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Several new coronavirus variants have been identified in the United States in recent weeks, and scientists are grappling with whether these strains threaten the country — and, if so, how. One thing experts agree on, though, is that the available vaccines have outperformed expectations — even when it comes to what are known as the "variants of concern." "This virus is not invincible, and despite all these variants, the vaccines are working great," said Jeremy Kamil, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport. "That is really outstanding and people should be celebrating that." (Chow, 3/9)

Rupali Limaye got her first dose of Covid-19 vaccine a couple of weeks ago. “I bawled,” she admitted without the slightest hint of embarrassment. It so happens that Limaye is a staunch proponent of vaccination; she works at the International Vaccine Access Center at Johns Hopkins University. But her reaction is not uncommon. Talk to anyone working in or volunteering at Covid vaccination clinics, and you’ll hear tales about the joy, the relief, the shedding of the cloak of dread that has weighed people down during our difficult period of pandemic isolation. (Branswell, 3/15)

Regular booster vaccines against the novel coronavirus will be needed because of mutations that make it more transmissible and better able to evade human immunity, the head of Britain’s effort to sequence the virus’s genomes told Reuters. The novel coronavirus, which has killed 2.65 million people globally since it emerged in China in late 2019, mutates around once every two weeks, slower than influenza or HIV, but enough to require tweaks to vaccines. (Gaulconbridge, 3/15)

More than 30 million people in the United States have heart disease, which alone kills hundreds of thousands each year. It’s also a significant risk factor for developing serious complications from another major threat right now: covid-19.That’s because the disease caused by the coronavirus often attacks the lungs, forcing the already injured heart to fight that much harder. (Bever, 3/13)

Michigan will allow all residents ages 50 and up as of March 22 to receive a coronavirus vaccine and will expand eligibility for every Michigander 16 years and older starting April 5, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) announced Friday. For now, only residents 65 and older or those over 50 with health conditions that increases their risk of serious complications from the virus are eligible for vaccination. (Knutson, 3/12)

Florida lowers the age to qualify for a coronavirus vaccine for residents from 65 to 60 on Monday. Gov. Ron DeSantis said this past week that vaccinating ages 60 to 64 may go quicker than expected because of the increase in the weekly vaccine supply the state is receiving. DeSantis cited softened demand statewide as his reason for expanding eligibility. (3/14)

Maryland residents eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine can now preregister for an immunization appointment at one of the state’s five regional mass vaccination sites by putting their information into one online portal. Gov. Larry Hogan’s office announced Saturday that it launched its single sign-up website for the mass vaccination sites in Prince George’s County, Baltimore, Southern Maryland, the Eastern Shore and Western Maryland. (Mann, 3/13)

As Georgia grapples with rock-bottom vaccination rates, Gov. Brian Kemp is encouraging more health care providers to think “outside the box.” At a pop-up vaccine clinic at the St. Philip AME Church in east Atlanta, the governor encouraged other providers to follow the lead of Walgreens, which launched three events through the Metro Atlanta Ministerial Alliance across the city. Uber teamed up with the pharmacy chain to provide free rides to the clinics. (Bluestein, 3/13)

Gwinnett residents who have chronic health conditions won’t need a doctor’s note to prove they are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine if they get the shot from the county’s health department, a spokesman for the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale Health Departments has confirmed. Georgia is expanding the eligibility to get vaccinated, starting on Monday, to include people with a wide range of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis or kidney or liver disease. The minimum age to get the vaccine will also drop from 65 to 55 on Monday, and adults with disabilities will be eligible as well. (Yeomans, 3/13)