Overhaul U.S. Public Health? Little Kids’ Vax Rollout; ‘De-Weaponizing’ Medical Debt

Note that some links may require registration or subscription.

After sizing up the U.S. pandemic response, a bipartisan panel of experts will call for an overhaul of the American public health system today; if implemented, the recommendations would greatly expand the federal government’s role. (New York Times)

Experts seek to ease parents’ concerns amid the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for the youngest children this week. (CNN)

Black doctors are being forced out of training programs at far higher rates than their white counterparts. (STAT)

Monkeypox has now likely reached Missouri, Indiana, and New Jersey. (CNN, NBC New York)

More evidence suggests newer Omicron subvariants can bypass antibodies from vaccination and even recent Omicron infections. (Lancet Infectious Diseases)

As of Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. EDT, the unofficial U.S. COVID toll reached 86,265,728 infections and 1,012,363 deaths, increases of 218,993 and 386, respectively, since Friday morning.

Though the U.S. is currently experiencing another surge in COVID-19 infections — with over 100,000 people testing positive daily — deaths from the virus have remained stable. (ABC News)

When it comes to determining how common long COVID is, this is why studies give different answers. (Nature)

As COVID-19 continues to spread, President Biden is caught between politics and public health. (STAT)

In the gambling hub of Macau, a hotel and casino resort with 700 people inside has been locked down by authorities due to a COVID outbreak on the property. (Reuters)

Errors by medical examiners have raised questions over whether there is a risk of bias in death examinations. (New York Times)

Medicare would apparently save billions if it purchased generic drugs from Mark Cuban’s pharmacy, according to a study in Annals of Internal Medicine.

A man in Florida has been arrested for allegedly distributing more than $200 million of adulterated HIV medications, the Justice Department announced.

These are the most common abortion procedures in the U.S. and when they occur. (Washington Post)

North Carolina may act to “de-weaponize” medical debt. (Kaiser Health News)

Uvalde, Texas residents point to roadblocks when it comes to access to mental health services in the wake of last month’s mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. (NBC News)

Paul M. Ellwood, Jr., MD, architect of the HMO, has died at age 95. (New York Times)