FDA approves updated Moderna and Pfizer Covid boosters set to arrive soon as cases rise: Latest

New Covid boosters from Pfizer and Moderna designed to target the XBB.1.5 subvariant have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and are expected to be made available later this week.

Health officials say that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will now sign off on it amid rising cases of Covid across the US.

Last week Moderna released a statemen saying the company’s updated boosters are expected to work well against the BA.2.86 variant – unofficially called “Pirola”.

Covid-19 case counts are rising across the US, and public health authorities are monitoring the worrisome new variant. Some experts are urging Americans to wear a mask when necessary to slow the spread of the virus.

Doctors warned that Pirola may be cause for concern as it is a newly-designated, highly-mutated variant of Omicron which triggered a surge in cases in a number of countries including the US.

According to a Thursday bulletin in Yale Medicine, the new variant has more than 30 mutations to its spike protein - located on the outer surface of a coronavirus - which helps it enter and infect human cells.

CDC Covid tracker

18,871 hospitalisations from 27 August to 2 September

Key Points

• Covid exposure guidelines 2023: What to know

• Do Covid tests work after they expire? What to know as case counts rise across the US

• When will the new Covid vaccines be available?

• Should we wear masks again?

• New Covid boosters approved as CDC set to decide who should receive them amid rising cases

Global health authorities continue to monitor Pirola variant

02:00 , Maggie O’Neill

The new Covid variant BA.2.86, also known as Pirola, is being monitored around the world. A recent outbreak at a nursing home in the UK revealed that 22 residents had been infected with the variant, a descendant of Omicron.

Ian Jones reports:

Fears over how easily new Covid variant spreads after care home cases

Everything we know about the latest round of Covid boosters, including how to book an appointment

Sunday 17 September 2023 21:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Things are becoming clearer about the rollout of the latest Covid vaccine after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week released updated guidance regarding the new Covid-19 vaccines.

More here:

Everything we know about the Covid boosters, including how to book an appointment

President Biden urges American public to get Covid-19 vaccine

Sunday 17 September 2023 18:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Joe Biden is encouraging Americans to “stay-up-to-date on their vaccines” ahead of cold and flu season. Covid cases could rise in the coming months as cold weather sets in, experts say.

Maroosha Muzaffar reports:

‘Stay up-to-date on vaccines’: Joe Biden’s message to Americans on booster shots

Jeanine Pirro confronted during Fox News segment on vaccine misinformation

Sunday 17 September 2023 15:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Fox News host Jeanine Pirro appeared annoyed when her colleague, Jessica Tarlov, claimed Covid-19 vaccines are safe during a segment on vaccine misinformation. Tarlov responded by reminding Pirro that she got the vaccine and turned out “fine”.

Graig Graziosi reports:

Jeanine Piro shuts down after co-host reminds her she’s vaccinated

DeSantis slams Trump for the way he managed Covid

Sunday 17 September 2023 12:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticised the way former president Donald Trump handled the Covid-19 pandemic when the virus first swept through the US in a new interview with Fox News Radio.

The governor called on the former administration to “own what they did”, per reporting from The Hill.

In 2020, then president Trump publicly suggested injecting disinfectants like bleach into humans to combat the virus. In December of that year, he also said it was “terrific” that 15 per cent of Americans had already had Covid. At that time, the daily death toll from Covid-19 in the US had exceeded 2,000 people, as The Independent previously reported.

DeSantis has argued that the US should not have enacted the restrictions that were put in place at the start of the pandemic to try to slow the spread of the virus.

Health authorities urge Americans to protect themselves during cold and flu season

Sunday 17 September 2023 07:00 , Maggie O’Neill

The majority of Americans ignored the bivalent boosters released in September 2022 that were meant to protect them from Covid during the 2022-2023 cold and flu season.

Only a quarter of US adults got the shot, according to data from KFF, a health policy research group. As Dr William Schaffner, a professor in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, recently told The Independent, last year’s vaccine was “underutilised and under-accepted”.

But experts are hoping for a better response this year: The CDC is recommending the new vaccines for everyone six months and up. CDC Director Dr Mandy Cohen has said the new vaccines are the best way to protect yourself from severe disease from Covid this fall and winter.

Free vaccines to be made available to uninsured New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, city says

Sunday 17 September 2023 02:00 , Maggie O’Neill

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene tweeted an update on vaccine availability Thursday.

The updated Covid vaccines should be more accessible, experts say

Saturday 16 September 2023 21:00 , Maggie O’Neill

The cost of the new Covid vaccines may prohibit some people from getting them, experts are warning. Pfizer and BioNTech set their price at $120, and Moderna doses will be $129. Novavax shots will be $130 per dose, according to reporting from Reuters

Some have argued that the US government should have asked Moderna and Pfizer for price caps on the vaccine, given that the government funded research that led to the development of the shots. Peter Maybarduk, an advocate that works with an organisation called Public Citizen, based in Washington, recently suggested this to KFF Health News. He added that prices for this round of vaccine increased steeply: The last shots were $20 and $30 a dose. “If these vaccines had been kept the same price, what decisions would be made to expand the response?” Maybarduk said.

Eris grows more dominant in the US, CDC data show

Saturday 16 September 2023 18:00 , Maggie O’Neill

According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the EG.5 variant, sometimes called “Eris”, is becoming more prominent in the US.

