WHO updates variant nomenclature to Greek letter names - June 2, 2021

U.S. stock futures paused Wednesday following muted action on the first day of June. Despite the unchanged market, stocks connected to the economic recovery, like airline and cruise operator companies, saw a jump as COVID-19 cases in the U.S. continue to decline.  For the first time in over a year, the US records a daily average of fewer than 20,000 new Covid-19 cases - CNN  While the U.S. Worries About Inflation, Growth Elsewhere Faces Lasting Damage - The Wall Street Journal U.S. Economy Is Likely To Sizzle This Summer - NPR   The World Health Organization will start assigning different letters of the Greek alphabet to each new mutation of the coronavirus in an effort to avoid fueling stigma toward nations where the new variants arise. The new names will not officially replace the scientific names already assigned to new variants but will serve as a shorthand for policymakers and the public.  Coronavirus variant names: Farewell, B.1.1.7. Hello, Alpha! - Los Angeles Times WHO renames COVID variants with Greek letter names to avoid stigma - USA Today The agency that enforces workplace discrimination laws said that companies can make their employees who are returning to the job get vaccinated against COVID-19. Some companies are wary of setting mandates until vaccines are fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which so far has granted emergency use authorization. The federal workplace watchdog has allowed companies to mandate flu and other vaccines in the past, but workers can still keep their jobs while opting out of receiving a vaccine by claiming medical or religious exemptions.  Is it against HIPAA to ask about covid vaccinations? - The Washington Post Can I Ask Co-Workers if They’ve Had the Covid Vaccine? - The New York Times Magazine What employers can do when a worker refuses to be vaccinated - The Business Journals Income and other socioeconomic factors appear to be driving bigger disparities in coronavirus vaccinations than race. Anti-vaccine conspirac