Health News Roundup: U.S. House panel holds hearing on pandemic evictions by corporate landlords; Biden considers requiring COVID-19 vaccines for federal workers and more

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.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

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.

Regions near Olympic host Tokyo to seek COVID-19 emergency steps

Governors of three prefectures near Olympics host Tokyo are likely to ask the government to declare states of emergency for their regions, media said on Wednesday, after COVID-19 infections spiked to a record high in the Japanese capital. Tokyo recorded 2,848 new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, the highest since the pandemic began, and media reported authorities had asked hospitals to prepare more beds for patients amid a surge driven by the Delta variant.

Sydney adds four weeks to lockdown as Australia COVID-19 cases spike

The Australian city of Sydney extended a lockdown by four weeks on Wednesday after an already protracted stay-at-home order failed to douse a COVID-19 outbreak, with the authorities warning of tougher policing to stamp out non-compliance. Far from a planned exit from lockdown in three days, the city of 5 million people and neighbouring regional centres spanning 200 km (120 miles) of coastline were told to stay home until Aug. 28 following persistently high case numbers since a flare-up of the virulent Delta variant began last month.

U.S. urges vaccinated Americans to wear masks indoors in many places

Americans fully vaccinated against COVID-19 should go back to wearing masks in indoor public places in regions where the coronavirus is spreading rapidly, U.S. health authorities said on Tuesday. In a toughening of guidance issued earlier this month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommended all students, teachers and staff at schools for kindergarten through 12th grade wear masks regardless of whether they were vaccinated.

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)

Washington Post to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for reporters and staff

All Washington Post employees will be required to present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination by mid-September as a condition of employment, with exceptions for medical and religious concerns, Publisher Fred Ryan announced on Tuesday in a memo to staff. The paper's new vaccination policy comes amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the United States attributed to the highly contagious Delta variant.

Biden will require federal employees be vaccinated or tested - CNN

U.S. President Joe Biden will announce on Thursday a requirement that all federal employees and contractors be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be required to submit to regular testing, CNN reported on Tuesday, citing a source with knowledge of the matter.

California expands state healthcare to undocumented residents 50 and up

California's governor on Tuesday signed into law a major expansion of the state's Medicaid coverage to all low-income residents aged 50 and up regardless of their immigration status, extending eligibility to some 235,000 undocumented people. Governor Gavin Newsom, a first-term Democrat facing a Republican-led recall election in September, said the bill is a key milestone in efforts to bring universal healthcare to the nation's most populous state.

India reports 43,654 new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours

India reported 43,654 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the federal government said on Wednesday. The country's total case load now stands at 31.44 million infections, according to a Reuters tally.