By 16 September, the variant, a descendant of Omicron, will be responsible for 24.5 per cent of Covid cases in the US, per the data. That’s up from 22.3 per cent of cases at the start of the month, on 2 September.

CIA investigating claims agents were bribed to hide origins of Covid

Saturday 16 September 2023 15:00 , Maggie O’Neill

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) says it is “looking into” allegations that some agents were paid hush money to draw certain conclusions about where Covid-19 originated, per reporting from ABC News.

Many in the Republican party have pushed for an investigation into the origins of the virus, claiming they were hidden in a conspiratorial cover-up. A whistleblower recently claimed multiple CIA agents were given “significant monetary incentive” to draw certain conclusions about the origins.

CIA spokesperson Tammy Kupperman Thorp said in a statement to ABC News: “At [the] CIA we are committed to the highest standards of analytic rigor, integrity and objectivity. We do not pay analysts to reach specific conclusions. We take these allegations extremely seriously and are looking into them.”

Experts warn of the effects of Covid-19 on pregnancy

Saturday 16 September 2023 10:00 , Maggie O’Neill

With the season of respiratory illnesses approaching, experts are cautioning the public about the dangers of Covid for pregnant people, who are eligible for vaccines.

Doctors slam DeSantis administration for not recommending Covid vaccine to all who are eligible

Saturday 16 September 2023 06:00 , Maggie O’Neill

The administration of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is not recommending Covid boosters for people under the age of 65.

The recommendation goes against guidance from federal health authorities. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are recommending updated shots for everyone six months and older.

Infectious disease experts are now criticising the move online. Dr Amesh Adalja, a biosecurity and emerging infectious diseases expert at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, tweeted about the news on 15 September.

He quoted Florida’s surgeon general, appointed by DeSantis, and questioned his decision. Dr Adalja wrote: “‘What I have directed our department to do is to provide guidance that really recommends and advises against the use of these mRNA Covid-19 vaccines for anyone under 65’— so that would include a  55 year old lung transplant recipient, for example ?”

Experts respond to CDC predictions

Saturday 16 September 2023 01:00 , Maggie O’Neill

On 14 September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the first outlook of the coming respiratory disease season.

Experts expressed concern over the projections. “When a disease is endemic, it means that the levels are mostly predictable. So it’s nice to see the CDC putting out their predictions this fall,” Dr Ellie Murray, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health, tweeted in response to the outlook. “[On the other hand], it’s not so nice that their best case scenario is almost twice as many respiratory hospitalizations as pre-COVID.”

CVS offers appointments for the updated Covid-19 vaccine

Friday 15 September 2023 21:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Earlier this week, Walgreens released a statement saying appointments for the updated Covid vaccine are now available nationwide.

Appointments can now be made at CVS pharmacies, as well, for patients 18 months and older, according to a statement from the company.

For patients aged five or older, appointments can be made at CVS.com or through the CVS app. Some walk in appointments will also be available. For patients 18 months to four years, appointments can be made at MinuteClinic.com.

CDC releases new data on Covid deaths

Friday 15 September 2023 18:00 , Maggie O’Neill

From 3 September to 9 September, deaths from Covid rose 4.5 per cent compared to the previous week, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The rise is significantly lower than that of the week before: From 27 August to 2 September, deaths from the virus rose 10.5 percent.

Health authorities are urging all Americans six months and older to get the latest Covid-19 vaccine, which protects against recent variants.

Ron DeSantis says CDC and FDA are using people who choose vaccination as ‘guinea pigs’

Friday 15 September 2023 15:00 , Maggie O’Neill

The administration of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is not recommending Covid boosters for people under the age of 65.

The recommendation goes against guidance from federal health authorities. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are recommending updated shots for everyone six months and older.

In a statement from DeSantis’s office released 13 September, the governor said, “I will not stand by and let the FDA and CDC use healthy Floridians as guinea pigs for new booster shots that have not been proven to be safe and effective…Florida is the first state in the nation to stand up and provide guidance based on truth, not Washington edicts.”

State Surgeon General Dr Joseph Ladapo, appointed by the governor, echoed DaSantis’s opinions in the statement.

The move comes at a time when health officials are monitoring two new worrisome variants, EG.5 (Eris) and BA.2.86 (Pirola), and both deaths from Covid-19 and hospital admissions are rising. From 27 August to 2 September, hospital admissions rose 8.7 per cent from the previous week, according to the most recent data from the CDC; during that same time period, deaths from the virus rose 10.5 percent.

Kentucky senator discourages Covid-19 vaccine as health authorities urge the public to protect themselves

Friday 15 September 2023 12:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky tweeted about the Covid-19 vaccine this week, quoting a person who said the shots are unnecessary for “most healthy young Americans”.

Though Covid-19 can be more serious for people over the age of 65, more than 17,000 children and adolescents under 20 have died from the virus, per the World Health Organisation.

As hospitalisations and death counts rise, experts like CDC Director Dr Mandy Cohen are encouraging all people six months and older to get vaccinated.

Trump says he never received the ‘credit’ he deserved for managing the pandemic

Friday 15 September 2023 09:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Former president Donald Trump said his efforts in managing the pandemic weren’t acknowledged the way they should have been in a new interview on The Megyn Kelly Show.

