What We're Reading: Booster Recommendation Expected; Record Cases in States; Blood Transfusions Amid COVID-19

US to Recommend COVID-19 Booster Shots to All Americans

As reported by The Associated Press, US health experts are expected to recommend that all Americans get a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot 8 months of receiving a second dose of their initial vaccine. Although health officials have maintained that fully vaccinated persons remain protected against severe disease, including the delta variant, they also note this decision was made as a way to prepare for the possibility of when efficacy begins to diminish. Nationwide administration of doses is said to begin once the FDA formally approves the vaccines, which is expected in the coming weeks for the Pfizer shot. For those who received the 1-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a timeline on when they should receive a booster dose is still under consideration.

Record Coronavirus Cases Reported in 5 States

Over the weekend, 5 states reported record highs in their 7-day COVID-19 case averages, as strained hospital systems have forced several states to reinstate public health restrictions amid the delta variant surge. Reported by CNBC, record case peaks were observed in Hawaii, Oregon, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi as of Sunday, with the latter 3 states noted to be suffering from the worst outbreaks nationwide. Worldwide, the CDC added 4 destinations to its very high COVID-19 travel risk list: Turkey, Montenegro, Dominica, and the island of Jersey (just off France's coast).

Unvaccinated Donors Requested for Blood Transfusions

As division on COVID-19 vaccine adherence continues to garner debate across the country, an article by Kaiser Health News reports that skepticism on the shots has led patients to demand blood transfusions, when needed, from unvaccinated individuals, which blood centers insisted is not medically sound or operationally feasible. Responding to patients worried that vaccinated blood would be tainted, Red Cross officials have said that COVID-19 vaccines, which are injected into the muscle or the layer of skin below, does not circulate in the blood.