UCSF’s Wachter watching rising cases in the U.K.
Dr. Bob Wachter, UCSF’s chair of medicine, tweeted Tuesday that anyone waiting to make an appointment for a new bivalent booster may consider getting a shot sooner than later amid a rise in coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom. Cases in the U.K. in the past have been a “harbinger” for the U.S., Wachter said.
Cases rates in the U.K. may presage a coming fall surge, CNN reported.
But Wachter is keeping an eye on the data, he said the news from the U.K. did merit changes in behavior “(ie, if you’re eating indoors, no reason to stop now). But if you’re waiting for new booster, I’d think about getting it soon, since 2 weeks for full effect,” Wachter tweeted.
Pelosi extends remote voting in House until after midterms
Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday extended proxy voting in the House until Nov. 10, saying in a letter to lawmakers that “a public health emergency is in effect due to a novel coronavirus.” The move will allow members to continue to vote remotely until after the midterm elections. The proxy voting rule, which was enacted in March 2020, was set to expire Monday. Even though members of both political parties vote from home, several Republicans criticized Pelosi’s decision in relation to President Biden’s “the pandemic is over” comment. “The big guy said, ‘C’mon, man, pandemic is over,’” Kentucy Rep. Thomas Massie wrote on Twitter. “Nevertheless, Pelosi extends proxy voting due to ‘novel coronavirus’ until the week of the election.” Republicans have vowed to end proxy voting if they win the majority in November.
One-day strike by dozens at Sutter Santa Rosa Hospital
Dozens of hospital employees Sutter Santa Rosa – including lab scientists who process COVID tests, social workers, pharmacists and dieticians – hit the picket line Monday to protest a proposed labor contract they call “unworkable.” The hospital’s contract with the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Local 20, expired more than a year ago. Workers say the proposal, which would freeze most wages and offer no retroactive pay, would make the short-handed hospital less competitive than it needs to be. The employees expect to return to work Tuesday, union officials said.
New York reports an uptick in cases
Following a steady decline in new coronavirus infections, New York reported 34,988 COVID-19 cases in the week ending Sunday — an 8% increase from 32,513 cases the prior week. Several counties outside of New York City saw double-digit increases in cases last week — some as high as 31% — according to data analyzed by the USA Today Network. The state ranked fourth among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest, data from Johns Hopkins University shows. A total of 17 states nationwide reported an increase in cases last week, which could be a bellwether for a fall surge as new COVID-19 infections in the U.S. have slowed their rate of decline.
Pfizer seeks clearance for updated children’s booster shots
On Monday, Pfizer asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize its updated bivalent COVID-19 booster shots for children ages 5 to 11. The company has not yet published clinical trials for the vaccines but said in a statement that the human data is similar to its previous shot that targeted previous omicron subvariants. On Friday, Moderna submitted its emergency authorization request to the FDA for its new booster shots for children ages 6 to 12. The shots will most likely become available in early October.
Canada won’t require masks on planes, drops vaccine mandate
The Canadian government announced Monday it will no longer require people to wear masks on planes to guard against COVID-19, the Associated Press reports. Transport Canada said the existing rules for masks will come off Oct. 1. Government officials also confirmed Canada is dropping the vaccine requirement for people entering the country at the end of the month. Canada, like the United States, requires foreign nationals to be vaccinated when entering the country. No change in the mandate is expected in the U.S. in the near term. Unvaccinated foreign travelers who are allowed to enter Canada are currently subject to mandatory arrival tests and a 14-day quarantine.
