What We’re Reading: Biden Tests Positive for COVID-19; Amazon to Acquire One Medical; HHS Division to Oversee Pandemic Responses

Biden Tests Positive for COVID-19

President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing very mild symptoms, the White House announced in a press release. The positive test comes days after his return from a trip to the Middle East, where he was in close contact with a number of leaders. The White House noted that Biden is fully vaccinated and has received 2 booster doses, and has already begun taking Paxlovid. Until he tests negative for the virus, he will continue to work in isolation at the White House.

Amazon to Acquire One Medical After Reaching Agreement

Amazon and One Medical reached a definitive merger agreement where Amazon will acquire the primary health care provider, the companies announced in a press release. Under the all-cash deal, Amazon will acquire One Medical for $18 per share, for a total of roughly $3.9 billion. According to Neil Lindsay, senior vice president of Amazon Health Services, this acquisition will improve the health care experience by making it more accessible, noting that health care is in need of reinvention.

Biden Administration Elevating Pandemic Response Division Under HHS

The Biden administration is developing a division of HHS to oversee US responses to pandemic threats and other health emergencies, The New York Times reported. This move will take the existing office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and promote it to its own operating division, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response. This elevated division will effectively create a new federal agency to serve as a counterpart to the CDC, FDA, and National Institutes of Health to oversee the country’s emergency medical stockpile and the distribution of emergency vaccines.