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Today's Rundown

Dunking on COVID: NBA installs Clear Health Pass tech as arenas refill
Mental health startup Real lands $10M backed by Lightspeed and soccer star Megan Rapinoe
AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot tagged with new warning in EU, highlighting rare blood clot risk
FDA grants first COVID-19 antibody green light for at-home, fingerprick blood test
UPDATED Coronavirus tracker: More than 500,000 people signed up for ACA coverage in special enrollment period
COVID-19 tracker: Feds kick off vaccine allergy trial; U.K. to restrict AZ shot in young adults
Icosavax raises $100M to take RSV, COVID-19 vaccines into clinic
In-demand virtual trial firm Medable nabs Duke University's Tenaerts as CSO

Featured Story

Dunking on COVID: NBA installs Clear Health Pass tech as arenas refill

By Andrea Park

After bursting its own bubble for the 2021 season, the NBA has come up with a new protocol to protect players, fans and employees from the spread of COVID-19.

Mental health startup Real lands $10M backed by Lightspeed and soccer star Megan Rapinoe

By Heather Landi

Startup Real launched last year to make healthcare services more accessible by providing on-demand group therapy. The company, based in New York City, scored $10 million in series A funding led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and big-name backers including U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe, Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks and actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot tagged with new warning in EU, highlighting rare blood clot risk

By Fraiser Kansteiner

Unusual blood clots with low blood platelets should be listed as a “very rare” side effect of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, the European Medicines Agency said Wednesday. With cases piling up over the past month, several countries have stopped using the shot altogether.

FDA grants first COVID-19 antibody green light for at-home, fingerprick blood test

By Andrea Park

Antibody testing just went DIY: The FDA has given the go-ahead to a COVID-19 test that can detect the virus’ antibodies in a dried blood spot sample taken at home.

UPDATED Coronavirus tracker: More than 500,000 people signed up for ACA coverage in special enrollment period

By Healthcare Staff

Follow along with the latest COVID-19 news straight from the Fierce Healthcare team.

COVID-19 tracker: Feds kick off vaccine allergy trial; U.K. to restrict AZ shot in young adults

By Kevin Dunleavy,Fraiser Kansteiner,Eric Sagonowsky

The NIAID has launched a trial to see if highly allergic people are more at risk for reactions to the Moderna and Pfizer COVID vaccines. The U.K. will offer people under age 30 an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has been linked to rare blood clots. The European Medicines Agency will investigate the validity of trials for Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. And more headlines.

Icosavax raises $100M to take RSV, COVID-19 vaccines into clinic

By Nick Paul Taylor

Icosavax has raised $100 million to study viruslike particle vaccines against diseases including respiratory syncytial virus and COVID-19. The series B round equips Icosavax to take two assets into clinical trials this year.

In-demand virtual trial firm Medable nabs Duke University's Tenaerts as CSO

By Ben Adams

Medable has had a strong 12 months, with the pandemic putting its siteless trial approach on the map and helping it make millions in funding; now, it’s hired a prestigious chief scientific officer in Pamela Tenaerts, M.D.

COVID-19 Tracker