Top Three
KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: Pregnancy Misinformation
"About one in five adults (18%) and about three in ten women who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant (29%) believe at least one of three false statements about pregnancy and the vaccines."
"This includes about one in seven adults (14%) and nearly one in four women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant (24%) who believe pregnant women should not get vaccinated for COVID-19."
Study Shows No Link Between COVID-19 Vaccines and Infertility or Birth Defects: Study.
"This study thus provides a reassuring view of the safety and protection provided following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination during early pregnancy within a mouse model. We demonstrate the absence of anti-syncytin-1 antibodies in our cohort of vaccinated adults, discrediting one of the most widespread infertility myths surrounding COVID-19 vaccination." More via NPR.
Florida IG Report: 'Insufficient Evidence' for DeSantis Critic's Claims of Covid Cover-up: Via NBC News:
"The 27-page report from the Florida Department of Health’s Office of Inspector General said it found "insufficient evidence" or no evidence to support Rebekah Jones' accusations that she was asked to falsify Covid positivity rates or misrepresent them on the state’s dashboard she helped design.”
“The report also "exonerated" officials accused by Jones of wrongdoing because they removed a data section from the website to ensure that private individual health information was not released publicly."
"The independent report paints a portrait of an employee who did not understand public health policy or the significance of epidemiological data, did not have high-level access to crucial information and leveled claims that made professional health officials "skeptical."
Her rebuttal.
Via NYT: "The analyst, Rebekah D. Jones, filed a formal whistle-blower complaint and turned into a vocal critic of Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, as the virus surged two summers ago. The monthslong saga eventually led to a criminal charge against Ms. Jones, who is accused of accessing a state computer system and downloading a file without authorization."
Federal
White House Working on Paxlovid Distribution: Said that they were introducing new models for distributing Paxlovid in an effort to get the treatment to more people and keep coronavirus death rates relatively low even as cases increase.
“Fundamentally, what we’re trying to do is get to a point where Covid deaths are largely preventable, and I think we’re pretty close to there,” Dr. Ashish K. Jha, the White House Covid-19 response coordinator, said in an interview Wednesday evening. “Deaths from this disease really should become increasingly rare.”
"Pharmacists still cannot prescribe the medication themselves, a step that would cut the time it takes patients to secure the drug."
"The Food and Drug Administration “is looking at this and thinking about it,” Dr. Jha said. “Whether they’re going to make a change, when and how, etc., is totally in their wheelhouse.”
"Dr. Jha described being frustrated by physician colleagues who have told him they still limit Paxlovid to patients 65 years and older."
Build Back Maybe: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) told Axios he’s earnestly engaged in talks with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) over a climate, energy and deficit reduction package, reviving hopes for action this year.
"Manchin called those preliminary talks “respectful” and “encouraging, to a certain extent.”
"But he added: “There could be nothing. There could be truly nothing. That’s all I can tell you.”
Covid-19 Research
Dominant Variants Contains Ghost of Pandemic Past: Via the AP.
"The coronavirus mutant that is now dominant in the United States is a member of the omicron family but scientists say it spreads faster than its omicron predecessors, is adept at escaping immunity and might possibly cause more serious disease."
"A genetic trait that harkens back to the pandemic's past, known as a “delta mutation," appears to allow the virus "to escape pre-existing immunity from vaccination and prior infection, especially if you were infected in the omicron wave," said Dr. Wesley Long, a pathologist at Houston Methodist in Texas. That's because the original omicron strain that swept the world didn’t have the mutation."
Real-World Effectiveness of Paxlovid: Study out of Hong Kong. 75% reduced death, 31% reduced hospitalization, 53% reduced adverse outcomes.
"To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first clinical studies exploring real-world effectiveness of the two oral antivirals in non-hospitalized patients infected with the Omicron variant. Based on relative efficacy, our findings give support to current guidelines prioritizing nirmatrelvir/ritonavir use over molnupiravir in community-dwelling COVID-19 patients who are at high risk of hospitalization or progression to severe disease (as indicated by the old age and incomplete vaccination status of our patients), should the former be accessible and clinically appropriate."
"Furthermore, our subgroup analyses reinforced the significant benefit of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir use in lowering the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization regardless of age and vaccination status, which could only be observed in molnupiravir users who had been fully vaccinated"
H5N1: Via Nature: "A highly infectious and deadly strain of avian influenza virus has infected tens of millions of poultry birds across Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. But scientists are particularly concerned about the unprecedented spread in wild birds — outbreaks pose a significant risk to vulnerable species, are hard to contain and increase the opportunity for the virus to spill over into people."
State
Massachusetts:
On May 25, 2022, EEC replaced the COVID-19 Mitigation Protocols and Guidelines for Child Care with joint COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Guidance from EOHHS, DPH and DESE on quarantine, isolation, and mitigation strategies
The Black-owned company City Fresh Foods has inked a historic deal with Boston Public Schools.
Economic Recovery
Inflation: First signs it may be slowing. Personal Consumption Expenditure price index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, rose 4.9% in April. The PCE price index was nevertheless 6.3% higher than last year.
Recession: A Conference Board measure of CEO sentiment showed that 57% expect the economy to sustain a “very short, mild recession.”
Resources
COVID, Mental Health and Schools: Our Kids Are Suffering And It's Not All Right: Via Fox News.
Field of Dreams: Kevin Costner went on social media to pay tribute to his Field of Dreams co-star Ray Liotta, who died yesterday at 67.
"Kinsella is on the mound. After saying to himself earlier in the scene, “I am pitching to Shoeless Joe Jackson,” he throws a curveball that Jackson smacks right back at him.”
Kinsella scrambles out of the way and hits the deck as the low line drive drills the ballbag at his feet.”
“What happened that moment in the film was real,” Costner wrote. “God gave us that stunt. Now God has Ray.”
And this great scene at the end of the movie.
Jacob Philadelphia: Was five years old when he visited the Oval Office and met President Obama. Today he's graduating from high school.
Top Gun Weekend: Tom Cruise terrifies James Corden in a fighter jet flight.
Memorial Day: "And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave, for glory lights the soldier's tomb, and beauty weeps the brave." Joseph Rodman Drake