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Hello,
Well, we're only one workday into 2021 and we've already seen a Slack outage, a national coronavirus lockdown in the UK, and the demise of Haven, the Amazon-Berkshire Hathaway-JPMorgan healthcare venture. I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less following 2020's news cycle.
Before we jump into today's news, I wanted to give a big welcome to Patricia Kelly Yeo, who joins us this week as a healthcare fellow! She'll help us follow the news of this massive industry, from vaccine coverage to startups. You can reach out to say hi via email at pyeo@businessinsider.com and on Twitter at @patkyeo.
Today in healthcare news: Why Haven was doomed from the start, how primary care chains are preparing for vaccinations, and the UK's plan to give "tens of millions" of AstraZeneca-Oxford doses by the end of March.
3 reasons why Haven, Amazon's joint healthcare venture with JPMorgan and Berkshire Hathaway, was doomed from the start
Haven , Amazon's health venture withJPMorgan andBerkshire Hathaway , is shutting down.- Formed in 2018, the three companies set out to reduce healthcare costs and improve care for their employees.
- But Haven had a rocky three years, running up against vague marching orders, a lack of direction, and obstacles inherent to the healthcare landscape.
Read the full analysis from Blake Dodge here>>
Primary-care clinics hope to play a big role in vaccinating Americans, but some don't know when they'll receive coronavirus shots. 3 major chains lay out how they're preparing despite little information.
Primary care clinics are likely to play a key role in providing COVID-19 shots, as they have strong relationships with patients and are well-positioned to dispel vaccine hesitancy among them.- Clinic operators ChenMed, Oak Street Health and VillageMD are preparing to give the shots.
- Preparing to give the shots has been difficult, as some primary care providers say they have been left out of states' planning efforts. Some primary-care providers don't know when they will receive shots.
Read the full story from Shelby Livingston here>>
UK government says it will give 'tens of millions' AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine doses by end of March - here's how.
- The UK has become the first country to approve the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
- The UK government has promised 100 million doses, with 530,000 doses available to give to people on Monday, with "tens of millions" of doses expected to be available by March 31 according to the Department of Health.
- Vulnerable patients, healthcare workers, and care home residents will be prioritized.
Read the full story from Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce here>>
More stories we're reading:
- I'm a radiologist in Alabama who just received the Pfizer vaccine. I've seen firsthand the serious effects of COVID-19 on people's lungs, so I had zero reservations about getting the shot. (Business Insider)
- Hospitals should study "first shot" versus "set aside" vaccination strategies in the US (Stat News)
- See the 20-slide pitch deck a psychedelics startup used to raise funds to build out a network of ketamine clinics (Business Insider)
- Ambulance crews in LA have been told not to transport patients with little chance of survival as COVID-19 overwhelms hospitals (LA Times)
- Lydia