Indiana’s governor asks court to review emergency law ruling
Gov. Eric Holcomb is asking the state’s high court to review a judge’s ruling that upheld a new law giving legislators more power to intervene during public health emergencies.
Health Care
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Vaccine booster mix-and-match approach poised for FDA clearance
Preliminary results of a U.S. government-sponsored trial found that mixing coronavirus vaccines produces as much or more antibodies as using the same shot as a booster.
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Next on FDA’s agenda: Booster shots of Moderna, J&J vaccines
On Thursday and Friday, the FDA convenes its independent advisers for the first stage in the process of deciding whether extra doses of the two vaccines should be dispensed and, if so, who should get them and when.
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Hospitals spend millions in race to hire traveling nurses
Indiana University Health, the state’s largest hospital system, recently hired 700 traveling nurses to work in its 16 hospitals under 13-week contracts.
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Health care firm that runs clinics for employers is expanding nationwide
Marathon Health, which splits its headquarters between Indianapolis and suburban Burlington, Vermont, operates primary-care clinics for employers in 42 states.
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Articles
Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine more than 90% effective in children
Details of Pfizer’s study were posted online. The Food and Drug Administration was expected to post its independent review of the company’s safety and effectiveness data later in the day on Friday.
CDC gets behind COVID vaccine booster rollout, OKs mixing shots
About two-thirds of Americans eligible for COVID-19 shots are fully vaccinated, and the government says getting first shots to the unvaccinated remains the priority.
Indiana COVID cases rise by 2,161, deaths by 26
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 decreased from 1,475 on Tuesday to 1,445 on Wednesday, their lowest number since Aug. 13.
Indiana’s GOP push against vaccine mandate faces hurdles
Some conservative Indiana lawmakers who want to stymie planned COVID-19 vaccine mandates for private employers are facing skepticism from their own Republican leaders and the state’s largest business group.
FDA OKs mixing COVID vaccines; backs Moderna, J&J boosters
The Food and Drug Administration’s decisions mark a big step toward expanding the U.S. booster campaign, which began with extra doses of the Pfizer vaccine last month.
Indiana reports 51 more COVID deaths, drop in hospitalizations
More than 247,000 Hoosiers have already gotten vaccine boosters, after a daily increase of 5,690.
White House details plans to vaccinate 28M children age 5-11
Federal regulators will meet over the next two weeks to weigh the benefits of giving shots to children, after lengthy studies meant to ensure the safety of the vaccines.
Indiana’s death toll from COVID-19 increases by 61
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 decreased from 1,576 on Sunday to 1,551 on Monday, their lowest number since Aug. 16.
Supply-chain crunch creating shortages of some foods
More than a year and a half after the coronavirus pandemic upended daily life, the supply of basic goods at U.S. grocery stores and restaurants is once again falling victim to intermittent shortages and delays.
Here’s why COVID boosters weren’t tweaked to better match variants
More COVID-19 booster shots may be on the way—but when it’s your turn, you’ll get an extra dose of the original vaccine. And that has some experts wondering if the booster campaign is a bit of a missed opportunity to target delta and its likely descendants.
Marion County offers free at-home COVID-19 rapid testing kits for targeted areas
Residents who live in 23 targeted ZIP codes with high rates of COVID-19 and lower-than-average rates of vaccination can get free, rapid, at-home testing kits that health officials hope will reduce the spread of the deadly virus.
Indiana passes million-case mark for official COVID-19 infections
More than 235,000 Hoosiers have already gotten COVID-19 vaccine boosters, with a weekend increase of nearly 15,000.
Cities seek to loosen rules on spending federal pandemic aid
At issue is $350 billion for states, counties and cities that was part of the massive COVID-19 relief bill signed in March. Under rules developed by the U.S. Treasury Department, some governments have more flexibility than others to spend their share of the money as they want.
FDA panel endorses booster shot for J&J COVID-19 vaccine
U.S. health advisers endorsed a booster of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine Friday, citing growing worry that Americans who got the single-dose shot aren’t as protected as those given two-dose brands.
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 drop below 1,600
According to the state health department’s latest breakthrough statistics, nearly 500 people in Indiana have died of COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated.
FDA panel takes up tough questions on J&J COVID-19 boosters
U.S. health advisers on Friday tackled who should get boosters of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine and when—and whether using a competing brand for the second dose might provide better protection.
FDA panel endorses lower-dose Moderna COVID shot for booster
The panel of outside advisers to the FDA voted unanimously to recommend a booster shot for seniors, as well as younger adults with other health problems, jobs or living situations that put them at increased risk from COVID-19.
IMF warns economic recovery threatened by virus, inflation
The International Monetary Fund called Thursday for greater efforts from wealthy nations to boost COVID vaccination rates in poorer countries, while also urging the Federal Reserve and other central banks to respond quickly if current inflation pressures prove not to be transitory.
Indiana’s COVID-19 death toll rises by 78
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 decreased from 1,708 on Tuesday to 1,634 on Wednesday, the lowest number since Aug. 17.