“I got a lot of good marks on economy. I got a lot of good marks on a lot of things…I never got, I think, the credit that I deserved on COVID,” he said, per The Hill.

In 2020, the then president publicly suggested injecting disinfectants like bleach into humans to combat the virus. In December of that year, he also said it was “terrific” that 15 per cent of Americans had already had Covid. At that time, the daily death toll from Covid-19 in the US had exceeded 2,000 people, as The Independent previously reported.

At least 3 passengers on grounded cruise ship in Greenland have Covid-19

Friday 15 September 2023 04:00 , Maggie O’Neill

On Monday, a cruise ship carrying 206 passengers and crew ran aground in Greenland. The ship is operated by an Australia-based company called Aurora Expeditions, according to reporting from The Guardian.

The company said in a statement that three people on board have Covid-19. They are in stable condition and are being cared for by a doctor onboard, per The Guardian.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cruise ships should maintain protocols that mitigate onboard transmission of Covid-19.

Flu and Covid vaccines can be given at the same time, CDC says

Thursday 14 September 2023 23:45 , Maggie O’Neill

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released guidance saying everyone six months and older is eligible for at least one dose of the updated Covid-19 vaccines; the shots are currently being made available nationwide.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also recommended that everyone who’s eligible get the flu shot sometime in September or October to best prepare for the 2023-2024 flu season.

If you’re due for both shots, you can get them at the same time, per guidance from the CDC.

CDC director says data back up the recommendation to get vaccinated ahead of cold and flu season

Thursday 14 September 2023 20:45 , Maggie O’Neill

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a video showing director Dr Mandy Cohen speaking about the new Covid-19 vaccines. In the video, Dr Cohen says research supports the agency’s recommendation that all people six months or older get vaccinated to prevent severe disease from Covid-19.

“While we would all love to leave Covid-19 behind, the virus is still here, and making some people very sick, especially older adults,” Dr Cohen said. “This recommendation was based on extensive data in clinical trials. As a doctor, a mom, a wife, a daughter, and head of the CDC, I would not recommend anything to others that I wouldn’t recommend for my own family. That’s why my nine- and 11-year-old daughters, my husband, my parents, and I will all be rolling up our sleeves to get our updated Covid-19 vaccine.”

Researchers urge the public to get vaccinated for the sake of the healthcare system

Thursday 14 September 2023 17:45 , Maggie O’Neill

With Covid-19 vaccinations rolling out across the country, infectious disease experts are reminding Americans that vaccines do more than protect an individual’s health.

Abraar Karan, an infectious disease researcher at Stanford University, recently tweeted, “One of the issues is that many people think of diseases mainly in terms of their own risk of bad outcomes being low. That works for noncommunicable diseases.” For viruses like Covid, however, there’s more at stake, he said. “But for contagious respiratory viruses with high incidence, you multiply that low risk across hundreds of millions and end up with a big absolute number of bad outcomes.”

Karan previously tweeted research estimating that universal Covid-19 vaccination could prevent at least 200,000 hospitalisations and 15,000 deaths during the next two years.

This is how long you need to wait in between Covid vaccinations, per the FDA

Thursday 14 September 2023 14:45 , Maggie O’Neill

In a 11 September statement, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced who will be eligible for the new Covid vaccines. Everyone six months and older can get a new vaccine; two or three doses are recommended for some children aged six months to four years old.

The statement said that everyone five and up is eligible for a single dose; however, they need to schedule an appointment for the vaccine that is at least two months after their last Covid-19 vaccine.

Survey shows how likely Floridians are to believe vaccine misinformation

Thursday 14 September 2023 10:45 , Maggie O’Neill

A new survey from the University of South Florida looked at how likely people in the state are to believe false statements about Covid-19.

The statement found 42% of respondents thought the statement “Vaccines can cause you to get sick with COVID-19” was either “probably true” or “definitely true”.

The same percentage of respondents said “COVID-19 vaccines are causing new variants of the virus to emerge” was “probably true” or “definitely true”.

The survey found that Democratic respondents were “significantly more willing” to continue getting updated Covid boosters than their Republican counterparts.

Covid vaccine appointments can now be made at Walgreens

Thursday 14 September 2023 05:45 , Maggie O’Neill

People in the US can now make appointments for updated Covid-19 vaccines at Walgreens, the company said in a statement released 12 September.

Nationwide appointments will be available starting 18 September, and you can reserve a spot by visiting Walgreens.com/ScheduleVaccine, using the app, or calling 1-800-WALGREENS.

The statement said Walgreens is among a group of select pharmacies the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with to help uninsured and underinsured Americans get the vaccine for free.

These side effects can occur after getting a Covid vaccine, per the CDC

Thursday 14 September 2023 00:45 , Maggie O’Neill

Updated Covid vaccines that target new variants are being rolled out nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said people may experience certain side effects after getting the shot.

These include pain, redness, and swelling at the site of the shot; tiredness; muscle pain; headache; chills; fever; and nausea.

Children may experience different side effects. For those aged six months to three years, side effects include pain at the site of the shot, swollen lymph nodes, crying or irritability, sleepiness, and loss of appetite.

For those four to 17 years old, side effects include pain, redness, or swelling at the site of the shot; tiredness; headache; chills; joint or muscle pain; and swollen lymph nodes.

