Cases Spike in LA County; ‘Horrifying’ Anti-Vax Cheer; FDA Probes Aduhelm Approval

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Los Angeles County is experiencing a worrisome spike in COVID-19 cases, with thousands of new infections mainly in unvaccinated residents. (Los Angeles Times)

“Horrifying.” That was the response from NIAID director Anthony Fauci, MD regarding a CPAC crowd cheering a remark about the government struggling to reach vaccination goals. (Rolling Stone)

Fauci also commented separately that there “should be more” local vaccine mandates. (Politico)

A 90-year-old unvaccinated Belgian woman who died in March represents the first known case of someone contracting two COVID-19 variants at once. (Forbes)

As of about 8 a.m. ET, the estimated COVID-19 toll in the U.S. included 33,854,127 cases and 607,157 deaths, increases of 61,682 and 675, respectively, since the same time Friday.

Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, MD, requested a federal investigation into the approval of Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug, aducanumab (Aduhelm) and the relationship between the company and the agency. (Fierce Pharma)

Pfizer will meet with U.S. government officials about the need for a vaccine booster. Meanwhile, Israel will begin giving a third dose of vaccine to adults with impaired immune systems. (Washington Post, Reuters)

A Florida-based doctor was arrested as a key suspect in the assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse. (New York Times)

The European Medicines Agency spotted a potential connection between very rare heart inflammation and the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, but says the vaccines’ benefits still outweigh their risks. (Reuters)

Investors concerned that “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli continues to hold sway over a pharmaceutical company even from prison, are taking steps to sever the relationship. (The New York Times)

The NFL has agreed to stop using “race norming” in dementia tests, but the practice remains part of medical tools across a range of medical specialties. (Vox)

The World Health Organization released new recommendations about the safety, effectiveness and ethics of human genome editing.

Good news: Rates of asthma attacks dropped precipitously during the pandemic, and some doctors think they understand why. (The Atlantic)

Bad news: Risk of malaria and dengue could rise in the U.S. over the next several decades if greenhouse gas emissions continue their upward trend. (The Hill)

Fifty-two percent of unvaccinated adolescents and 56% of parents of unvaccinated adolescents said, when asked in April, that they intended to get the vaccine for themselves or their adolescent children, respectively. (MMWR)

Scientists using Fitbit data to track physiological and behavioral changes in patients with COVID-19 infection saw elevated resting heart rates that lasted for an average of 79 days following the onset of their symptoms. (Fierce Health)

Pope Francis made his first appearance in public from a hospital balcony, following his July 4 surgery to remove part of his colon. (ABC News)

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