Supplies
- v-safe COVID-19 Vaccine Pregnancy Registry
- Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
Economy, Vaccines, Testing and Treatment
- Public health officials in the U.S. are still considering whether or not to recommend a third “booster” dose of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. After meeting with representatives from Pfizer this week, U.S. health officials reiterated their stance that current COVID-19 vaccines offer a high level of protection and that there is no current need for fully vaccinated Americans to get a booster shot.
- The Surgeon General said no decision has been made on a booster shot, but acknowledged that they could be necessary as we learn more about the longevity of the initial two-dose regimen.
- COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are rising again after months of declines, with the number of new cases per day doubling over the past three weeks, driven by the fast-spreading delta variant, lagging vaccination rates and Fourth of July gatherings.
- This map highlights areas with both low vaccination rates and high COVID-19 case counts.
- Johnson and Johnson, along with AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, have begun researching modifications to their COVID-19 vaccines to eliminate the risk of rare blood clots associated with the shots.
- U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is calling COVID-19 misinformation an “Urgent Threat.”
- New data shows that telehealth utilization is stabilizing at 38 times higher than pre-pandemic levels, ranging from 13% to 17%, depending on the specialty.
