Spotify Warns on COVID Misinfo; Califf Confirmation Shaky? NYC Delivers Antivirals

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Spotify says it will now include a “content advisory” on any podcast that mentions COVID-19, but said it would not be a “content censor”; Joe Rogan, the podcaster at the center of it all, apologized to the company and said he would be more balanced on controversial topics. (CNN, Wall Street Journal)

Senate confirmation for Robert Califf, MD, President Biden’s nominee for FDA commissioner, may now be in jeopardy. (Endpoints News)

New York City officials announced they will deliver COVID antivirals to patients’ homes, free of charge. (CBS New York)

As of Monday at 8 a.m. ET, the unofficial U.S. COVID toll is 74,333,528 cases and 884,265 deaths, up 3,632,850 and 17,725, respectively, versus a week ago.

The more transmissible Omicron BA.2 subtype is circulating in nearly half of U.S. states. (CNBC)

Experts say that we haven’t seen the last of COVID variant surges. (Deseret News)

A COVID patient with poorly controlled HIV in South Africa developed 21 new mutations as the virus evolved in her body for 9 months. (Bloomberg)

Researchers may be homing in on risk factors pointing to whether a patient will develop long COVID. (Wall Street Journal)

Republican legislators in Kansas, along with several other states, have proposed bills shielding doctors from liability for prescribing ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID. (The Guardian)

Meanwhile, a Florida appeals court upheld a district court ruling that the family of a patient had no right to order the Mayo Clinic to use ivermectin for COVID treatment. (Tampa Bay Times)

In other legal news, a Connecticut appeals court said patients have the “right to appeal to Medicare for nursing home coverage” if they were admitted as an inpatient, but then switched to observation status. (Kaiser Health News)

Diabetes deaths in the U.S. have topped 100,000 for the second year in a row, and experts are calling for federal action. (Reuters)

FDA warned on using COVID tests from Empowered Diagnostics, as they have not been authorized by the agency; the tests are now being recalled.

Anti-vaccine advocates are using opposition to COVID vaccines to broaden support for weakening other childhood vaccine requirements. (Washington Times)

A North Carolina man who needs a “lifesaving” kidney transplant says he’s “willing to die” rather than be vaccinated against COVID-19. (WRAL)

T-Mobile announced that it will fire all unvaccinated corporate employees by April. (Fox Business)

Neuro-oncologists see similar signs of “chemo brain” in the unexplained phenomenon of COVID “brain fog.” (STAT)

Meet the elementary school principal who’s made it his mission to help convince hesitant parents to vaccinate their kids. (Boston Globe)