EU Experts To Review AstraZeneca Vaccine

Plus: A Covid-19 flight from hell

Welcome to the one-year anniversary of the Forbes Covid-19 newsletter. I started this newsletter on March 16th, 2020, and expected it to only last a few weeks, but here we are. Thank you for joining me nearly every weekday since then as we navigate through this pandemic together. 

Sweden has become the latest country to stop using the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine over fears that it could be related to blood clots. There hasn’t been any substantial evidence released to the public yet that the vaccine causes an increased risk of clots, but that hasn’t stopped more than ten countries from halting distribution of the vaccine at a crucial moment in the pandemic. Earlier today, experts from the European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization individually met to review the vaccine and determine if it is linked to clots. The organizations could come to a decision about whether to continue to endorse the shot or not as soon as Thursday.

Business

Major banks and credit unions must make the first wave of stimulus checks available to customers by tomorrow morning, the IRS says. 

Hilton and Delta Airlines will join Lyft’s efforts to provide rides to people who need to get to Covid-19 vaccine sites.

Science & Health

Moderna announced today that it is starting to test its Covid-19 vaccine in children ages 6 months to 11 years old. 

Many people are experiencing long-term neurological effects even after they’ve recovered from Covid-19, but going to a specialized recovery clinic can help rehabilitation.

Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced that the drug molnupiravir shortened the number of days that people were sick with Covid-19 in preliminary trials.

What Else We Are Reading

• Hear what changed Trump voters' minds about vaccines (Video, CNN)

• Vaccine passports should be free, private and secure, White House says. But who will be issuing them? (USA Today)

• How to Make Spring the Last Lost Semester (Wall Street Journal)