New York Governor Kathy Hocul urges residents to take Covid seriously

Wednesday 13 September 2023 21:45 , Maggie O’Neill

Governor Kathy Hochul of New York expressed concerns about rising Covid cases on Wednesday.

“I know everyone wants to be done with Covid, but Covid is not done with us,” Governor Hochul said, per reporting from CBS News.

“Hospitalisations are rising. People have questions about new strains, new variants…And as we are approaching the fall season, you see a pattern, when all respiratory illnesses start to creep up.”

Updated Covid vaccines that target new variants are starting to become available nationwide.

Covid shots will cost more than $100 a dose, pharmaceutical companies say

Wednesday 13 September 2023 18:45 , Maggie O’Neill

Companies manufacturing Covid vaccines for the US have set their price lists, and each dose will be between $120 and $130, according to reporting from Reuters.

Pfizer and BioNTech set their price at $120, and Moderna doses will be $129. Novavax shots will be $130 per dose.

The vaccine is recommended for everyone six months and older. Unvaccinated children six months to four years can get three doses of the updated shots, while vaccinated children in the same age group can get two doses. Everyone in the five and up category is eligible for a single dose.

Do Covid tests work after they expire? What to know as case counts rise across the US

Wednesday 13 September 2023 18:03 , Maggie O’Neill

The CDC recommends that the public continue testing for Covid-19 to slow the spread of the virus, and the agency has released specific guidance on when and how to monitor yourself.

If you have symptoms, the CDC recommends testing immediately. If you are only going to take a single test, opt for a PCR test, rather than an at-home test, since they are more reliable. If you use an at-home test instead and the result is negative, you’ll want to take another test in 48 hours or take a PCR test immediately to confirm the result.

If you have been exposed to Covid but you don’t have symptoms, the CDC recommends waiting at least five full days before testing yourself. If you’re only going to test once, you should take a PCR test, since they’re more reliable. If you use an at-home test instead and the result is negative, you should re-test yourself in 48 hours. If that second test is negative, you should wait another 48 hours and test a third time. Following these instructions is the best way to assure your tests are accurate, experts say.

If your at-home test is expired, you shouldn’t use it unless the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given it an extended expiration date. The FDA has provided a list of products that have been given this designation on its website. The list includes product names, lot numbers, original expiration dates, and extended expiration dates.

When will the new Covid vaccines be available?

Wednesday 13 September 2023 15:45 , Maggie O’Neill

Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in a statement that updated Covid boosters will soon be available for all people six months and up.

On 5 September, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “updated vaccines…will be available mid-September”.

As case counts rise, US health authorities are urging the public to stay up-to-date on their vaccines. Some experts are also discussing the possibility that masks may help slow the spread of Covid-19 in the coming days as people start doing more activities indoors.

Do Covid-19 tests work after they expire?

Wednesday 13 September 2023 12:45 , Maggie O’Neill

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you should not use a Covid test after it expires. However, some tests have received extended expiration dates from the agency.

A list of products with this designation can be found on the agency’s website. If you find a test in your home that has been given an extended expiration date, it’s safe to use it until that date.

If you find a test that has already expired, you should not assume it will be accurate, per the FDA.

FDA releases guidance on who can get the updated Covid-19 vaccine

Wednesday 13 September 2023 07:45 , Maggie O’Neill

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement on 11 September explaining who is eligible for the forthcoming Covid vaccines.

The agency said unvaccinated children six months to four years old can get three doses of the updated shots, while vaccinated children in the same age group can get two doses. Everyone in the five and up category is eligible for a single dose, per the statement.

Several states with the highest vaccination rates are in the Northeast, new report finds

Wednesday 13 September 2023 02:45 , Maggie O’Neill

Four of the five states with the highest vaccination rates are in the Northeast, according to a new analysis from WalletHub.

Massachusetts had the highest ranking, followed by Rhode Island, Iowa, Vermont, and Connecticut, according to the report.

The state with the lowest vaccination rate was Mississippi; others in the bottom five included Wyoming, Georgia, Arizona, and Alaska.

Social media app Threads blocks access to Covid-19 information on the platform

Tuesday 12 September 2023 22:45 , Maggie O’Neill

Threads, a text-based social media platform structured similarly to X, formerly known as Twitter, recently rolled out a search engine function, but it will not let users search for info on Covid or long Covid, according to reporting from The Washington Post.

Meta, which owns Threads, said in a statement to the outlet that the “search functionality temporarily doesn’t provide results for keywords that may show potentially sensitive content”.

When users type “Covid” or “long Covid” in the search function, they are met with no results and directed to the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

New variant FL.1.5.1 gains traction in the US

Tuesday 12 September 2023 19:45 , Maggie O’Neill

A new variant known as FL.1.5.1, a descendant of omicron, has become more dominant in the US in recent weeks and is now accounting for 14.5 per cent of all Covid cases nationwide, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show.

The most recent reports put FL.1.5.1 in second place behind EG.5, also known as eris, which is currently responsible for 21.5 per cent of all cases.

Experts are urging the public to stay up-to-date with their Covid vaccines to prepare for cold and flu season this year.

Covid exposure guidelines 2023: What to know

Tuesday 12 September 2023 16:45 , Maggie O’Neill

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you should test immediately if you have Covid-19 symptoms.

If you do not have symptoms of the virus but you’ve been exposed, you should test at least five full days after the exposure.

