Vaccinated people can hug

Hello,

Today in healthcare news: New CDC guidelines for those who are vaccinated, industry experts and doctors aren't sold on Owlet's baby smart sock, and "vaccine hunters" have stepped in to help get people shots.

CDC says vaccinated people can hug and gather indoors without masks

• The CDC released its first guidance for fully vaccinated people on Monday.
• Fully vaccinated people can visit unvaccinated family members from a single household indoors, provided no one who's unvaccinated is "at risk of severe COVID-19."
• The guidance only pertains to people who've given their shots several weeks to take effect.

Read the full story from Hilary Brueck here>>

A company selling a smart sock for babies is going public in a $1.1 billion SPAC deal. Industry veterans and pediatricians aren't sold on the device.

• Owlet sells a "smart sock" for babies that lets parents track their infant's health metrics.
• The company reached a deal with a SPAC in February to go public at a $1.1 billion valuation.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend infant wearables, and a healthcare industry expert criticized Owlet's financial projections.

Read the full analysis from Patricia Kelly Yeo here>>

Rogue 'vaccine hunters' are angling for appointments and uncovering loopholes in America's Wild West shot rollout

• Amid a rocky vaccine rollout in the US, groups helping "vaccine hunters" have stepped in.
• The groups vary across states, but their aim is the same: "Every vaccine should be put in an arm."
• Still, ethical quandaries about access and who gets prioritized remain.

Read the full story from Andrea Michelson here>>

More stories we're reading:

• High-performance apps become a lifestyle and status symbol in quarantine (Insider)
• What the past pandemic year has cost teenagers (ProPublica)
• I got the COVID-19 vaccine because I'm fat. You should too. (Insider)
• Inside the fall of Watson Health, which is currently for sale (Stat News)

- Lydia