Health News Roundup: Young lured to tobacco addiction via e-cigarettes - WHO; U.S. sells 'Pharma Bro' Shkreli's unique Wu-Tang Clan album and more

"That's under consideration right now," Biden told a reporter who asked whether the administration was weighing such a requirement. CDC will recommend K-12 students, teachers wear masks regardless of vaccinations -sources The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday plans to recommend all kindergarten through 12th grade students and teachers wear masks regardless of vaccination status, sources briefed on the matter told Reuters.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Young lured to tobacco addiction via e-cigarettes - WHO

The tobacco industry's sleek marketing is attracting youngsters to e-cigarettes which can lead to tobacco addiction, despite claims by some executives that they aim to solve the smoking epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. Over eight million people die annually from tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke, making the habit a leading cause of preventable diseases, the WHO said in a report calling for greater regulation of smoke-free devices containing nicotine.

U.S. sells 'Pharma Bro' Shkreli's unique Wu-Tang Clan album

The U.S. government said it sold imprisoned drug company executive Martin Shkreli's one-of-a-kind album by Wu-Tang Clan to pay off the $7.36 million he was ordered to forfeit after being convicted of fraud. In a letter to U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto, who oversaw Shkreli's 2017 trial in Brooklyn, prosecutors said the forfeiture amount has been fully satisfied following the sale of the album "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" and other asset sales.

U.S. House panel holds hearing on pandemic evictions by corporate landlords

Corporate landlords continue to evict tenants - many of them people of color - during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite a federal ban on evictions, a congressional panel was told on Tuesday. The hearings followed last week's announcement by the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis of an investigation into the practice, which has been the subject of several news reports, including by Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/us/special-report-giant-us-landlords-pursue-evictions-despite-cdc-ban-2021-04-23/).

Biden considers requiring COVID-19 vaccines for federal workers

President Joe Biden said on Tuesday his administration is considering whether to require U.S. federal employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. "That's under consideration right now," Biden told a reporter who asked whether the administration was weighing such a requirement.

CDC will recommend K-12 students, teachers wear masks regardless of vaccinations -sources

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday plans to recommend all kindergarten through 12th grade students and teachers wear masks regardless of vaccination status, sources briefed on the matter told Reuters. CNN and the Washington Post reported the planned announcement earlier. Asked about the change to guidance for students and teachers, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said "this is new guidance that is being issued by the CDC."

England to welcome double-vaccinated U.S. and EU tourists -FT

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is on Wednesday expected to approve the reopening of England's doors to double-vaccinated tourists from the European Union and the United States, Financial Times reported on Tuesday. British government ministers pushed the prime minister to act, arguing that it was safe to start re-admitting foreign tourists without the need for quarantine if they had received two vaccine doses, the newspaper said https://on.ft.com/3zILzFI, citing sources.

U.S. CDC recommends vaccinated Americans wear masks indoors in many cases

Americans fully vaccinated against COVID-19 should go back to wearing masks in indoor public places in regions where the coronavirus and especially the Delta variant are spreading rapidly, U.S. authorities said on Tuesday. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommended all students and teachers at kindergarten through 12th grade schools wear masks regardless of vaccination status. The CDC said children should return to full-time, in-person learning in the fall with proper prevention strategies.

Biogen withdrew Aduhelm paper after JAMA asked for edits - Axios

Biogen Inc withdrew its paper that analyzed results from the clinical trials of its controversial Alzheimer's drug, Aduhelm, that was submitted to medical journal JAMA, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing two sources familiar with the matter. Biogen withdrew the paper as JAMA considered rejecting it unless edits were made, according to the report. (https://bit.ly/3f2zsvf)

Italy says 99% of COVID deaths since Feb were not fully vaccinated

Almost 99% people who have died of COVID-19 in Italy since February this year were not fully vaccinated, the National Health Institute (ISS) said on Tuesday. The study, contained in a regular report on COVID-19 deaths released by the public health body, added that the few fully vaccinated people who died of COVID were also significantly older than those who died without full vaccination, at 88.6 years of age versus 80.

UK COVID-19 cases fall again, deaths hit highest level since March

Britain on Tuesday recorded 23,511 COVID-19 cases, the seventh consecutive day with a lower total than the previous day, but 131 deaths were registered within 28 days of a positive test, the highest figure since March, according to official data.