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Got COVID toes after the vaccine? Don't worry, a new study says

Editors
USA TODAY

Happy Wednesday, Daily Briefing readers! The Derek Chauvin murder trial will continue today with more expert testimony after another intense day Tuesday. Also, a new study says that if you're one the people seeing a rash or another skin reaction as a side effect after your COVID-19 vaccine, you don't have to worry. They may be inconvenient, but they're not dangerous. Whew!

Steve and Jane are here with Wednesday's news.

Let's get started with some news items that people are talking about this morning. 

💉 President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that all adults will be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine by April 19, after previously announcing 90% would qualify by that date and all by May 1. With millions more people able to pursue those elusive shots, the picture of a free-for-all emerges, prompting one expert to compare the likely scenario to trying to score Elvis Presley tickets. That said, those in the medical field say growing supply will meet demand in a few weeks.

⚖ The U.S. Department of Education launched its second investigation into Louisiana State University since the school's chronic mishandling of sexual misconduct allegations came to light amid reporting by USA TODAY. The federal agency's Office for Civil Rights notified the university of the Title IX compliance investigation in a letter dated March 31. The agency will examine LSU's handling of student complaints of sexual assault and harassment from the 2018-2019 academic year to the present.

Paul Ritter, a Tony-nominated actor in theater, film and TV who appeared in the 2019 "Chernobyl" miniseries and 2009's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," has died, his representative confirmed. He was 54.  The actor died Monday evening at home after suffering from a brain tumor, surrounded by his wife and sons, representative Isabella Riggs confirmed to USA TODAY. 

📽 Ray Fisher is continuing to speak out about alleged inappropriate conduct on the set of 2017's "Justice League." Among the latest allegations, Fisher, who accused director Joss Whedon of "gross, abusive" behavior last year, claims he learned several executives producers expressed concerns about having "an angry Black man" at the center of the movie.

🛳 Carnival Cruise Line threatened to move its ships out of U.S. waters Tuesday after canceling additional cruises departing from U.S. ports through June 30. Carnival has 14 home ports along the east and west coasts and the Gulf of Mexico in the U.S., a spokesperson said.

New this morning: More Americans identify as Democrats than Republicans by a margin that hasn't been seen in a decade, according to a report released by Gallup on Wednesday. An average of 49% of adults age 18 and older reported Democratic Party affiliation or said they are independent with Democratic leanings throughout the first quarter of 2021, the pollster said. The survey was conducted by phone from January-March. 

🎧 On today's 5 Things podcast, national correspondent Romina Ruiz-Goiriena tells the story of a Florida woman struggling to survive on minimum wage. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker.

Here's what's happening today:

COVID-19 vaccine side effects study: Rashes, skin reactions not dangerous

A new study finds the many types of odd skin reactions COVID-19 can cause including COVID toes, a measles-like rash and shingles can be rare, and thankfully brief, side effects of getting the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. The minor, though sometimes itchy and annoying, reactions were seen in a database of 414 cases of delayed skin problems linked to the vaccines and reported to health care professionals. The findings appeared Wednesday in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The delayed skin responses described in the study often start a day or so after vaccination but can appear as long as seven to eight days later. None caused a life-threatening reaction, a finding author Dr. Esther Freeman found reassuring. Because the cases only include those reported to a dermatological registry, it's impossible to say how common they are across all people getting the vaccines from the data.

Derek Chauvin trial to continue with more expert testimony

Expert witness Sgt. Jody Stiger is expected to continue his testimony Wednesday in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin and face more questions about why he determined Chauvin's use of force on George Floyd, a Black man who died in police custody in 2020, was "excessive." Stiger, a Los Angeles Police Department officer who has conducted about 2,500 use of force reviews, said the initial use of force on Floyd that day was appropriate. But after officers forced Floyd to the ground, "they should have de-escalated the situation," Stiger told jurors Tuesday. Instead, the officers intensified the situation, he said. Also on Tuesday, officer Nicole Mackenzie, the EMT who leads the Minneapolis Police Department's emergency medical response training, said officers are trained to call for an ambulance and provide medical aid if a situation is "critical." The officers that day did not render medical aid, according to court records.

What else people are reading:

🔵 Iowa basketball star Luka Garza made history Tuesday, becoming the first college athlete to sell his own NFT card. Garza's NFT looks similar to a trading card — four different images of the Iowa center are on the square, along with his signature. A portion of the proceeds will go toward the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.