If you’re only going to take one test, you should opt for a PCR test, as they are more reliable than antigen tests, per the CDC.

CDC data show which counties have the highest hospitalisation rates due to Covid

Tuesday 12 September 2023 13:41 , Maggie O’Neill

Updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the top five counties with the highest rates of hospitalisations from Covid-19 are in Texas and Oklahoma.

The top three counties—all in Texas—are Wilbarger County, Hardeman County, and Foard County. All are seeing 22.4 new hospital admissions a week per every 100,000 residents.

Below those three are Seminole County and Pontotoc County, both in Oklahoma. Both are seeing 20.9 new hospital admissions a week per every 100,000 residents.

Covid hospitalisations and deaths have risen in recent weeks, with experts warning that Americans may need to wear masks and take actions to slow the spread of the virus in the coming days as cold and flu season approaches.

New Covid boosters approved as CDC set to decide who should receive them amid rising cases

Monday 11 September 2023 19:38 , Graeme Massie

Health officials say that the Pfizer and Moderna shots likely to be available later this week.

New Covid boosters approved as CDC set to decide who should receive them

As Covid cases rise, experts chime in on the question of whether we need to start masking again

Saturday 9 September 2023 14:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Covid hospital admissions and deaths have been on the rise in the US for weeks. As cases climb, experts weigh in on the question of whether or not people should start masking again in public spaces.Olivia Hebert reports:

Should we wear masks again? Covid guidelines experts recommend

Instagram influencer gets five years in prison for using Covid loans to pay for luxury apartment

Saturday 9 September 2023 09:00 , Maggie O’Neill

On Thursday, social media personality Danielle Miller was sentenced in federal court for “fraudulently obtaining over $1 million in pandemic-related loans…then using those funds for personal expenses, including chartering a private jet and renting a luxury apartment,” according to a statement from the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts.

In the statement, Acting US Attorney Joshua S. Levy said: “Ms. Miller isn’t an influencer, she is a convicted felon.”

She was sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervised release.

Nearly two million died after China abruptly ended Covid restrictions

Saturday 9 September 2023 04:00 , Maggie O’Neill

China’s decision to end Covid restrictions led to almost two million excess deaths, according to a new study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, a federally-funded institute in Seattle.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports:

Nearly 2 million deaths followed China’s abrupt end to Covid restrictions

Nursing home staff continue to refuse vaccinations that could protect their patients

Friday 8 September 2023 23:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Barely more than one-fourth of nursing home staff at facilities across the country are up-to-date with their Covid vaccines, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Older people are among those who are at an increased risk of developing severe disease from the virus, per the CDC.

You can track nursing home outbreaks in your region by using the CMS’s data visualisation tool.

Health departments spread awareness of the benefits of vaccines as Covid cases rise

Friday 8 September 2023 20:00 , Maggie O’Neill

The Los Angeles County public health department tweeted a reminder that Covid vaccines are safe for pregnant people. Pregnant people are more likely than others to get severely ill with Covid-19.

Preventative tools like masks, tests should be more accessible in the US, experts say

Friday 8 September 2023 17:00 , Maggie O’Neill

As Covid cases rise, experts have been vocal about the need for accessible prevention tools, including masks and at-home tests.

University of New Hampshire associate professor Chanda Prescod-Weinstein tweeted Thursday: “Part of the current public health catastrophe is that there are poor people who want to mask regularly and literally can’t afford to now that masks are not being made widely available for free.”

Dr Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, said he hopes Americans will start wearing masks again if CDC starts to recommend them due to rising case counts.

New York’s health commissioner urges teachers, students, parents to take Covid seriously as school year starts

Friday 8 September 2023 14:00 , Maggie O’Neill

New York Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald tweeted about the threats of rising Covid cases on Thursday. “If you test positive for COVID, stay home and stay away from other people, especially those who are vulnerable to serious illness,” he wrote. “To improve your chances of not having serious illness, speak with a health care provider about treatment.”

In a statement released earlier this week, he encouraged teachers, students, and parents to lean on available resources to slow the spread of the virus. “Remember COVID tests are easy to use as well as highly accurate,” he said. “Also know that COVID is a treatable disease.”

Florida surgeon general warns against getting the latest Covid-19 vaccine

Friday 8 September 2023 11:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Florida governor Ron DeSantis criticised efforts to control rising Covid-19 cases at a news conference on Thursday, per reporting from the Associated Press.

DeSantis said, “People are lurching toward this insanity again. As we see these things being orchestrated…there needs to be pushback.”

Florida’s surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, expressed his opinion that there aren’t good reasons to get the latest Covid vaccine. “There are a lot of red flags,” he said.

Health authorities around the world—including the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—have publicly stated that Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective.

Experts warn about the dangers of long Covid as cases continue to rise across the country

Friday 8 September 2023 08:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Experts are making the case to take precautions to slow the spread of Covid, warning about the risks associated with long-term complications of the virus.

On Wednesday, Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, a physician and scientist who studies long Covid, highlighted new research published in Nature Medicine on X, formerly known as Twitter.“Risks remain elevated for many health conditions even two years after infection,” he wrote. He previously tweeted that the new research “illustrates the long and arduous journey of dealing with the long-term health consequences of the virus.”

