Iowa news
COVID-19 vaccine clinic Saturday open to Johnson County residents
A COVID-19 vaccine clinic for Johnson County residents will be held Saturday in Iowa City on Saturday to distribute 1,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot. Hy-Vee announced it is hosting the clinic for county residents ages 16 and older. COVID-19 shots will be administered from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside the former North Dodge Hy-Vee, 1201 N. Dodge St. in Iowa City. A second-dose clinic will be May 8 at the same location. Appointments are required. (The Gazette)
IDPH announces states first case of P.1 COVID-19 variant
The Iowa Department of Public Health confirmed Thursday that the state has its first case of SARS-CoV-2 P.1 in Iowa. The P.1 COVID-19 variant was originally found in Brazil and Japan. State health officials said they’re still learning about the characteristics of the strain. The variant was discovered in Johnson County by the State Hygienic Lab. The state is working to find out more about the person’s exposure to the variant. (KCCI)
Opinion: Why we need to know the origin of COVID-19
We are now 16 months into the most serious global pandemic since the Spanish flu of 1919, and we still don’t know the origin of the virus. If we want to prevent the next epidemic, it is vital to find out. But these efforts are mired in politics and incomplete information. In the critical first weeks of the pandemic, Beijing suppressed essential information and prevented World Health Organization investigators from entering the country. When a Chinese biologist courageously posted the sequenced genome of the virus online, his lab was shut down for “rectification.” (Des Moines Register)
National news
COVID-19 booster shot likely needed within 12 months, Pfizer’s CEO says
People will likely need a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine within a year of getting fully vaccinated and may subsequently need annual shots to protect against the coronavirus, Pfizer’s CEO said Thursday. Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech are studying how long the protective immunity induced by the vaccines will last. Their findings will guide whether additional booster shots will be necessary. (NBC News)
What Biden’s $400B plan to shift long-term care home could mean for nursing home operators
The shift to home was already a long-simmering trend in post-acute and long-term care, but the coronavirus pandemic kicked those prevailing trends into a higher gear. In the short term, that took the form of increased diversions from skilled nursing facilities on the acute-to-post-acute pipeline, with patients discharged directly from the hospital to the home to avoid the elevated COVID-19 risk in congregate living settings. (Skilled Nursing News)
Red states on US electoral map lagging on vaccinations
With coronavirus shots now in the arms of nearly half of American adults, the parts of the US that are excelling and those that are struggling with vaccinations are starting to look like the nation’s political map: deeply divided between red and blue states. Out in front is New Hampshire, where 65% of the population age 18 and older has received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Following close behind are New Mexico, Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts at 55% or greater. All have a history of voting Democratic and supported President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. (Associated Press)