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Panel recommends FDA authorize Moderna vaccine for kids, teens 6 to 17

A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel on Tuesday recommended the agency expand the authorization of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine to children and teenagers ages 6 to 17.

The vaccine is currently approved for adults only. 

The panel voted 22-0 to recommend authorizing Moderna’s two-dose vaccine for adolescents and teenagers ages 12 to 17. The panel similarly voted 22-0 to recommend authorizing the shot for 6-to-11 year olds. 

Children ages 6 to 11 would receive smaller 50 microgram shots, while teens ages 12 to 17 would receive the same dosage as adults at 100 micrograms.

The FDA is likely to follow the panel’s advice in the coming days, but there ultimately won’t likely be much of an impact on vaccination rates, since children and teenagers have had access to Pfizer-BioNTech”s vaccine since last year. 

After the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will consider the matter as early as Friday.

Moderna initially asked FDA to clear its vaccine for adolescents ages 12 to 17 last June, but concerns over a rare heart condition led officials to delay authorization. 

On Tuesday, health officials said the risks for myocarditis and pericarditis may be higher in adolescent males, but the overall incidence is relatively rare and not statistically significant enough to draw definitive conclusions. In addition, the vast majority who suffer the side effect fully recover.

Several panel members expressed concern that the emergency authorization would only be for a two-dose primary series, even though there’s evidence that a third dose will be needed. 

Moderna’s clinical trials were conducted before the omicron variant became dominant throughout the country. The data was based on variants that are no longer a threat.

FDA’s Doran Fink said Moderna will present data on a third dose soon. 

“I think the benefits clearly outweigh the risks, but I say that with the comfort being provided that there will be a third dose,” said panel member Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “If that was not true, I wouldn’t feel the same way. We’re not in the same part of this pandemic anymore. It’s a different time.”

Updated at 4:53 p.m.

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Lawmakers seek bipartisan path for improving kidney disease care

Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Donald Payne, Jr. (D-N.J.) touched on their own personal experiences with kidney disease on Tuesday as inspiration for seeking bipartisan solutions to patient care.

Payne said at The Hill’s “Chronic Kidney Disease: Forging Patient Centered Solutions” event that he receives dialysis treatment, adding that finding ways to alleviate people’s struggles with chronic kidney disease should not become a political battle. 

“Kidney disease is not a partisan issue. It crosses across the aisle and back. We need to look at these things as human conditions and not make them political footballs,” the co-chairman of the Congressional Men’s Health Caucus told The Hill’s editor-in-chief, Bob Cusack. 

One way Congress can help advance kidney care is by expanding screening options and ensuring that everyone who needs kidney treatment has access to the right drugs, according to Payne. 

“More screening is really the key to making sure we get to folks in time before they succumb to kidney disease and then subsequently need transplant,” Payne said. 

“We will continue to do the work we need to do, but I’m always engaging in my colleagues on the other side of the aisle in reference to these situations because they are not partisan,” Payne added. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some 15 percent of U.S. adults — or about 37 million people — have chronic kidney disease. 

Congress has already shown some bipartisanship when it comes to health care, as the House overwhelmingly passed legislation on June 8 that facilitates quicker Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review of new drugs and technologies, expanding care options. Guthrie said he expects a negotiated version of this FDA Act will be signed into law by Aug. 1. 

Guthrie, who said his son underwent treatment for his kidneys, agreed that bipartisanship on this issue is possible, both now and in the future if the Republicans take control of the House after the 2022 midterm elections.

Guthrie said that telehealth services, which could increase at-home dialysis treatment for those with chronic kidney disease, should extend beyond the length of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Telehealth is one of those things we can sit down on in a bipartisan way,” Guthrie said at the event, sponsored by Bayer. “So our hope and objective is we’re going to have policies ready to go if we take the majority, and it’s going to have to be bipartisan.” 

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Airbnb investigating viral posts claiming to find hidden cameras

(NEXSTAR) – Airbnb has put stays on hold at one of its rentals in Philadelphia after social media posts claimed to show hidden cameras disguised as fire sprinklers in the property’s bedroom and bathroom.