Long Covid has been associated with fatigue, fever, difficulty breathing, cough, headache, chest pain, lightheadedness, sleep problems, and more, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Republicans attempt to ban masks in schools and on flights

Friday 8 September 2023 03:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Republican senator J.D. Vance of Ohio has introduced a bill called the “Freedom to Breathe Act”, which aims to ban mask mandates on planes and in schools.

The bill would make it impossible for airline employees to “refuse transportation to a passenger on the basis that the passenger refuses to wear a mask or comply with a mask mandate while travelling in the national airspace system”.

Infectious disease experts criticised the move. Amesh Adalja, MD, a biosecurity expert at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, tweeted, “This is just political pandering”.

President Biden continues to test negative for Covid following wife’s positive test

Thursday 7 September 2023 23:00 , Maggie O’Neill

The White House announced Monday that Jill Biden tested positive for Covid-19 and would isolate in the Bidens’ Rehoboth, Delaware, home. President Biden was tested Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; each test was negative.

The president is set to visit India for the Group of 20 (G20) summit and Vietnam in the coming days. So far, the White House has not announced any changes to his travel schedule.

Canadian government urges the public to take precautions to slow the spread of Covid

Thursday 7 September 2023 20:00 , Maggie O’Neill

With Covid cases on the rise in much of Canada, officials are signalling that the public should be on alert. The government’s health authorities tweeted that residents need to be aware of the spread of respiratory viruses, including Covid, as they head into fall and spend more time indoors.

New York to make Covid tests and masks available to schools

Thursday 7 September 2023 17:00 , Maggie O’Neill

New York state will make test kits and masks available to school districts as concerns over rising Covid-19 cases grow.

The resources will be available by request as the school year starts, Governor Kathy Hochul’s office said in a statement released 5 September.

“This comes amid reports of the new BA.2.86 variant and following a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations this summer,” the statement said. It went on to say that Governor Hochul is recommending that schools follow Covid-19 guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Frequent testing for COVID-19 is an important part of keeping our kids safe and preventing an outbreak,” she said in the statement.

CDC map shows Covid hotspots in the US

Thursday 7 September 2023 16:36 , Maggie O’Neill

Hospital admissions from Covid infections are rising in much of the country, including parts of Florida, Alabama, Montana, Texas, and Wyoming, per the latest CDC data.

Covid cases are rising across Canada

Thursday 7 September 2023 15:23 , Maggie O’Neill

In Canada, weekly deaths from Covid are up, as are case counts in much of the country. According to the most recent data from the Canadian government, cases are rising in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

As of 6 September the weekly change in cases was 3,565, and there were 23,381 weekly tests reported.

President Biden will continue to travel following wife’s positive Covid test

Thursday 7 September 2023 14:00 , Maggie O’Neill

President Biden’s plans to travel to India and Vietnam will not change, despite his wife’s recent Covid diagnosis, the White House said. He is scheduled to depart for the Group of 20 leaders’ summit Thursday.

The First Lady has remained in Delaware since testing positive and is isolating in compliance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Andrew Feinberg reports:

No changes to Biden’s travel plans amid First Lady’s Covid bout, White House says

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused of mishandling his state’s Covid response plan to benefit campaign donor

Thursday 7 September 2023 11:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Former First Assistant Attorney General Jeff Mateer testified Wednesday that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton used his state’s Covid response plan to benefit a campaign donor in 2020, according to reporting from The Hill.

Attorney General Paxton—who could be removed from office and is facing 16 counts of official corruption—allegedly misused Texas’s Covid response plan to benefit indicted real estate investor Nate Paul, based in Austin.

During Paxton’s impeachment trial, Mateer accused him of shutting down foreclosures to protect Paul’s interests in properties across the state. This, Mateer said, was antithetical to the state’s Covid response plan, which was meant to keep churches, entertainment centres, and other establishments open during the pandemic.

US school systems are already seeing Covid disruptions

Thursday 7 September 2023 06:00 , Maggie O’Neill

A Maryland elementary school will require students to wear masks for 10 days after multiple students tested positive for Covid, according to reporting from WUSA9.

School principal Irwin Kennedy said in a letter that at least three students had tested positive for the virus as of Tuesday.

Students must wear masks unless they are eating or drinking; following the 10-day period, masks will become optional again.

Infant’s eyes change from brown to blue after taking Covid drug in Thailand

Thursday 7 September 2023 01:00 , Maggie O’Neill

A baby’s eyes changed colour after he was given a Covid antiviral treatment that has not been authorised or approved in the US.

The six-month-old was given the drug in Thailand after he developed a cough and fever — both symptoms of Covid-19 — and tested positive for the virus.

A report on the baby’s case, published in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics, states that the baby was the youngest known patient to receive favipiravir, which has been studied in China, Japan, Italy, Canada, Egypt, Thailand, Iran, the UK and the US.

Favipiravir was originally designed to treat influenza, but doctors began using it to treat Covid in Wuhan, China, in 2020. It has also been used to treat Ebola.

CDC releases new Covid data on hospitalisations in the US

Wednesday 6 September 2023 22:00 , Maggie O’Neill

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated data on Covid hospitalisations in the US.

The new numbers show that from 20 August to 26 August, Covid hospital admissions rose 15.7 per cent compared to the previous week.

Yesterday, the agency said deaths from Covid during that same week had risen 17.6 per cent from the previous week.

