NIH workers struggle to get COVID shots

Hello,

Today in healthcare news: NIH hasn't been able to get vaccines to its workers, US life expectancy dropped, and Fauci says there may be evidence vaccines are stopping spread.

The government agency that helped develop the COVID-19 vaccine in record time can't get shots for its own workers, emails show

• The National Institutes of Health was critical in the development of the coronavirus vaccine.
• But most of its more than 20,200 workers haven't gotten the shot yet.
• Five other federal agencies got vaccine priority.

Read the full story from Kimberly Leonard, Robin Bravender, and Elvina Nawaguna here>>

US life expectancy fell by a year during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the most dramatic drop since World War II

• Average life expectancy in the US fell from 78.8 to 77.8 years in the first half of 2020, per the CDC.
• The data is based on deaths from various causes, but shows the toll COVID-19 has taken.
• Black and Hispanic Americans saw larger drops than white Americans, the CDC said.

Read the full story from Bill Bostock here>>

Fauci: There's evidence COVID-19 vaccines don't just protect you - they may stop you from spreading the virus to others, too

• Dr. Fauci is touting some of the first evidence that vaccines can help stop the spread of COVID-19.
• The hunch hinges on 2 new studies, which suggest vaccinated people don't spread the coronavirus well, even if they do get sick.
• Getting vaccinated, Fauci said, is "not only good for you," it can protect others too.

Read the full story from Hilary Brueck here>>

More stories we're reading:

• When experts say COVID-19 vaccines are 95% effective it doesn't mean you'd have a 5% chance of getting sick (Insider)
• Forbes had a very colorful phone call with Clover's CEO (Forbes)
• The US isn't prepared for a new, more infectious variant to be dominant by March - even with vaccinations underway (Insider)
• Biden has picked Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (Washington Post)

- Lydia