Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Covid Mortality Rates For Young People Worse In 2021 Than 2020: Study
Today in Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers show that, compared to 2020, mortality rates due to COVID-19 infections among young adults increased significantly in 2021, suggesting younger people had lower vaccine uptake and adhered to fewer COVID precautions than older adults in the United States. (11/29)
In other vaccine news —
In a paper published in JAMA Cardiology, scientists at Boston Children’s Hospital looked at 15 children ages 12 to 18 years old who were admitted to the hospital one to nine days after their COVID vaccine. A blood test showed above normal concentrations of the chemical troponin in each patient’s blood. High levels of troponin can lead to damaged heart cells, cell death and heart attacks. (Gillis, 11/29)
More than 250 clinics across Massachusetts are offering $75 gift cards to people who get COVID-19 vaccines or boosters, officials said. (Andersen, 11/29)
A naturopathic doctor who sold fake COVID-19 immunization treatments and fraudulent vaccination cards during the height of the coronavirus pandemic was sentenced in California on Tuesday to nearly three years in prison, federal prosecutors said. Juli A. Mazi pleaded guilty last April in federal court in San Francisco to one count of wire fraud and one count of false statements related to health care matters. (11/30)
The new anti-vaccine movie "Died Suddenly" begins with an ominous warning: "This film is not suitable for children." Another warning to viewers would have been warranted as well — that the film’s claims are unsubstantiated and linked to conspiracy theories. (Czopek, 11/29)
In global news —
New Zealand’s health service has made a court application over the guardianship of a four-month-old baby whose parents are refusing to allow his life-saving heart surgery to go ahead unless non-vaccinated blood is used. (Corlett, 11/30)