The photos and video posted to Twitter by user @foxytaughtyou purportedly show what at first glance looks like a sprinkler head. However, a closer look revealed a small camera lens, the Twitter user said.

She said she found 10 such “hidden cameras” throughout the house, including one pointing toward the shower in the bathroom, as well as one in the bedroom.

“Luckily it was a girls trip so I wasn’t having intercourse… but I was naked and had to change in this room,” she tweeted.

On TikTok, the woman explains she didn’t notice the supposed cameras at first. After arriving at the Philadelphia Airbnb, she said she and a friend immediately got dressed and went out. But when they came back, they fell asleep on the couch.

“When we woke up in the morning and looked up, we discovered that this was a camera,” she says of a device that looks like a fire sprinkler above the couch. “We got on the chair, on stools and we did a flash test on these sprinklers and they are cameras.”

A “flash test” may refer to a technique popularized by a viral TikTok last year. The video advises people to flash lights into any suspiciously placed smoke detectors, alarm clocks or shower heads. If a hidden camera is inside, you might see the lens reflect a blue or red light.

Airbnb said it is investigating the guest’s report of hidden cameras. As the company seeks to determine if there were in fact cameras hidden on the property, Airbnb says it has suspended the host and removed the listing from the platform.

“Our policies strictly prohibit hidden cameras and we take forceful action in the exceptionally rare circumstances where this has been reported, including assisting law enforcement to help them hold criminals accountable,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.

While the company allows listings to have surveillance cameras in public areas, like a driveway or front door, it doesn’t allow cameras or other monitoring devices in spaces like bedrooms, bathrooms or living rooms guests might sleep in.

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Explosion at Texas terminal injects uncertainty into global energy market

Last week’s explosion at a Texas natural gas terminal Freeport LNG has injected further chaos into international energy markets as the U.S. has stepped up to replace Russian gas exports to Europe.  

Experts said Friday that while the facility is offline, it will likely keep about 1.33 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per day off the market for the next three weeks.  

Before the explosion, it had a daily capacity of about 2 Bcf. On Tuesday, the facility lengthened the forecasted shutdown period, saying it was aiming for a partial restart in 90 days, with full-service restoration not expected until late 2022.   

Freeport, which said no one was injured in the incident, has attributed the explosion to a fire caused by the rupture of an over-pressurized pipeline.  

This “will contribute to a possible tightening of the market as it coincides with some Asian and South American buyers coming to market for volumes,” said Eugene Kim, research director for American Gas at the energy consulting firm Wood Mackenzie.  

“Global gas prices, not surprisingly, settled higher Thursday. The disruption could support prices through summer if it continues.”  

The incident, which remains under investigation, comes at a pivotal moment for U.S. natural gas production in the international market.  

The European Union sanctioned Russia’s gas industry in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As a result, European nations have grown increasingly reliant on the U.S. to make up the difference. And the EU’s final agreement on an embargo of Russian oil, reached in early June, is likely to further heighten the need.  

Natural gas prices plummeted Tuesday after the extension of the timeline. American natural gas dropped about 16 percent to $7.22 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). 

Meanwhile, European gas prices increased by about 21 percent.  

Before the invasion, Russia was the number three LNG exporter to Europe, after the U.S. and Qatar. While the U.S. was already the top exporter, the Biden administration in March announced a deal with the EU to step up exports to replace about one-third of those coming from Russia.   

Mike Sommers, president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, said on a press call Tuesday that even in the absence of the Freehold terminal, other LNG producers may be able to fill in the gap.  

“In the meantime, there are a lot of other companies that are coming online right now, like Venture Global and a couple of others as well,” Sommers said. “And we’re hopeful that they’ll be able to fill the need for more LNG than Europe is going to require, replace Russian natural gas coming into the country, into the continent of Europe.”  

However, API Senior VP of Policy, Economics and Regulatory Affairs Frank Macchiarola added that Freeport is “a significant location” for LNG production.  

“It’s about 17 to 18 percent of our current capacity, so that certainty is important in the tight market that we face right now,” he said.  

