The 9 behind-the-scenes professionals you need to know in digital health

Hello,

Welcome to Insider Healthcare. I'm Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer, and today in healthcare news:

• We found 9 players working behind the scenes who can make or break a digital health startup;
• It's back to wearing masks indoors, even for those fully vaccinated, CDC says;
• Here's the presentation Deep Genomics used to raise $180 million from investors including SoftBank and Khosla.

If you're new to this newsletter, sign up here. Comments, tips? Email me at [email protected] or tweet @lydiaramsey125. Let's get to it…

As coronavirus cases continue to surge in the US fueled by the Delta variant, the CDC introduced new masking guidelines.

Everyone should mask up indoors, whether vaccinated or not, in areas of the country at higher risk from the virus. The CDC also recommended that everyone in K-12 schools wear a mask indoors.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Tuesday that new data about Delta had prompted the change from May, when the CDC had said that masks were no longer necessary for fully vaccinated people.

Of particular concern, the CDC said the Delta variant makes it easier for vaccinated people to transmit the virus.

The spread of the highly transmissible variant could put the coronavirus "just a few mutations potentially away" from evading vaccines.

To counter the surge, the US government is planning to get tougher on vaccine mandates too. Biden is planning to announce a vaccine mandate for federal employees and contractors on Thursday, CNN reports.

It could follow some agencies and other employers that have begun to mandate employees get vaccinated.

The 9 behind-the-scenes players who can make or break your digital-health startup

• Digital health is booming, fueling a wave of dealmaking and record private funding rounds.
• Startups need a bench of behind-the-scenes professionals to take advantage of the moment.
• Insider identified nine of healthcare's hottest but least known power players.

Get the exclusive list here>>

CDC: Everyone should mask up indoors - whether they're fully vaccinated or not - as the Delta variant sweeps the US

• The CDC said on Tuesday that everyone should wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
• Masks are important in areas with high coronavirus transmission and in schools, it said.
• The CDC had said in May that masks were no longer necessary for fully vaccinated people.

Find out more>>

See the slide deck that helped Deep Genomics convince SoftBank and Khosla to bet on the AI-focused biotech startup

• Deep Genomics raised $180 million in a round led by SoftBank, one of tech's largest investors.
• The Toronto biotech is incorporating AI and a software mentality to make RNA-based medicines.
• Deep Genomics plans to have four drugs in human testing by mid-2023, CEO Brendan Frey told Insider.

Check it out>>

More stories we're reading:

• The CDC now recommends masks for vaccinated people - but at least 6 major cities had already told residents to mask up again (Insider)
• Biogen submitted a paper to JAMA about its Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm but later pulled it after the organization demanded edits (Axios)
• The US just sold 'Pharma Bro' Martin Shkreli's copy of the Wu-Tang Clan's 'Once Upon a Time in Shaolin' to an undisclosed buyer (Insider)
• Execs at Universal Health Service warn of the Delta variant's surge and its potential impact on labor (Healthcare Dive)

- Lydia