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After the Food and Drug Administration approved Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine in August, public health experts were hopeful vaccine uptake would skyrocket. But a study published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open found the shift from emergency use authorization of the vaccine to full approval did not sway unvaccinated Americans. Researchers from the University of Utah analyzed vaccination data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention starting July 25, a month before full FDA approval, to Sept. 9, the day before President Joe Biden made his vaccine mandate announcement. (Rodriguez, 4/6)

Maternal COVID-19 vaccination in early pregnancy is not associated with fetal abnormalities detectable on ultrasound, finds a study yesterday in JAMA Pediatrics. The retrospective study, conducted by Northwestern University and Penn State College of Medicine researchers, used electronic medical records to identify any link between COVID-19 vaccination in early pregnancy and the risk of major fetal structural abnormalities on ultrasound. (Van Beusekom, 4/5)

As federal health officials debate the logistics of administering fourth coronavirus vaccines to some older Americans, children under five years old remain ineligible for any shots — and it's unclear when that will change. Less-than-ideal clinical trial results and growing backlash against children's vaccinations writ large have complicated what was already a delicate decision-making process. Young children generally aren't at high risk of severe COVID infections, but some do get seriously ill or, in rare instances, die. Plenty of parents remain anxious to vaccinate their children as soon as possible. (Owens, 4/7)

Several refugee and immigrant-lead groups in Iowa have teamed up to address health inequities that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Refugee and Immigrant Vaccine Alliance, or RIVA, consists of Nisaa African Family Services, Latinx Immigrants of Iowa, ArtForce Iowa, the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center, or EMBARC. The need for RIVA arose when it became apparent that Iowa’s immigrant and refugee communities continue to be disproportionately affected by the pandemic, said Maria Corona, the executive director of the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence. (Krebs, 4/6)

A naturopathic doctor from Napa was convicted Wednesday on charges that she sold fake COVID-19 vaccination cards and phony “immunization pellets” to her patients, officials said. Juli Mazi accepted a plea agreement in February and pleaded guilty this week to one count of wire fraud and one count of making false statements related to health care matters, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. (Picon, 4/6)

A judge on New York’s highest court has been referred to a disciplinary commission and could be kicked off the bench for failing to comply with a rule requiring proof of vaccination against COVID-19. Judge Jenny Rivera, one of seven jurists on the state’s Court of Appeals, is barred from court facilities and has been working remotely since October, court officials said. She is one of four judges statewide who have been referred to the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct for being out of compliance with the mandate that applies to all court personnel. (Sisak, 4/6)