Iowa news
Editorial: Vaccine does not magnetize you, but it might make you more attractive to others
Register editorial writer Andie Dominick caught up again with Dr. Tom Benzoni, a local emergency room physician, on Wednesday afternoon. We have interviewed him numerous times since the coronavirus pandemic hit Iowa. (Des Moines Register)
State launches Iowa Center for School Mental Health to support educators
Gov. Kim Reynolds, the Iowa Department of Education and the University of Iowa have announced a partnership aimed at expanding support for mental health, including training, resources and outreach to educators and schools statewide. The new Iowa Center for School Mental Health will leverage the capacities of the Iowa Department of Education and the University of Iowa College of Education’s Baker Teacher Leader Center. This partnership aims to expand training opportunities for student teachers and practicing teachers, provide professional development resources and services to support mental health needs in schools, and conduct research on the effective delivery of these services to students. (Business Record)
Iowa’s COVID-19 hospitalizations reach lowest point since March 2020
Earlier this week, Iowa reported its lowest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations since March 2020, the month when the novel coronavirus was first reported in Iowa. The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations reported Monday — 54 — has since ticked back up slightly, to 69. But that’s still lower than it had been the previous week. New reported cases and deaths also decreased over the past seven days. (Des Moines Register)
National news
No evidence yet to suggest COVID-19 vaccine booster is needed, CDC group says
There’s no evidence yet to suggest that a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot is needed, a working group for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. But that could change as the pandemic evolves, and public health officials will continue to monitor the virus to determine if additional shots are warranted in the future. (NBC News)
Heart inflammation in teens and young adults after COVID-19 vaccine is rare, CDC says
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 323 cases of heart inflammation have been verified in people who received the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have been seen mostly in teens and young adults between 12 and 39 years old — mostly after the second vaccine dose. Symptoms include chest pain or pressure and abnormal electrocardiogram and blood test results. Most people who have experienced this side effect have recovered from symptoms and are doing well. No deaths have been associated with this side effect. (Iowa Public Radio)
US life expectancy decreased by an ‘alarming’ amount during pandemic
Average life expectancy in the US plummeted in 2020, widening the life expectancy gap between the US and other high-income countries. The decline was particularly sharp among Hispanic and Black Americans, a new study found. Health experts anticipated life expectancy would drop during the pandemic, but how much it did came as a surprise. (NBC News)