In a commentary after the explosion, energy analysis firm Rystad Energy noted that LNG exports from the Freeport facility were already down from 2 to 1.35 Bcfd by Friday morning, even before the shutdown impacted the numbers.  

Rystad analysts added that the explosion and resultant shutdown indicate the risk factors and unpredictability of the market.  

“Although Rystad Energy expects utilization rates in the US to stay close to 100%, any weather driven event or prolonged periods of maintenance always pose a risk that could cause plant downtime,” the commentary stated.  

“The explosion at Freeport LNG is one such example of unexpected events that could potentially cause reduced production and a loss in shipments in an already strapped market.”  

Freeport sent about 85 of its total delivered volumes to Europe in April and 78 percent in May, a major increase from historical levels, according to Rystad. However, even since imports increased, the plant was only sending about 10 percent of Europe’s total imports, Rystad experts said.  

“Europe will feel the effects but should be able to offset the lost volumes with increases from other facilities in the US and other countries,” Emily McClain, Rystad’s vice president for North American Gas Markets, told The Hill in an email. “[I]t is unlikely the plant will fully shut down, as this can have further negative impacts on the facility. This small volume is likely being circulated to maintain operations and can be sent to storage if necessary.”  

In the meantime, however, the loss of output from Freeport is likely to further constrain supply in a market where demand is already high from the Ukrainian conflict. American LNG exports have surged since 2016, a period when they went from nearly non-existent to the U.S leading in exports.   

“The United States is exporting every molecule of natural gas we possibly can,” Samantha Gross, director of the Brookings Institution’s Energy Security and Climate Initiative, told The Hill in April. Demand was already high enough before the invasion of Ukraine that U.S. LNG production was nearly maxed out.  

“There’s not a ton of extra LNG capacity just sitting there waiting to supply Europe,” she said.   

Source: TEST FEED1

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko to be honored with ESPY award

Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine, and former world heavyweight boxing champion, is set to be honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the 2022 ESPY awards ceremony. 

In a statement on Tuesday, ESPN said that Klitschko will receive the award due to the courage he has shown throughout Russia’s ongoing invasion of his native country, during which he has served as a public face for Ukraine’s resistance and vowed, alongside his brother and fellow heavyweight champion Wladimir, to fight against Russia. 

Klitschko and his brother inspired other boxing champions such as Oleksandr Usyk to return to their native country to join defense battalions as well. 

Klitschko, who has served as Kyiv’s mayor since 2014, thanked ESPN for honoring him with the award. 

“It is a great honor for me to receive this award,” Klitschko said in a statement. “I am convinced that this is a recognition of the courage and inviolability of the Ukrainian people, who have been bravely resisting the Russian aggressor for more than 3 months. This is an award for everyone who defends the independence and freedom of Ukraine.”

The Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, named after tennis great and activist Arthur Ashe, is given out to athletes and prominent world figures whose contributions go beyond sports. Previous recipients include boxing legend and activist Muhammad Ali, former WNBA star Maya Moore and Olympic Gold Medalist Caitlyn Jenner. 

“Vitali’s poise and strength as his city and country faces unfathomable tests have far surpassed the incredible resolve he demonstrated as one of boxing’s top heavyweight champions,” Executive Editor-At-Large of ESPN Content Rob King said in a statement. “His commitment to the people of Ukraine has been a global inspiration, and his bravery is a prime example of the resilience of the human spirit. It is our privilege to bestow him with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.”

This comes after Klitschko, who finished his boxing career with a 45-2 win-loss record, recently spoke at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, ESPN noted. 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, has killed thousands on both sides and displaced over 7.5 million Ukrainians.

The 2022 ESPY Awards are set to take place on July 20

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Real estate companies Compass, Redfin to cut workforce

Real estate companies Compass and Redfin are planning to cut their workforces since housing sales dropped. 

Both companies submitted filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission showing the layoffs. 

Compass said they would be laying off 10 percent of workers, 450 employees, while Redfin is firing six percent, 470 employees. 

Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman said in an article on the site that the company “had to” lay off employees as the economy “could be facing years, not months, of fewer home sales.”

