Coronavirus Watch: The deal with next-gen vaccines

Remember Operation Warp Speed? The Trump administration's program in the early days of the pandemic helped rapidly develop and distribute COVID vaccines. 

Now, the Biden administration has announced a similar initiative that will cut across government agencies and involve public-private collaborations.

The goal: Accelerate the development of next-generation COVID vaccines that are longer-lasting and protect against all variants as well as future coronaviruses. 

The $5 billion plan will also seek to develop a nasal vaccine and more durable monoclonal antibodies resistant to new variants (antibodies are no longer available because they weren't able to keep up with the evolving virus).

But reaching these goals will likely be more difficult than it sounds, experts say. Read more from health reporter Karen Weintraub here. 

This is the Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's what we're reading this week:

• Grab the Clorox wipes: Researchers now have real-life evidence that COVID does indeed spread via household surfaces and hands (in addition to airborne transmission). The takeaway: If you're sharing space with someone who is sick, wash your hands frequently and clean surfaces.
• The COVID vaccine requirement debate has lingered for the country's Head Start programs, which serve low-income kids under 5, but last week a judge ruled they can no longer require staff to be vaccinated. Read more here. 
• What does long COVID do to kids? Doctors at post-COVID clinics have made strides in the pediatric field, and they now estimate between 5% and 10% of kids and teens who get infected develop long COVID. Read more here.

Important note: This newsletter is coming to a close

For the past three years, we've been honored to bring you the most important news and developments about COVID-19. While we recognize that the pandemic isn't over, we'll be ending this newsletter at the end of April. 

In the meantime, Paste BN has many brilliant newsletters, like the Daily Briefing, which rounds up the morning news. Subscribe here.

As always, thanks for reading.

– Rachel Aretakis, health editor