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.

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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>>

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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>>

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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>>

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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)

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- Lydia