Hello,
Welcome to Insider Healthcare. I'm Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer, and today in healthcare news:
- Pfizer made the case for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots after saying protection starts to wane around six months;
- The CDC changed its COVID-19 testing guidance, saying even vaccinated people should get tested after exposure;
- Biotechs want to tap into the $115 billion synthetic-cannabis market.
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Pfizer doubles down on the case for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots
- Pfizer on Wednesday advocated for booster shots of its COVID-19 vaccine.
- The pharma giant said protection against mild illness started to wane after about six months.
- The vaccine's protection against severe disease has held up, even against the Delta variant.
The CDC quietly changed its guidance to say even vaccinated people should get tested if they've been exposed to COVID-19
- Until Tuesday, the CDC maintained that fully vaccinated people did not need to get tested for COVID-19, unless they developed symptoms.
- But, new data shows vaccinated people may be able to transmit the Delta variant just as well as the unvaccinated.
- The CDC is now urging anyone who's been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 to get tested 3-5 days later, so they don't put others at risk.
Biotechs are betting millions on unlocking the $115 billion synthetic-cannabis market
- Biotechs are chasing the $115 billion market for synthetic cannabis compounds.
- These compounds range from the better-known THC and CBD to rare compounds such as CBG and CBN.
- Producing these compounds synthetically has some distinct advantages over traditional growing.
More stories we're reading:
- Cuomo pushes private New York employers to bring workers back into the office by Labor Day even as he warns about the Delta variant (Insider)
- Humana in its second-quarter earnings call warned of "uncertainty" for the rest of the year as COVID-19 cases spike (Healthcare Dive)
- Department of Homeland Security will require all employees to wear masks and socially distance, even if they're vaccinated (Insider)
- Female surgeons are at greater risk for pregnancy loss (The New York Times)
- Lydia
Read the original article on Business Insider