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Covid-19 variants make reopening more dangerous, infectious disease expert says

The emergence of Covid-19 variants makes reopening efforts in the United States a riskier proposition, an infectious disease expert said Wednesday. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said the B.1.1.7 variant has resulted in increased transmission in countries with vaccination efforts similar to the

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New AstraZeneca report says vaccine was 76% effective in preventing Covid-19 symptoms

Drug giant AstraZeneca updated its data on how well its coronavirus vaccine works, saying late Wednesday the vaccine showed 76% efficacy against symptomatic coronavirus disease and 100% efficacy against severe or critical disease or the need for hospitalization. The vaccine was 85% effective in preventing symptoms in volunteers 65 and older, the company said. The

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Advocates for the elderly call on Biden administration to do more to vaccinate seniors against Covid-19

In early April, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program that delivered Covid-19 vaccines to long-term care facilities should be complete. With cases dropping faster than among the general public, the CDC calls the program a real success, but advocates are concerned about what happens when it ends. As of Tuesday, more than

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2 Asian American senators back off threat to oppose Biden nominees after White House agrees to add senior AAPI adviser

Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Mazie Hirono on Tuesday backed off their threat to vote against any of President Joe Biden’s nominees who aren’t minorities, after going public with their anger that the Cabinet lacks Asian Americans, and Duckworth earlier saying she felt insulted by the White House’s attempts to brush off her concerns. The move

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Trial review board raises concerns about AstraZeneca vaccine data

In an unusual statement released early Tuesday, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said the independent board that reviews data from multiple Covid-19 vaccine candidates has raised concerns about AstraZeneca’s announcement of efficacy data from its vaccine trial. “The DSMB expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that trial, which

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