Pandemic roundup: nearly 500 law enforcement officers have died from Covid-19; 'Long Covid' affects more than half of virus survivors; hospital vaccine mandates working

Here's a roundup of recent news stories about the pandemic and vaccination efforts:

Nearly 500 law enforcement officers have died from Covid-19 in the U.S. The infection has become the leading cause of death among law enforcement. Read more here.

Because of the Delta variant surge, Americans from all walks of life say they're struggling more with education, finances, and well-being—especially households already on the financial edge and racial minorities. That's according to a recent poll from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Read more here.

Some Native American tribes are offering cash incentives for coronavirus vaccinations. Read more here.

About 41% of hospitals in the U.S. have a coronavirus vaccine mandate for employees. Though some employees have quit rather than get vaccinated, hospitals say the mandates haven't led to the widespread staffing shortages feared. Read more here.

Some small businesses, especially those nearing 100 employees, are having a harder time navigating vaccine mandates. Read more here.

More than half the people diagnosed with Covid-19 suffer lingering after-effects called "long Covid," according to a new study from Penn State. Read more here.

Breakthrough infections might not be as big a threat as previously though, new research suggests. Essentially, vaccinated people may transmit a weaker form of the virus that has been hobbled by antibodies. One writer posits that the milder form of Covid-19 should have a different name. That's appropriate, she writes, since Covid-19 isn't the name of the virus, but the disease that develops from the novel coronavirus, and a much milder disease should be identified as such. There are logistical problems with that notion—as the writer herself notes—but it's an interesting idea, and deserves notice for differentiating between the coronavirus and Covid-19.

Tennessee doctors who spread coronavirus misinformation can face disciplinary action, including suspension or having their medical license revoked, thanks to a new policy of the Tennessee Board of Medicine. Read more here.

Nearly one-third of parents surveyed—33%—say they are "very unlikely" to get their children vaccinated against the coronavirus if it becomes available for ages 5 to 11. Meanwhile, 28% said they were "very likely" to get their kids vaccinated, 18% were "somewhat likely" and 21% were either "somewhat unlikely" or "unsure." Read more here.

American adults age 65 and up have an 83.3% coronavirus vaccination rate nationwide, the highest of any age group. But they are also the most likely age group to be hospitalized or die from Covid-19, representing nearly 80% of all such deaths as of Sept. 29, 2021. A study has found that Covid-19 deaths among seniors during the Delta surge were higher in states with lower vaccination rates, adding to the wealth of evidence attesting to the vaccine's efficacy. Read more here.

Hundreds of thousands of the nation's 2.1 million troops remain unvaccinated or partially vaccinated against the coronavirus as mandate deadlines near. Read more here.

There is little evidence to suggest that ivermectin can treat Covid-19. But despite the lack of data, 4 in 10 Americans, and 7 in 10 heavy users of conservative news media, say they would take the drug if they had been exposed to someone with Covid-19, according to a survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center. How did people get the notion that ivermectin treats Covid-19? The Washington Post traces the phenomenon.

An essay from The Atlantic offers six principles to keep in mind as the pandemic enters its second winter, including: the people at greatest risk from the virus will keep changing. Read more here.