Forbes - More Vaccines On The Way

Plus: Global carbon emissions back at pre-pandemic levels

It seems like the U.S. is finally getting its Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing on track. The White House said today that millions more doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be available this week, thanks to ramped up production by Pfizer and Moderna as well as the newly-authorized Johnson & Johnson vaccine. However, just because vaccines are available doesn’t mean the rollout is going smoothly just yet. There’s still trouble getting the vaccines from the manufacturers into patients’ arms. Despite the fact that most Americans haven’t yet been vaccinated, states including Texas and Mississippi announced today that they have decided to drop all Covid-19 restrictions, including mask mandates.

Business

Primary health care company One Medical is now the subject of a Congressional subcommittee investigation after allegations that the company has allowed people to skip the line for Covid-19 vaccines. 

Health insurance company Clover Health says that its fourth quarter earnings were negatively impacted by Covid-19. 

Top Democrats are urging President Biden to include recurring stimulus checks and better unemployment benefits in a massive infrastructure bill. 

Meanwhile, Senator Mitch McConnell says that Republicans will fight the president’s $1.9 trillion stimulus bill in any way they can. 

Science & Health

Here’s how lessons learned from producing vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic could make the response to the next pandemic even faster.

Dr. Fauci says that the U.S. will stick to giving people two doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, despite some wanting to delay the second dose in order to distribute vaccines to more people. 

A new variant circulating in New York is starting to concern experts.

What Else We Are Reading

• Thousands of Farmworkers Are Prioritized for the Coronavirus Vaccine (New York Times)

• To Beat COVID, We May Need a Good Shot in the Nose (Scientific American)

• Connecticut Is Doling Out Vaccines Based Strictly on Age. It’s Simpler, but Is it Fair? (Kaiser Health News)