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New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show a significant increase in antibiotic use in US hospitals early in the COVID-19 pandemic, with smaller upticks observed during subsequent COVID-19 surges. ... Faced with severely ill patients with pneumonia-like illness, limited diagnostic tests and treatment options, and concerns about secondary bacterial infections, healthcare providers frequently turned to antibiotics. (Dall, 8/4)

A growing number of Americans are building immunity to antibiotics, which can make them more vulnerable to illnesses and infections. There are about 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which cause at least 35,000 annual deaths. (Rudy, 8/5)

The decadelong friendship between Reps. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) and Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) survived elections, impeachments and the Jan. 6 insurrection. But the battle over where to place blame for the last pandemic, and how to confront the next one, is testing its limits. Ruiz, Wenstrup and their staffs began the year with high hopes that the lawmakers — fellow doctors who both entered Congress in 2013, had neighboring offices, regularly went out to dinner together and co-wrote several wonky health care bills — could meaningfully collaborate as chair and ranking member of Congress’ sole committee dedicated to investigating the government response to Covid-19. (Ollstein, 8/6)

Public health experts said tracking reinfections is important for understanding long-term complications and immunity from vaccination. Resources at health departments, however, are now being diverted to other areas that are in need. It comes even as COVID-19 hospitalizations tick up across the U.S., though experts say it's no reason for concern yet. (Kekatos, 8/6)

Massachusetts State Police must reinstate seven troopers who refused to be vaccinated for COVID-19, an independent arbitrator has ruled. The troopers have been on unpaid leave, but the arbitrator’s decision means they can return to work with retroactive pay if they choose. (8/6)

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo recently posted on X, previously known as Twitter, that two USC basketball players who suffered cardiac arrests "almost certainly were forced or misled" into taking the COVID-19 vaccine. One of those players was Bronny James, son of NBA star Lebron James. In a follow-up post, Ladapo cited a Swiss study, and said data from the state supported his claim. (Bowman, 8/4)

The organization that runs ProMed, an early warning system on disease outbreaks, defended its plans to charge a subscription for its service on Friday, calling it “the only viable path forward” given the resources required to run it. In a lengthy statement, the head of the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID) apologized for “any confusion and distress” caused by communication of the group’s plans. But she also said there was little choice but to move to a subscription-based model. (Branswell, 8/4)