PLUS: The Covid-19 headlines you need to know, a distraction, and something to read.
By Eve Sneider | 06.09.22 |
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| The White House makes plans for vaccinating young kids, federal funds will be rerouted to purchase more treatments and shots, and Chinese cities open thousands of new testing sites. But first, here's this week's big story: | |
FDA advisers sign off on Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine A committee of independent advisers to the FDA voted overwhelmingly to authorize the two-dose Novavax vaccine earlier this week. The shots were formulated with a tried and trusted method used in vaccines against the flu and whooping cough, among other illnesses, which the drugmaker has said makes it a compelling option for Americans who have opted not to receive an mRNA vaccine. Next, the FDA and then the CDC will determine whether they will authorize the shots. Though the FDA isn't obligated to follow its advisers, it often does. That said, the agency said earlier this week that it needs to review recent changes to the drugmaker's manufacturing process before signing off on anything. Meanwhile, Moderna put out a news release yesterday saying that a new version of its booster appears to do a better job of protecting against new mutations of the Omicron variant. This new shot is designed to target both Omicron and the original strain, and the drugmaker has said it's the "lead candidate" to release this fall. It's timely news, as more Americans are getting infected—and reinfected—by new Omicron subvariants. | |
Headlines The White House has outlined its plan for vaccinating children under 5, saying that 10 million doses are available to preorder and that the rollout could begin the week of June 20. FDA advisers are scheduled to discuss authorization next week. (CNN) Tens of thousands of testing sites have cropped up on the streets of newly reopened Beijing and Shanghai; residents are now required to show a negative test result from the last three days to enter public places, the latest development in China's zero-Covid strategy. (ABC) The Biden administration announced that it will repurpose roughly $10 billion in federal funding meant for tests and protective equipment to procure more antiviral pills and vaccines, as Congress has yet to approve another pandemic relief package. (New York Times) Tomorrow Japan will start welcoming international tourists for the first time in years, but visitors from approved countries will be required to wear masks, be accompanied by chaperones, and purchase private insurance if they get sick. (The Guardian) Today, India reported its highest daily new case count since early March, though deaths remain relatively low. Mumbai, the country's commercial capital, has seen a particularly rapid increase in infections. (Reuters) | |
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| We spend much of our days online, but it's almost impossible to know where we are within the vast expanse of the internet, or what we're missing. You-are-here maps could change that. | |
| On March 19, 2020, Dona Lusia dos Santos Lobato became the first Indigenous person in Brazil to die from Covid-19. She was a leader in her community, one of several in the Amazon that have fought hard for their sovereignty and been particularly hard-hit by the pandemic. | |
| For marginalized people in particular, remote work can be a boon, an added challenge, or a bit of both. WIRED's Alan Henry has tips for using this flexibility to your advantage. | |
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