Disease Prevention

Opinions: Questions about the need for a fourth vaccine shot, and omicron-specific vaccines

Tue, 2022-01-11 11:05 — mike kraft

What's the Benefit of a Fourth COVID Vaccine? Experts say additional boosters could provide diminishing returns Amanda D'Ambrosio medpagetoday

... as daily infections break records and hospitals across the country near capacity during the Omicron surge, many people have raised questions about whether they'll need to get a fourth dose.

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CDC weighs recommending N95 or KN95 masks instead of cloth masks against omicron variant

Tue, 2022-01-11 10:29 — mike kraft

CDC weighs recommending better masks against omicron variant The agency is likely to recommend that people who can consistently wear N95 or KN95 masks, rather than cloth masks, should do so. Washington Post

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Why are rapid tests for COVID-19 in such short supply? --Explainer

Mon, 2022-01-10 19:19 — mike kraft

Backround on why rapid tests for COVID-19 are in such short supply

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At-home rapid antigen tests are reselling for triple the retail price on some digital marketplaces. Testing locations in L.A. County have been overwhelmed by mile-long lines, with some events canceled due to traffic. Some would-be self-testers have resigned themselves to driving between CVS and Walgreens locations, hoping to snag a kit at a reasonable price.

Companies are racing to fulfill the excess demand.

Abbott Laboratories, which makes the BinaxNOW rapid antigen test, expects to produce 70 million tests this month and is working to raise that to 100 million, said CEO Robert Ford.

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First free rapid tests will arrive for distribution "early next week," White House says

Mon, 2022-01-10 17:38 — mike kraft

First free rapid tests will arrive for distribution "early next week," White House says The first Covid-19 tests that will be sent to Americans for free will start arriving for distribution “early next week,” the White House said Monday. By <a href="/profiles/melissa-mahtani" target="_blank">Melissa Mahtani,</a> Melissa Macaya, Aditi Sangal and Mike Hayes, CNN CNN

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U.S. Home COVID tests to be covered by insurers starting Saturday

Mon, 2022-01-10 17:20 — mike kraft

Home COVID tests to be covered by insurers starting Saturday | AP News WASHINGTON (AP) — Starting Saturday, private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans. The Biden administration announced the change Monday as it looks to lower costs and make testing for the virus more convenient amid rising frustrations. AP NEWS

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Canada resists pressure to drop vaccine mandate for truck drivers crossing the border

Mon, 2022-01-10 13:29 — mike kraft

Canada resists pressure to drop vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pushing ahead with a vaccine mandate for international truckers despite increasing pressure from critics who say it will exacerbate driver shortages and drive up the price of goods imported from the United States. Steve Scherer Reuters

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Puerto Rico may point to how to beat the COVID pandemic

Mon, 2022-01-10 09:48 — mike kraft

Why one of the most vaccinated places in America couldn’t avoid omicron Puerto Rico has been hit hard by omicron, but it’s still a model for how the US can beat the pandemic. Nicole Narea Vox

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Pfizer CEO says omicron vaccine will be ready in March

Mon, 2022-01-10 09:32 — mike kraft

Pfizer CEO says omicron vaccine will be ready in March Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the goal is to product a vaccine that is much better at preventing infection from omicron. Spencer Kimball CNBC

fizer CEO Albert Bourla said a vaccine that targets the omicron variant of Covid will be ready in March, and the company’s already begun manufacturing the doses.

“This vaccine will be ready in March,” Bourla told CNBC’s Squawk Box. “We (are) already starting manufacturing some of these quantities at risk.”

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White House, USPS finalizing plans to begin shipping coronavirus test kits to U.S. households

Fri, 2022-01-07 17:51 — mike kraft

White House, USPS finalizing plans to begin shipping coronavirus test kits to U.S. households Washington Post

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New York state to mandate boosters for health care workers

Fri, 2022-01-07 17:34 — mike kraft

New York to mandate boosters for health care workers New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Friday announced a new mandate requiring all health care workers to get a COVID-19 booster shot. Brad Dress TheHill

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Hochul said during a news conference that the state's health care workers will be required to get the booster shot for the coronavirus within two weeks of eligibility.

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