March 25, 2023

Omicron subvariant XBB jumps to 18% of U.S. COVID cases, CDC says

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From Reuters Dec 23 (Reuters) – The highly-contagious Omicron subvariant XBB has surged to more than 50% of COVID-19 cases in the northeastern United States and risks spreading fast as millions of Americans begin holiday travel on Friday. In the week ended Dec. 24, XBB was estimated to account for 18.3% of the COVID-19 cases […]

CAP Enters Memorandum of Understanding with CDC for Surge Testing During Public Health Emergencies

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The CAP signed a memorandum of understanding with the CDC to provide assistance and expertise with diagnostic surge testing during public health emergencies. WASHINGTON – The College of American Pathologists (CAP) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide assistance and expertise with diagnostic surge testing during […]

CDC suggests US travelers take COVID test, regardless of vaccine status

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By Jay Clemons From Newsmax The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is again recommending that domestic American travelers submit to a COVID-19 test — regardless of their vaccine status — roughly three days before each trip. Last month, a federal judge in Florida struck down the CDC/Biden administration’s mask-mandate requirement for public transit, covering airline travel, taxis, buses, and ride-share […]

CDC says COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations ‘Comparatively’ low despite Omicron surge

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From Newsmax COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations are “comparatively” low as the highly infectious Omicron variant of the coronavirus spreads, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said on Wednesday as cases in the United States reached a record high. “In a few short weeks omicron has rapidly increased across the country, and […]

Gauteng’s Omicron wave is already peaking. Why?

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By David Wallace-Wells From Intelligencer In Gauteng, South Africa’s Omicron epicenter, the wave seems to be cresting. In other parts of the country, too, the terrifyingly fast rise of the new variant appears already to be slowing and even receding. This is very encouraging, since it suggests that Omicron waves elsewhere in the world may also be, if […]

What you need to know about the Coronavirus right now

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From Newsmax Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: S.Africa says vaccines, prior infection help mildness of COVID cases: South Africa’s health minister said on Friday that the government believed that vaccines and high levels of prior COVID-19 infection were helping to keep disease milder in a wave driven by the […]

CDC warns unvaccinated 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19

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By Theodore Bunker From Newsmax The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday released data that shows unvaccinated people are six times more likely to test positive for COVID-19, and more than 11 times more likely to die from the virus. “Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 reduces the risk of getting COVID-19 and helps protect you from severe illness even if […]

Coronavirus: US admits ‘failing’ on testing, says Fauci

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From BBC A top health official in the US says that the testing system for coronavirus is currently failing. “The system is not really geared to what we need right now… let’s admit it,” said Dr Anthony Fauci from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The government has come under fire as the […]

The flu vaccine is not 100% effective but you should still get it every year

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Nancy Averett From Business Insider How effective the flu vaccine is will vary from year to year. It can range anywhere from 20% to 60% effective. Each year, flu vaccines are designed to protect against three to four different viral strains of influenza. But sometimes the viral strains that end up in the flu vaccine […]

CDC: More severe strain of flu spreading widely

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From Newsmax Americans aren’t out of the woods yet, as the flu season continues to spread across the country, health officials reported Friday. One major shift that’s occurred is in the viruses that are circulating. At the start of the flu season, the predominant strain was influenza A H1N1, but now a more severe strain, […]