As concerns about the potential spread of a strain of bird flu from dairy cows to humans continue, US federal health officials have announced their readiness to deploy vaccines if necessary. Currently, there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission, but the virus is widespread in dairy herds across several states. Vaccine candidates are already available, and plans are in place to ship hundreds of thousands of doses within weeks if the situation escalates.
Meanwhile, Walmart has made the decision to close its Walmart Health centers in 5 states, as well as its virtual care services. This move highlights the challenges that retail players face in disrupting primary care, with issues related to sustainability, profitability, and operational costs. The closure of all 51 health centers marks a shift from Walmart’s previous plans to expand its healthcare services, reflecting similar struggles faced by other retailers like Walgreens as they scale back their primary care offerings.
In other news, Arizona lawmakers voted to repeal the state’s long-standing Civil War-era abortion ban, preserving access to abortion for millions of women. This marks a significant shift from previous efforts to uphold the 1864 ban, with Democrats leveraging it for support before the November election. However, Republicans, concerned about potential electoral consequences, ultimately joined Democrats in passing the repeal.
