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Some people are drinking or gargling povidone iodine (Betadine) to treat COVID-19, causing experts to warn that ingesting the antiseptic is toxic, not helpful in fighting SARS-CoV-2, and may lead to iodine poisoning and kidney failure. (KOKH Oklahoma City; Newsweek)
Preventable COVID-19 hospitalizations among unvaccinated adults cost an estimated $5.7 billion from June through August, a new Kaiser Family Foundation analysis showed.
Federal health officials moved to avert shortages of COVID-19 monoclonal antibodies, setting new rules that may cut distribution to some states, including seven in the Deep South with high infection rates that are using about 70% of the national supply. (Washington Post)
One in four southern U.S. hospitals said more than 95% of its ICU beds are occupied. (New York Times)
As of Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. EDT, the unofficial COVID-19 toll in the U.S. was 41,367,771 cases and 663,963 deaths, up 144,666 and 1,711, respectively, since this time Tuesday.
A spike in adverse events involving delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8 THC), coupled with greater availability of the minor cannabinoid and problems stemming from poor labeling of THC and cannabidiol products, led the CDC to issue a Health Alert Network Health Advisory warning.
The Biden administration’s push for booster shots reportedly is being shaped by unpublished data from Israel showing the Pfizer vaccine’s efficacy waning over time. (Politico)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said the state will fine any local government agency that requires its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. (CBS News)
A preprint study using blood samples suggested that mutant-specific T-cell responses were stronger after vaccination than they were in individuals who had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 up to a year ago. (medRxiv)
A total of 8.6% of Americans — 28 million people — didn’t have health insurance for any part of 2020, a 0.1 percentage point increase from 2018, the Census Bureau reported.
Employees purchased food and drinks with fewer calories when workplace cafeterias reduced portion sizes and replaced higher-calorie items with lower-calorie options. (PLOS Medicine)
The CEO of a staffing firm that provides nurses and other health workers resigned after reports of ties to an anti-mask group. (Kansas City Business Journal)
Half of the nation’s 50 largest public universities do not require COVID-19 vaccination. (Associated Press)
In the first major challenge to test the NFL’s new pandemic strategy this season, eight members of the New Orleans Saints tested positive for COVID-19. (Wall Street Journal)
Amid swelling numbers of COVID inpatients, Cincinnati hospitals intensified security at their doors as a public health official pleaded for kindness to healthcare workers enduring “physical violence, vile words, and downright cruel behavior.” (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Hospitalized COVID-19 patients were substantially more likely to harbor autoantibodies than people without COVID-19. (Nature Communications)
Facebook knew about the damaging effects of its photo-sharing app Instagram on the mental health of teen girls, company documents revealed. (Wall Street Journal)
The FDA granted accelerated approval to zanubrutinib (Brukinsa) for the treatment of treatment-resistant marginal zone lymphoma, BeiGene announced.
The Justice Department accused a data mining company of fabricating diagnoses to overcharge the government tens of millions of dollars for patient treatment. (NPR)
A new elective in street medicine takes Mayo Clinic med students out of the classroom to work with agencies serving homeless people in Minnesota. (KTTC-TV)