Pandemic roundup: conspiracy fact-checks; unvaccinated employees' death benefit payouts may be denied . . .

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

Employers may deny death benefit payouts for unvaccinated employees who die of Covid-19. Read more here.

Medical officials and misinformation experts warn about a tsunami of anti-vax misinformation now that the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for kids age 5-11. FactCheck.org has a thorough guide to the Pfizer shot for kids. They also have a host of other fact checks about pandemic and coronavirus vaccinations. And here's a fact-check about Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers' claims about the coronavirus.

In related news, a newly published Dutch study found that people who believe pandemic conspiracies are more likely to catch the virus, lose their jobs, and be socially isolated. Read more here.

An appellate court has temporarily halted the Biden administration's vaccine mandate for private businesses, but the White House is urging businesses to move forward with it. Meanwhile, thousands of federal workers have sought religious exemptions to the mandate.

A Maryland public health official says he got fired because a vocal minority didn't like his advice on the pandemic and made trouble with the city council. Read more here.

Pfizer and Merck anti-viral pills show promise in treating Covid-19 patients. Antivirals are expensive and difficult to develop, especially for acute respiratory diseases, but they could change the course of the pandemic, say experts.

A fast-spreading offshoot of the Delta variant is on the rise in the United Kingdom and other countries; experts worry it could cause a winter coronavirus surge if not enough people are vaccinated. Read more here.