Pandemic roundup: Violence against school staff rose during the pandemic, but rural teachers seem less affected

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

The largest trial to date shows that ivermectin, usually a veterinary medicine, didn't reduce people's chances of being hospitalized with Covid-19. Read more here.

Moderna says its newest trial data shows that its coronavirus vaccine produced a strong immune response in children under 6. The vaccine proved moderately effective in reducing Omicron-variant infections overall. Based on the positive results and the need for vaccines for young children, Moderna will seek approval for its vaccine to be administered to 6-to-11-year-olds. Read more here.

Some states are reducing daily reporting of coronavirus data. Some researchers and public-health officials worry that could lead to blind spots, but others say metrics like hospitalizations and wastewater monitoring have become more relevant than daily reports. Read more here.

On Friday, the U.S. Conference of Mayors pleaded with Congress to extend federal pandemic food aid, currently set to expire in July. Read more here.

A recent American Psychological Association report highlights violence against educators and school staff during the pandemic. One-third of teachers surveyed said they've experienced at least one incident of verbal abuse, violence, or the threat of violence from students. More than 40% of school administrators surveyed reported verbal or threatening violence from parents during the 2020-21 school year. About 37% of public-school employees said they wanted to quit. Though the study didn't give a percentage, it said rural employees were less likely to report wanting to quit than their urban and suburban counterparts. Rural teachers were also less likely to report wanting to transfer to another school (24% suburban vs. 18% rural). Read more here and here.