Only 58% of Americans say they are likely to get a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a new survey from STAT and The Harris Poll. This number was 69% in mid-August. Black Americans’ willingness to be vaccinated as soon as a vaccine is available has fallen more than that of white Americans, from 65% two months ago to just 43% now, versus a 70-to-59-% falloff among white individuals. (STAT)
Wearing masks when traveling by airplanes, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-share vehicles are strongly recommended, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mandate. This includes while in transportation hubs like airports and train stations for travelers and employees. (Reuters)
UNICEF is buying and distributing more than half a billion single-dose syringes in countries where it functions. The move is part of a larger UNICEF plan to accumulate one billion syringes by 2021 to prepare for an eventual COVID-19 vaccine. (The New York Times)
Many Americans who got recommended colon cancer screenings also got bills for those procedures they hadn’t expected, according to a new study published in Annals of Internal Medicine. It found that 12% of insurance claims for more than 1.1 million elective colonoscopies involved out-of-network charges, which could have averaged $400 for a screening that those patients thought was covered. (WebMD)
A large number of COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals still experience symptoms that include breathlessness, fatigue, anxiety and depression two to three months after contracting the virus, according to initial findings of an Oxford University study. There were also abnormalities detected in multiple organs. (Reuters)
