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All Iowans will be eligible to be vaccinated starting Monday April 5, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced today. That's dependent on Iowa’s vaccine allocation being increased — and Reynolds expressed confidence that it would. (Clayworth, 3/17)

Confident that the state will soon see a surge in available COVID-19 vaccines, Governor Charlie Baker on Wednesday announced plans to expand eligibility for highly coveted appointments to more groups starting Monday, and opening them to all residents age 16 and over by April 19. Until now, the state has focused on vaccinating its currently eligible population, which includes all people 65 and over, teachers and educators, and residents who have two or more chronic health conditions. (Vaccaro and Andersen, 3/17)

Oregon’s top health official said Wednesday the state would comply with a federal order and make all residents 16 and older eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine May 1. Patrick Allen, director of the Oregon Health Authority, made that commitment Wednesday during an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Think Out Loud. (Theen, 3/17)

KHN: ‘Super-Sized’ Vaccine Clinic Offers Food Workers Some Relief 

Cristina Davila wasn’t used to being happy about waiting in line. As a server at the Navy Proof Restaurant and Bar, the specter of covid has weighed heavily on her mind for the past several months. Davila has been especially worried about the possibility of bringing the virus home to her young son and diabetic mother. And here she was, standing outside the Long Beach Convention Center with hundreds of other Long Beach residents and workers, about to receive a coveted covid vaccine — even though she’s only 31. (Basheda, 3/18)

The Cherokee Nation is now facing the issue that the rest of America will have to deal with in the coming months: demand for coronavirus vaccines has dried up, the New York Times reports. So far, demand for vaccines has outstripped supply in the U.S. But at some point the vaccination effort's biggest challenge will be finding the unvaccinated and convincing them they should get a shot. (Owens, 3/17)

As vaccines ramp up across the country and within the NBA in an effort to counter the COVID-19 pandemic, the league has reportedly agreed to ease certain restrictions.  According to Baxter Holmes of ESPN, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association decided they will relax restrictions for those in the league who have been fully vaccinated. Teams were informed via a memo sent out Wednesday night. (Polacek, 3/18)

COVID-19 vaccines that don’t require a needle may be available later this year or next year, a top scientist said. Six to eight new immunizations may be ready for regulatory review by the end of the year — some of which don’t require needles and can be stored at room temperature, Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organization’s chief scientist said over the weekend, according to Bloomberg News. The experimental vaccines in production use alternative technologies and delivery systems, including oral and nasal administration, and skin patches — methods that are better suited to some groups like pregnant women, Swaminathan said. (O'Neill, 3/17)

The year-long coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on the nation’s blood supply as blood drives have been canceled and facilities used as collection centers were forced to shut their doors. But with safety measures now in place to help protect donors from the virus, organizations such as the Red Cross are accepting — even urging — donations by appointment. (Bever, 3/17)

Convincing Americans to take COVID-19 vaccines, distributing the shots, equitably prioritizing people for vaccinations and negotiating fair prices has been a herculean task. The federal government and states may need to do it all again for booster shots to stop the spread of contagious mutations — but the Biden administration has not yet released a plan, and experts warn that the United States could repeat past mistakes unless the country starts planning now. (Cohen, 3/17)

As Baltimoreans scramble to chase down COVID-19 vaccine appointments, it’s worth looking back on vaccination campaigns of previous eras. More than 100 years ago, Baltimore health officials went door to door vaccinating city residents for smallpox. Those who refused to get “scraped,” or inoculated, could face fines, or even jail time. (3/18)