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A group of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientists said Wednesday that currently there isn’t enough data to support recommending Covid-19 booster shots to the general population but that more-vulnerable groups, such as elderly people or transplant recipients, may need an extra dose. The Covid-19 working group of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices didn’t rule out the possibility that the general population eventually may need booster shots if immunity from the vaccines wanes or a variant reduces the effectiveness of current shots. (Mendez, 6/23)

There’s no evidence yet to suggest that a Covid-19 vaccine booster shot is needed, a working group for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. That could change as the pandemic evolves, however, and public health officials will continue to monitor the virus to determine if additional shots are warranted in the future. (Miller, 6/23)

The COVID-19 vaccine has offered most people the ability to return to their pre-pandemic lives. But people with weakened immune systems, such as transplant recipients and cancer patients, have had to remain vigilant because their bodies have not responded as robustly to the vaccine. Now, new research may offer hope that a third dose of the vaccine could boost immunity for the roughly 10.5 million immunocompromised people in the United States, including those with autoimmune diseases. “It may just be that their immune system just needs to see the proteins one more time in order to get to a level of immunity that people with more intact immune systems can accomplish with two doses,” said Dr. Dorry Segev, a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. (Caldera, 6/23)

Ohio, the state that launched the national movement to offer millions of dollars in incentives to boost vaccination rates, planned to conclude its program Wednesday — still unable to crack the 50% vaccination threshold. The state’s not alone in mixed results for prize giving. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine’s May 12 announcement of the incentive program had the desired effect, leading to a 43% boost in state vaccination numbers over the previous week. But numbers of vaccinations have dropped since then. (Welsh-Huggins, 6/24)

California has long been a leader in vaccinations. But the uptick in recent weeks offers an early suggestion that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s elaborate — and, in some corners, derided — program offering the chance at cash prizes to those who got vaccinated may have reaped some rewards. While it’s impossible to say for certain why each individual resident decided to get inoculated, the timing is nevertheless striking, and some suggest the state’s $116.5-million incentive program probably sparked renewed interest in the shots. (Lin II, Money and Stiles, 6/23)

Walk into Reggie Winston’s barbershop, and you’ll know immediately that you’ll get more than just a haircut. A small studio set up in the back left corner of the shop pipes soft R&B music that pulses underneath the buzzing of electric clippers, the chop-chop of scissors, the whir of blow dryers, and the occasional chatter. Clients of all ages are greeted with a smile as they come in, and kids pick out Hot Wheels cars and toy dinosaurs to take home. House rules listed on the wall remind you that you’re more than just a client: You’re family. (Dougani, 6/24)

New York City residents who want a vaccination now can get a house call. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday that the city will provide in-home inoculations in an effort to get more New Yorkers vaccinated. The mayor said the new plan is ideal for people "for whom it's been a challenge to get to a vaccination site or they haven't been sure" if the want the vaccine. City officials already had been offering the service to homebound residents and are expanding it to include everyone. The city has counted more than 9 million jabs thus far. (Aspegren and Bacon, 6/23)

The White House announced that first lady Jill Biden will be in Kissimmee and Tampa on Thursday to encourage Floridians to get vaccinated against COVID-19. In Kissimmee, Biden will visit a vaccination site administered by Osceola Community Health Services. Later, she will be at Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa with the Tampa Bay Lightning vaccination event called Shots on Ice. AdventHealth will provide free Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson shots at the event. (6/23)