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Paxlovid has been free. Now comes the sticker shock
Nearly 6 million Americans have taken Paxlovid for free, courtesy of the federal government. The Pfizer pill has helped prevent many people infected with COVID-19 from being hospitalized or dying, and it may even reduce the risk of developing long COVID. But the government plans to stop footing the bill within months, and millions of […]
Is the COVID pill reaching those who need it most? The government won’t say.
As the nation largely abandons mask mandates, physical distancing, and other COVID-19 prevention strategies, elected officials and health departments alike are now championing antiviral pills. But the federal government isn’t saying how many people have received these potentially lifesaving drugs or whether they’re being distributed equitably. Pfizer’s Paxlovid pill, along with Merck’s molnupiravir, are aimed […]
Biden’s rapid-test rollout doesn’t easily reach those who need it most
In the past week, the Biden administration launched two programs that aim to get rapid COVID tests into the hands of every American. But the design of both efforts disadvantages people who already face the greatest barriers to testing. From the limit placed on test orders to the languages available on websites, the programs stand […]
As omicron surges, efforts to vaccine young children stalls
Two months after Pfizer’s COVID vaccine was authorized for children ages 5 to 11, just 27% have received at least one shot, according to Jan. 12 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only 18%, or 5 million kids, have both doses. The national effort to vaccinate children has stalled even as the […]
Stark racial disparities exist for vaccination rates across U.S.
Black Americans’ covid-19 vaccination rates are still lagging months into the nation’s campaign, while Hispanics are closing the gap and Native Americans show the highest rates overall, according to federal data obtained by Kaiser Health News. The data, provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in response to a public records request, gives […]