Health Care — Presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield Association — Summer COVID bump?

Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter

View Online Health Care Health Care PRESENTED BY BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD ASSOCIATION The Big Story  Is a summer COVID-19 bump to be expected? Hospital admissions for COVID-19 have been on the rise over the last few weeks, and there's reason to believe this may be the new normal for the post-pandemic era. © Illustration via Getty Images Weekly total hospital admissions for the coronavirus went up by 12.1 percent, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the highest increase since last winter.   The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has risen to a smaller degree. These recent data sets suggest that case rates for SARS-Co-V 2 are rising. The CDC stopped tracking case data after the end of the public health emergency in May.   Hospital admissions are still low, however, with only about 8,000 recorded in total last week and only roughly 6,100 patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19. At the height of the pandemic, more than 145,000 patients were hospitalized for COVID-19 in the U.S.   Though surges in respiratory viruses are associated with colder weather, the past three years indicate that the recent weeks may fall within the norms of how COVID-19 trends throughout the year.   In both 2020 and 2021, COVID-19 cases surged to some degree around June and July. Cases remained elevated between May and August of 2022 when the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants dominated the majority of infections.   It's unclear if the higher temperatures are playing a direct role in rising hospital admissions, but activities typically associated with the summer, known vectors for viral spread, could be leading to more infections.   Just as colder temperatures lead to people spending more time indoors where infections can spread more easily, the summer is when people feel emboldened to gather together and travel more than they would during the rest of the year.   Another factor behind the recent rise in hospital admissions may be related to timing. For most people, it's been a year or more since they last received a vaccine against COVID-19. Studies have indicated that vaccine immunity for the coronavirus diminishes significantly by six to nine months after the shot is administered.   Protection brought on by infection is thought to last for about as long as vaccine immunity. But the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to change, and any immunity a person has may not be as strong against newer mutations.   Read more at TheHill.com. 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. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: Pfizer sees revenue for COVID products fall, expects new booster authorized this month The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could authorize Pfizer’s updated COVID-19 boosters by the end of August, company CEO Albert Bourla said during an earnings call Tuesday. Still, it’s unclear if there will be widespread demand once the shot hits the market, underscoring softening sales from its portfolio of COVID-19 products.  “Clearly, there is a higher level of uncertainty regarding the demand projections …  Full Story Federal judge blocks interpretation of Idaho law that prohibits out-of-state abortion referrals A federal judge in Idaho has granted a preliminary injunction to block an opinion from the state’s attorney general prohibiting referrals from physicians for out-of-state abortions, even though the opinion had already been withdrawn. Idaho has some of the harshest abortion restrictions in the U.S., with the termination of pregnancy being banned except for cases that threaten the mother’s life, or in cases of rape …  Full Story DEA, FDA outline steps to mitigate prescription stimulant shortage The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday laid out steps they are taking to mitigate the ongoing shortage of prescription stimulants like Adderall. Prescription stimulants, which are commonly used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy, have been in short supply since last fall, after a major drug maker encountered manufacturing delays. While …  Full Story On Our Radar  Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: A CDC advisory committee will meet Thursday to discuss Sanofi's RSV shot for infants and whether to add it to the federal Vaccines for Children program.  In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Henrietta Lacks' family settles lawsuit with a biotech company that used her cells without consent BALTIMORE (AP) — More than 70 years after doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital took Henrietta Lacks' cervical cells without her knowledge, a lawyer for her descendants said they have reached a settlement with a biotechnology company that they accused of reaping billions of dollars from a racist medical system. Tissue taken from the Black … Full Story A MESSAGE FROM BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD ASSOCIATION    National Partnership, Local Impact To combat the youth mental health crisis, Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, investing over $10 million to support 3.6M children. Learn more. Around the Nation  Local and state headlines on health care: Scenes from a city that only hands out tickets for using fentanyl (The New York Times) State health officials warn of vibrio bacteria after 3 die in July (WITN) Violence against Colorado health care workers on the rise (KDVR) What We're Reading  Health news we've flagged from other outlets: 'It's a crisis': Maternal health care disappears for millions (Politico) Hospitals in a 10th of US counties have lost childbirth units over the past five years, according to a new analysis (CNN) Pfizer considers cost cuts as demand for COVID products falls (Reuters) What Others are Reading  Most read stories on The Hill right now: Judge rules Trump false election claims while in office covered by presidential immunity A Pennsylvania state judge ruled Monday that an election worker cannot sue former President Trump over statements he made sowing doubt in the 2020 … Read more Trump indicted over efforts to overturn 2020 election: live updates Former President Trump has been indicted as part of special counsel Jack Smith's investigation over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, which … Read more What People Think  Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: In a rapidly aging America, Medicaid can be a lifeline for long-term care    You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Health Care page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely unsubscribe.