Moderna says new Covid shots work against Pirola variant

Wednesday 6 September 2023 19:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Moderna issued a press release Wednesday stating that clinical trial data show the company’s updated Covid vaccines work well against BA.2.86, also known as the Pirola variant.

“These results demonstrate that our updated COVID-19 vaccine generates a strong human immune response against the highly mutated BA.2.86 variant,” Moderna president Stephen Hoge, MD, said in the statement. “Our updated COVID-19 vaccine will continue to be an important tool for protection as we head into the fall vaccination season.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently said updated vaccines will be available mid-September.

Watch live: Karine Jean-Pierre holds White House press briefing as new Covid variant spreads across US

Wednesday 6 September 2023 18:22 , Maggie O’Neill

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre holds a press briefing as Covid case counts continue to rise. New CDC data show that from 20 August to 26 August, Covid hospital admissions rose 15.7 per cent compared to the previous week.

Billal Rahman reports:

Watch live: Karine Jean-Pierre holds White House press briefing

Aaron Rogers shows support for Novak Djokovic’s decision not to receive the Covid-19 vaccine

Wednesday 6 September 2023 16:00 , Maggie O’Neill

NFL star Aaron Rogers recently posted a picture from the US Open to his Instagram story, showing Novak Djokovic on the court.

“Bucket list…being able to witness the greatness of @djokernole in person at #arthurashestadium,” he wrote in the story. In his post, Rogers included the hashtag #novaxdjokovic and crossed out the Moderna advertisement at Arthur Ashe Stadium featured in his photograph.

Rogers and Djokovic both refused the Covid-19 vaccine when it became available.

Updated vaccines will soon be available in New Jersey

Wednesday 6 September 2023 13:00 , Maggie O’Neill

New Jersey residents can now make appointments for Covid-19 boosters, according to the state government’s website.

The site features a vaccine appointment finder that allows residents to input their zip code and find pharmacies offering the vaccinations near their home.

FDA says some at-home Covid tests have extended expiration dates

Wednesday 6 September 2023 10:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Some at-home Covid tests may last longer than originally expected, per the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The agency has provided a list of tests that have been given “extended expiration dates” on its website.

You should not use tests that are expired and are not featured on the FDA’s list of products with extended expiration dates, per the FDA.

President Biden will wear a mask since he was recently exposed to Covid through the First Lady

Wednesday 6 September 2023 05:00 , Maggie O’Neill

President Biden has been tested for Covid-19 twice since his wife tested positive for the virus. Both times—on the evening of 4 September and during the day on 5 September—he was negative.

However, he will wear a mask in certain settings since he was recently exposed, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.

“As far as the steps he is taking—since the President was with the First Lady yesterday, he will be masking indoors and around people in alignment with CDC guidance, and—as has been the practice in the past—the President will remove his mask when sufficiently distanced from others indoors and while outside,” she said.

Covid deaths jumped significantly last week, new CDC data show

Wednesday 6 September 2023 00:00 , Ariana Baio

The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that from August 20 to 26, Covid deaths rose 17.6 per cent from the previous week.

The death count is lower than it was during the same time period in 2020, 2021, and 2022, according to CDC data. However, experts are urging the American public to take the current Covid wave seriously.

Dr Anthony Fauci recently said he hopes “if in fact we got to the point where…organisations like CDC recommend [masking]...people wear masks [and] abide by the recommendation to take into account risk to themselves and to their families.”

Watch live: Karine Jean-Pierre holds White House briefing after Jill Biden tests positive for Covid

Tuesday 5 September 2023 21:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Jill Biden tests positive for Covid-19

Tuesday 5 September 2023 18:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Jill Biden, 72, has tested positive for Covid and is experiencing “mild symptoms”, the White House said in a statement issued 4 September. She is staying in the Bidens’ home in Rehoboth, Delaware, per the statement.

President Joe Biden was tested for Covid after his wife tested positive, according to a separate statement issued by the White House on 4 September. His test was negative, but “he will test at a regular cadence this week and monitor for symptoms”, the statement said.

Mr and Ms Biden both had Covid during the summer of 2022, as The Independent previously reported.

Ms Biden’s positive test comes as experts warn not to underestimate the current summer wave of Covid cases.

Health authorities are monitoring two new worrisome variants—BA.2.86, colloquially known as “Pirola”, and EG.5.1, colloquially known as “Eris”.

About a quarter of adults with long Covid report “significant activity limitations,” CDC says

Tuesday 5 September 2023 15:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Long Covid may make it especially difficult for adults to stay active, per a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The condition can cause a range of symptoms including tiredness, fatigue, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, cough, headache, sleeping problems, dizziness when standing up, change in smell or taste, diarrhoea, and stomach pain.

The new report on how activity level is affected by long Covid highlights the importance of staying up-to-date on Covid vaccines and taking precautions to avoid the virus, the CDC said.

Watch: Vancouver anti-mask protest turns into fight

Tuesday 5 September 2023 12:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Dr Fauci pushes back against study claiming masks don’t work

Tuesday 5 September 2023 09:00 , Maggie O’Neill

Dr Anthony Fauci criticised a study claiming that masks do not work to stop the spread of Covid-19.

In a new interview CNN’s Michael Smerconish, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease said he’s concerned about anti-mask rhetoric, given that Covid cases are rising in the US.

