Today’s NewsStand

Today’s NewsStand

By Roxanne Strike|
|January 10, 2022

Iowa News

Iowa OSHA won’t enforce the federal vaccine-or-test mandate for large businesses

Iowa’s Labor Commissioner Rod Roberts has submitted notice that Iowa will not adopt or enforce the Biden administration’s vaccine-or-test requirement for large businesses, Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office announced Friday. Iowa is a State Plan state, which means it can write its own workplace rules for private sector and state/local government workers, as long as the rules are at least as effective as the federal OSHA regulations in preventing work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths. (WHO-13)

Iowa reports 32k positive COVID-19 tests in the last 7 days

The Iowa Department of Public Health reports the state’s 14-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is now close to 20%. IDPH released new virus data Monday, showing 32,732 positive tests in the last seven days. That’s up from 24,935 at the last report on Friday. The state’s 14-day positivity rate is now 19.9%, up from 17.5% at the last report. (KCCI)

Iowa receives COVID-19 antiviral pills

The Iowa Department of Public Health says the state is starting to receive shipments of new antiviral pills. Two new medications from Merck and Pfizer will help treat people with mild-to-moderate cases of COVID-19. The pills aim to reduce the ability of the virus to spread through the body For now, there will be a very limited supply at select pharmacies and hospitals. (KCCI)

National news

T-cells from common colds can provide protection against COVID-19

High levels of T-cells from common cold coronaviruses can provide protection against COVID-19, an Imperial College London study published on Monday has found, which could inform approaches for second-generation vaccines. Immunity against COVID-19 is a complex picture, and while there is evidence of waning antibody levels six months after vaccination, T-cells are also believed to play a vital role in providing protection. (Reuters)

COVID-19 infections in children may increase their risk of diabetes: CDC

Children who have had COVID-19 seem to be at increased risk of developing Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Friday. Past studies show increased risk in developing diabetes as an adult after recovering from COVID-19. Research in Europe also found a higher rate of diabetes diagnoses among children since the beginning of the pandemic. (The Hill)

A universal flu vaccine may be the next big mRNA breakthrough for Moderna, Pfizer

Scientists at Pfizer and Moderna, the pharmaceutical companies that harnessed a half-century of research into mRNA technology to create COVID-19 vaccines, are using that same know-how in exploring ways to inoculate the masses from the flu.

“As demonstrated through the COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA vaccines offer the potential to manufacture higher potency flue vaccines more rapidly than contemporary flu vaccines,” Pirada Suphaphiphat, vice president of viral vaccine research at New York City-based Pfizer, told CNBC by email. (CNBC)

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