 Health Care |
Health Care |
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CDC tells us who still hasn't been infected with COVID-19 |
Nearly a quarter of all Americans had not yet been infected with COVID-19 by the end of 2022, according to new data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). |
On the flip side, the CDC estimated 77.5 percent of people had antibodies from at least one prior infection. The agency found that by the end of the year, 96.7 percent of Americans had antibodies either from getting vaccinated, getting infected or some combination of the two. The infection and vaccination stats were often cited by federal health officials when discussing updated recommendations and the loosening of restrictions, most notably the end of the country's public health emergency earlier this spring.
Still, officials have stressed that the presence of antibodies from a prior infection does not mean a person is permanently protected from the virus. Immunity wanes over time, especially among those without so-called "hybrid" immunity from both an infection and vaccination.
The data was based on seroprevalence — the percentage of individuals who have antibodies in their blood. Both vaccines and infection result in production of anti-spike (anti-S) antibodies, but only infection results in the production of anti-N antibodies, CDC said.
Of all age groups, those 65 and older had the smallest share of hybrid immunity, at less than 93 percent— they also had the smallest share of Americans with at least one prior infection, at 56.5 percent.
Past studies have noted the fact that vaccine coverage for this group is generally higher than the broader population. Additionally, the shots were available much earlier than for the general population, and their behavior was different.
The lower rate of hybrid immunity could mean those people are at further risk of severe infections if they don't stay up to date with vaccines.
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🇺🇸 Programming note: We're off tomorrow for the Fourth of July, but we'll be back on Wednesday. Happy Independence Day! Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. |
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How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: |
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Rachel Levine remained optimistic about the LGBTQ+ community's future in the U.S. at an event about health inequity. During Thursday's event, hosted by The Washington Post, associate editor Jonathan Capehart and the nation’s assistant secretary for health discussed the recent slew of bills in state legislatures that target the LGBTQ+ community. These bills aimed to ban gender-affirming care, restrict drag performances … |
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| More than a third of American women between the ages of 12 and 21 have an iron deficiency, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The research published online last week found nearly 39 percent of American girls and women aged 12-21 were affected by iron deficiency, and 6 percent were iron-deficient anemic. The body uses the mineral iron to make the essential protein hemoglobins … |
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| Four families have filed a lawsuit against a Georgia law placing restrictions on gender-affirming care for transgender youth, arguing that it violates parents' rights and equal protection guarantees. The families filed the complaint on Thursday to request a judge issue an injunction to prevent the ban from taking effect, which it is set to do on Saturday. |
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The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) updated blood donation guidelines were issued last month with the aim of being more inclusive of the LGBTQ community, but community members say the agency has left the door open for stigma and discrimination. |
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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After the fall of Roe, emboldened religious conservatives lobby to restrict abortion in Africa |
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Nowhere in the world has a higher rate of unsafe abortions or unintended pregnancies than sub-Saharan Africa, where women often face scorn for becoming pregnant before marriage. Efforts to legalize and make abortions safer in Africa were shaken when the U.S. Supreme Court ended the national right to an abortion a … |
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Local and state headlines on health care: |
- Medicaid security breach affects over 2,600 Arizonans, agency says (AZ Family)
- Troubled nursing home chain owner gets new licenses just before state reforms take effect (CalMatters)
- 988 suicide hotline funding boosted ahead of 1-year anniversary (Pluribus News)
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Health news we've flagged from other outlets: |
- As psychedelics near approval, there's no consensus on how they work (Stat)
- U.S. malaria patient says the disease was initially misdiagnosed (NBC)
- A new law is supposed to protect pregnant workers — but what if we don't know how? (KFF Health News)
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Most read stories on The Hill right now: |
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The 2024 battle for the Senate started with a bang earlier this year and has not let up, as candidates in top races continue to roll out their … Read more |
| The public deserves to know whether this president is capable of performing the basic duties of his office. But the media aren't interested. Read more |
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You're all caught up. See you Wednesday! |
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