🔵 Ketchup is the next COVID-19-related shortage. More specifically, some chains are seeing shortages of the supplies of the small individual packages restaurants give with pickup, takeout and delivery orders. Kraft Heinz confirmed to USA TODAY that it is working to increase supplies.

🔵 Reality TV star and businesswoman Kim Kardashian West is now worth $1 billion, up from $780 million in October, according to a Forbes report, earning her a spot on the outlet's World's Billionaires List.

🔵 Singer Demi Lovato has revealed she isn't completely sober following her near-fatal 2018 overdose. Lovato said she still drinks alcohol and uses marijuana in moderation and has referred to herself as "California Sober," a controversial and somewhat fluid colloquialism to describe people who abstain from most substances. This is what experts think of the approach.

Which shows do you want to return? Vote for your favorites now! 📺

Major broadcast networks are weighing the fates of dozens of endangered sitcoms and dramas, hovering "on the bubble" between renewal and cancellation. USA TODAY's 24th annual Save Our Shows poll asks you to weigh in on which you'd like saved – and which dropped – as the networks set their 2021-2022 schedules to be unveiled in mid-May.

Last year's winner: NBC's "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist," the musical drama that is once again "on the bubble" due to modest ratings and high costs. Many factors go into renewal decisions, including Nielsen ratings, creative quality, profitability, digital viewership and program ownership. Other shows currently "on the bubble" include: 

  • ABC: "The Goldbergs," "A Million Little Things," "Mixed-ish," and "The Rookie"
  • CBS: "Clarice," "MacGyver," "S.W.A.T." and "United States of Al"
  • The CW: "Stargirl"
  • Fox: "Prodigal Son" and "The Resident"
  • NBC: "Good Girls," "Kenan," "Law & Order: Organized Crime," "Manifest" and "Young Rock"

Stimulus checks due to arrive for some Social Security recipients

Some Americans have something special to look forward to Wednesday: stimulus money from Uncle Sam in their bank account. The latest round of payments totaling $1,400 applies to Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Railroad Retirement Board beneficiaries who didn't file a 2019 or 2020 tax return or didn't use the IRS' Non-Filers tool. The IRS said the money would be disbursed electronically through direct deposits and payments to existing Direct Express cards. Track your money using the "Get My Payment" tool on IRS.gov.

Next on the FLOTUS agenda: help for military families

First lady and military mom Jill Biden is turning her spotlight on a cause close to her heart: making sure military and veteran families, caregivers and survivors get all the support they need. Biden says military readiness and national security depends on the well-being of military families. On Wednesday, she'll discuss the initiative "Joining Forces" at a virtual meeting at the White House. Per an advance copy of her remarks obtained by USA TODAY, Biden's priorities will focus on employment and entrepreneurship, military children’s education and families' health and well-being. 

Newsmakers in their own words: One woman on living on minimum wage

"Anyone else would throw in the towel, but I am strong, Christ makes me strong."

– Elsa Romero, 57, lives in Miami and makes minimum wage at her two jobs, taking home $1,600 per month. 

Romero's expenses exceed the amount of money she makes per month. Sometimes she stays up until 3 a.m. thinking about how she will make ends meet. During the lockdown, she stopped taking the insulin she needs to treat her diabetes for five days. The attempt to wean herself off to save money nearly killed her. She was nauseous, dizzy, dozing off. Rationing insulin can cause a person to lose consciousness and die if untreated.

Romero's moment of respite comes when she attends her small local church on Sundays, her only day off. 

'Kung Fu' is debuting at a crucial time for Asian American community

"Kung Fu," a new series inspired by the 1972 show by the same name, will debut on the CW Wednesday night (8 p.m. ET/PT). The series has a mostly Asian American cast with an Asian American showrunner and executive producer. The Asian American community is paying attention, not only to see their stories on TV but to see how they're told. "Kung Fu," inspired by the series starring David Carradine, stars Olivia Liang as Nicky Shen, who while visiting China, joins a monastery where she is taught Shaolin values and martial arts. Tzi Ma, who plays Nicky's father Jin, hopes the authenticity of the series will help to change the public consciousness at a time when hate crimes against Asian Americans are on the rise. "I want the audience to have the opportunity finally to see what real reputation representation is like," Tzi Ma said. "And when they get educated, they will begin to develop their taste of what's good, what's real and what’s true."

ICYMI: Some of our other top stories published Tuesday

Contributing: The Associated Press

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