Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Post-Roe, Improved Sex Education Very Important; Why Have Some People Never Contracted Covid?
Only 29 states, and Washington, D.C., require that sex education be taught, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Only 16 states require that the information taught in sex education be medically accurate. (Keli Goff, 8/12)
Also —
Now that most Americans have been infected with COVID — more than 70%, according to a recent estimate from the White House — the rest of us are the outliers. There’s been lots of speculation about what makes us different. (Stephanie Finucane, 8/10)
The newly released CDC guidance that eases covid-19 precautions in schools has it mostly right: At this point in the pandemic, the emphasis must shift from universal mandates to individual decisions to minimize the disruption of in-person learning. (Leana S. Wen, 8/11)
For a third year, schools are opening in the presence of covid-19. With experience, vaccines and mitigation — plus deeper knowledge of the coronavirus itself — it should be possible to give students a lot of in-person instruction this school year, but it is vital that the lessons of the pandemic be fully absorbed. (8/11)
Recently, my 1-year-old received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Ellie was a trooper, crying for only about 30 seconds after the nurse delivered the dose. She was bouncing around the house as soon as we got home. I got my first dose while pregnant to protect Ellie and me, as the immunity I received transferred safely to her. I delivered a perfectly healthy baby, and Ellie had no reaction to the first dose she received. (Sonya Logman Harris, 8/6)
While the risks of deaths and hospitalizations from Covid-19 are substantially lower now, navigating this phase of the pandemic can be frustrating and confusing. (8/12)
At this stage in the pandemic, the decision to engage in pandemic precautions such as masking up, getting a booster or social distancing is largely up to the individual. Still, we need a lot of data to make informed decisions about risk to ourselves and those close to us. We may know the vaccination rate where we live, but what about waning immunity? What does that mean for current case counts? (8/12)