Smerconish asked Dr Fauci about a study published by the Cochrane Library earlier this year, which raised questions about the efficacy of masks. He directed Dr Fauci’s attention to an opinion piece published by The New York Times in response to the review, titled “The Mask Mandates Did Nothing. Will Any Lessons Be Learned?”

Dr Fauci responded by saying that other research has highlighted the efficacy of masks. “When you’re talking about the effect on the epidemic or the pandemic as a whole, the data are less strong, but when you talk about an individual basis of someone protecting themselves or protecting themselves from spreading it to others, there’s no doubt that there are many studies that show that there is an advantage” to wearing masks, he said.

World Health Organization says continued Covid surveillance is vital for understanding the impact of the virus

Tuesday 5 September 2023 05:45 , Maggie O’Neill

Reported number of Covid-19 cases may be grossly underestimated, experts warn

Tuesday 5 September 2023 02:45 , Maggie O’Neill

Doctors are warning that the summer wave of Covid-19 currently gripping the US might be more serious than authorities realise.

Orlando-based physician Aftab Khan, MD, tweeted 3 September, “I have been seeing a rise in [Covid] cases…I am treating more patients than I treated during [the] first half of 2023…Something is missing from current federal data.”

From August 13 to 19, Covid deaths jumped 21.4 per cent and hospitalisations rose 18.8 per cent compared to the previous week, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Hospitalisations are reportedly lower than they were during the same time in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Global health authorities are monitoring new variants EG.5.1 and BA.2.86.

Covid may be spreading rapidly at the US Open

Monday 4 September 2023 23:45 , Maggie O’Neill

An illness is reportedly spreading at the US Open—affecting players and audience members—and some experts are speculating that Covid may be to blame.

This year, ticket holders are not required to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test, nor are they required to wear face masks.

Tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg recently tweeted that “people in the press room and player lounge sure are coughing and sniffling a lot.”

Tennys Sandgren tweeted that he is ill, and Ons Jabeur is reportedly experiencing flu-like symptoms, per The New York Times. Jabeur said in a press conference that she’s “taking a lot of medicine.” ESPN commentator John McEnroe has also tested positive for Covid, per ESPN.

Experts say it’s important not to rule out the possibility that Covid is circulating at the tournament and causing the illnesses. “The thing is, nobody knows whether it’s Covid…I’d wager that at least some of the players with illnesses that some are calling ‘a flu,’ really have Covid,” Jeremy Faust, MD, an ER physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and instructor at Harvard Medical School, wrote in a Substack post published Monday.

Lack of access to free tests may fuel Covid waves this fall

Monday 4 September 2023 20:45 , Maggie O’Neill

As Covid deaths and hospitalizations rise, experts are stressing the importance of testing yourself if you’ve been exposed to—or are showing symptoms of—Covid-19.

However, some worry that without access to free at-home testing, it might be challenging to contain future waves.

When Covid-19 was considered a Public Health Emergency (PHE), from January 2020 to May 2023, tests and treatments were free. But when the PHE status expired earlier this year, Americans lost access to free tests.

“One of the things we could have thought about from a federal point of view is continuing to make testing materials widely and freely available,” William Schaffner, MD, a professor in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told The Independent.

Dr Schaffner said he’s planning to need to test for Covid regularly in the coming days. “I expect to expend a fair amount of money,” he said. “If people don’t have the resources, they won’t do that.”

WHO tracking new Covid variant BA. X amid fears it could lead to new explosion of cases

Monday 4 September 2023 17:45 , Ariana Baio

The World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring a new coronavirus variant that could potentially lead to a rise in Covid-19 cases.

The BA.X strain which is also known as BA.2.86, was placed under the health body’s monitoring list on Thursday due to the “large number of mutations it carries”.

Only three cases of the new strain have been detected in Denmark and Israel and later another was found in the US.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports:

WHO tracking new Covid variant BA. X amid fears of new explosion of cases

Mysterious new long Covid symptom identified by scientists

Monday 4 September 2023 16:00 , Ariana Baio

A new symptom of long Covid has been revealed by scientists at the University of Leeds.

Though most people who contract Covid recover within a few days or weeks of experiencing initial symptoms, some people can experience longer, more persistent symptoms – termed long Covid or post Covid-19 syndrome by the NHS.

Eleanor Noyce reports:

Mysterious new long Covid symptom identified by scientists

Ohio is third state to report worrying new Covid strain

Monday 4 September 2023 14:00 , Ariana Baio

A virulent new Covid-19 strain has been detected in wastewater testing in Ohio, the third state to report the vaccine-resistant variant.

Experts are keeping a close eye on the BA.2.86 variant due to its potential to infect people who have previously had Covid or received vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a risk assessment released on Wednesday.

The CDC said it was too early to determine whether BA.2 86, also known as the “Pirola” variant, may cause more severe illness than previous strains, but was concerned due to the large number of genetic mutations compared to previous ones.

Further testing is required to confirm whether the variant is Pirola, the CDC said.

The discovery came as new Covid hospitalisations leapt by 21.6 per cent this week, with an estimated 2,000 Americans requiring specialist care per day, according to figures released by the CDC this week.

The public health agency is projecting hospitalisations to accelerate markedly in the coming weeks, and has replaced a previous forecast that admissions would remain stable.