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Begin forwarded message:
From: STAT | Morning Rounds <newsletter@statnews.com>
Date: August 6, 2021 at 6:06:37 AM EDT
To: achuma@me.com
Subject: Increasing Covid vaccination in kids, Moderna’s six-month vaccine data, & survey on physician burnout
Reply-To: STAT | Morning Rounds <newsletter@statnews.com>
Increasing Covid vaccination in kids, Moderna’s six-month vaccine data, & survey on physician burnout HHS and other local partners will launch a weeklong campaign tomorrow to encourage more kids to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
Sponsored by 
As pediatric Covid cases surge, medical groups focus on getting kids vaccinated
As back-to-school season approaches, HHS and other local partners — including religious organizations, celebrities, and school districts — will launch a weeklong campaign tomorrow to encourage more kids to get vaccinated against Covid-19 (only those 12 and older are thus far eligible). The events will include vaccination drives as well as phone and text banks, as well as a virtual discussion between Anthony Fauci and youth leaders who have helped get other young people in their community get vaccinated.
And with nearly 20% of all U.S. Covid cases last week recorded in children, the American Academy of Pediatrics and 11 other organizations put out a consensus statement this week calling on providers conducting sports physicals to ask about children’s Covid vaccination status and to use it as an opportunity to administer a vaccine, if possible.
Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine protection level does not wane after six months, company says
The protection offered by Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine does not wane after six months, the company announced yesterday. The six-month data came from a trial — begun in July 2020 — with 30,000 participants in the U.S. The initial efficacy reported by Moderna from that trial last November was 94%. “We are pleased that our COVID-19 vaccine is showing durable efficacy of 93% through six months, but recognize that the Delta variant is a significant new threat so we must remain vigilant,” Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, said in the statement. The company — much like Pfizer/BioNTech — said that a booster shot would likely be needed in the fall to keep up immunity levels. Although health officials haven’t yet recommended a booster shot, the Biden administration and the FDA are moving forward with developing a booster strategy — one that could be ready by early September, the Wall Street Journal reports.
As prostate cancer survival rates increase, some men are dying of non-cancer causes
A new study finds that some with metastatic prostate cancer are dying of other non-cancer-related conditions. Scientists analyzed data from more than 26,000 men with metastatic prostate cancer, nearly 64% of whom had died at follow-up. While the vast majority died due to prostate cancer, nearly 17% died of non-cancer causes, including cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cerebrovascular disease. An additional nearly 6% died of non-prostate cancers. The study also found that the risk of dying from causes other than prostate cancer increased with the latency period after diagnosis of prostate cancer before death. The findings suggest that men with metastatic prostate cancer ought to be counseled on other health risks, especially as survival rates of this type of cancer improves in the U.S.
Sponsor content by ASTRAZENECA What does overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic look like? Equitable, global distribution of vaccines
COVAX is an unprecedented collaboration of public, private, and philanthropic organizations that provides communities around the world with access to safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines, regardless of location or income level. AstraZeneca, the first pharmaceutical company to join in June 2020, has provided nearly 90% of the 138 million Covid-19 vaccines shipped through the initiative. Find out more about the company’s role in COVAX and why working toward global, equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines is critical to ending this pandemic.
Inside STAT: On Covid relief, hospitals find an unusual ally in Susan Collins
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). (KEVIN DIETSCH/GETTY IMAGES)When negotiations for the White House’s infrastructure plan set sights on cutting $44 billion in funds set aside for hospitals and other providers to recover from the pandemic, an unusual ally stepped in to save that money: Maine Sen. Susan Collins. In recent months, she has set herself apart from other Republican lawmakers by securing and defending funds set aside for the health care industry. This latest save from Collins follows earlier efforts to secure Covid-19 relief funds for the industry and to lobby the Biden administration to get the money out the door. STAT’s Rachel Cohrs has more here.
NIH prize recognizes institutions for their work on improving gender diversity in academia
The NIH just announced the inaugural winners of its prize for universities that have demonstrably helped close gender gaps in academia. Ten U.S. institutions are being recognized with a $50,000 prize for programs they have put in place to address systemic barriers that women face in academia. Among the winners are the University of Wisconsin, Madison’s Women in Science & Engineering Leadership Institute, whose mission is to increase the visibility and career satisfaction of women at that school, and Florida International University’s Advance program, which aims to build an affirming and fair workplace for women and other underrepresented groups. Six other institutions’ programs were part of an “honorable mention” group. The winners will be recognized at an NIH forum in October.
New survey highlights increased burnout among physicians during the pandemic
Nearly two-thirds of doctors who responded to a new survey on physician mental health reported burnout, a 20% increase since 2018. This latest survey from The Physicians Foundation polled more than 2,500 U.S. physicians between the end of May and early June 2021. The vast majority of physicians reported being impacted by Covid-19, with many experiencing a reduction in income. When it comes to the pandemic’s impact on their mental health, more than half said they felt inappropriately angry, tearful, or anxious thinking about Covid-19. Nearly half have withdrawn or isolated themselves from others and almost a third reported feeling hopeless. Only 1 in 7 physicians said they have sought medical help for their mental health, while 1 in 5 said they know someone who has considered, attempted, or died by suicide in the wake of the pandemic.
Covid-19 in the U.S.
New cases yesterday (two-week average): 82,759
New deaths yesterday (two-week average): 367
Clarification: A headline in yesterday’s newsletter was unclear about the population of U.S. adults were taking opioids. The headline should have stated that 20% of U.S. adults with chronic pain take opioids to manage their pain. What to read around the web today
- Novavax says U.S. will pause funding for production of its vaccine. The New York Times
- Overwork is taking a huge physical and mental toll on workers. Teen Vogue
- When ‘breast is best’ becomes too much. The 19th News
- Scientists plumbing mysterious RNAs in the human genome find a possible treatment for an inherited disorder. STAT+
- Hard lessons from a city that tried to privatize public health. Kaiser Health News
Thanks for reading! Hope everyone has a nice weekend,
Have a news tip or comment?
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