Public Health

U.S. COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are nearing record levels, placing second only to this past winter's peak.  

The World Health Organization classified a new COVID-19 strain as a variant of concern Aug. 30. The strain, named mu, was first detected in Colombia in January, according to the WHO's  weekly COVID-19 epidemiological update. 

Sixty-five health systems in the U.S. have signed a pledge from America's Essential Hospitals to equitably distribute the COVID-19 vaccine, the organization said Sept. 1.

Billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital physician assistant Hayley Arcenaux and two others participating in the first all-civilian space mission to orbit Earth will be helping with research on how space affects the human body. 

In the wake of Hurricane Ida, critically ill infants were transported from Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, a hospital spokesperson confirmed to Becker's.

U.S. mortality rates are expected to be 15 percent higher than pre-pandemic averages and aren't set to return to previous levels until 2023, according to a government report released Aug. 31 by the trustees of the Social Security and Medicare…

Researchers have identified a new COVID-19 variant called C.1.2. in South Africa that appears to have similar mutations as other variants of concern, according to research published Aug. 26 in preprint server medRxiv. 

All Americans — regardless of vaccination status — should wear masks in public indoor settings, and unvaccinated people should avoid traveling for Labor Day, according to Rochelle Walensky, MD, director of the CDC.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island is requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Kaiser Permanente is postponing nonurgent surgeries and procedures at its Moanalua Medical Center in Honolulu amid the latest COVID-19 wave, the Oakland, Calif.-based health system said in an Aug. 27 news release.