“To all the departing people who put your faith in Redfin, I’m sorry we can’t keep our commitment to you. With May demand 17% below expectations, we don’t have enough work for our agents and support staff, and fewer sales leaves us with less money for headquarters projects,” he added.

Compass cited “slowing economic growth” in its reasoning to cut employees, a spokesman for the company said in a statement to CNBC. 

“Due to the clear signals of slowing economic growth we’ve taken a number of measures to safeguard our business and reduce costs, including pausing expansion efforts and the difficult decision to reduce the size of our employee team by approximately 10%,” a Compass spokesperson said.

The Hill has reached out to Redfin and Compass for comment. 

Source: TEST FEED1

Anti-abortion protester arrested for scaling Oklahoma skyscraper

Police arrested an anti-abortion activist on Tuesday after they say he scaled the tallest building in Oklahoma.

Maison DesChamps, who calls himself the “Pro-Life Spider-Man,” posted a video on his Instagram story Tuesday morning as he hung onto the outside of the 50-story Devon Tower in Oklahoma City.

“They’re gathering, no helicopter yet though,” DesChamps said as he panned the camera down towards the ground, showing what appeared to be a fire truck responding to the scene.

He encouraged viewers to donate to Let Them Live, an anti-abortion charity that donates to people seeking an abortion so they choose to have their baby instead, and sends out activists to stand on sidewalks outside abortion clinics.

The organization posted on Instagram announcing its partnership with DesChamps on Monday, saying he would scale a building in support of the group without specifying where he would climb.

The Oklahoma City Police Department said they arrested DesChamps at the top of the building and initially announced he would be booked on complaints of trespassing and disorderly conduct. Authorities ultimately dropped the disorderly conduct charge.

Capt. Valerie Littlejohn, a spokesperson for Oklahoma City Police, said at a press conference that building staff called in a complaint just after 8:40 a.m after they noticed someone scaling the tower.

The Devon Tower is the headquarters of the Devon Energy Corporation.

Littlejohn said police and the local fire department responded by closing down nearby streets and setting up “safety measures” as DesChamps continued to climb the 844-foot-tall building, eventually arresting him once he reached the building’s roof.

“It was difficult watching someone, especially at that height,” she said. “Luckily he was able to make it all the way up without falling or hurting himself, so we’re grateful for that.”

Source: TEST FEED1

Most Hispanics believe more visible representation would boost Latino numbers in STEM: study 

Latino workers remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforces and a new Pew Research Center report found that more visible representation of successful Latinos in STEM would make those workforces more attractive to other Latinos.  

While Hispanics make up 17 percent of the total workforce, only 8 percent work in a STEM field, according to a Pew Research Center report published last year. Meanwhile, white workers make up 63 percent of the workforce and make up 67 percent of STEM workers and Asians make up 6 percent of the total workforce but account for 13 percent of the country’s STEM workforce.  

While Pew has conducted research in the past to examine the lack of Latinos in STEM jobs, with this study, researchers wanted to dig deeper to figure out some potential barriers Latinos face into pursuing careers in science, technology, and math, according to Cary Funk, director of science and society research at the Pew Research Center.  

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“What I see as particularly striking as a potential barrier is how people are seeing these professions as less than welcoming to Hispanic Americans in their ranks,” said Funk.  

Most Hispanic Americans view jobs in the sciences as potentially “unwelcoming” to Latinos, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center.  

In the survey, Pew researchers state that three out of 10 respondents, or 29 percent, view scientists as “not too or not at all” welcoming of Latinos in the field.  

Meanwhile, only 26 percent of respondents believe that scientists as a professional group are “very welcoming” while 42 percent said they were “somewhat” welcoming.  

But respondents also expressed that more visible representation of Latinos in STEM could help drive an interest by making those fields appear more welcoming towards Latinos, Funk added.  

Half of the Hispanic adults that responded to the survey said that seeing more examples of “high achievers” in STEM who are Latino would help “a lot” to encourage younger Latinos to pursue college degrees in STEM. Meanwhile, 31 percent of respondents said that more visible examples of high achievers in STEM would drive interest among younger Latinos to pursue degrees in STEM “a little.”  

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