More than two years into the pandemic, researchers are still struggling to answer a crucial question about the virus: How long is someone with COVID-19 infectious? Though the question seems simple, the answer is anything but, scientists and infec…
Category: Public Health
$7B needed for US to contain monkeypox, White House advisers estimate
The U.S. may need nearly $7 billion to adequately address the monkeypox outbreak, Biden administration officials told Congress this month, The Washington Post reported July 26.
To Stem the Spread of Monkeypox, Health Departments Tap Into Networks of Those Most at Risk
Although the disease is currently spreading almost exclusively among men who have sex with men, some cases are turning up in other populations — and that number is likely to grow if public health officials don’t effectively nip the outbreak in the bud.
2 questions a Harvard infectious disease expert still has about the coronavirus’ evolution
The world has experienced a slew of surges caused by an alphabet of variants since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Thankfully, none of the variants has led to a significant increase in disease severity.
White House to name monkeypox coordinator: 4 updates
The White House is planning to name a coordinator to oversee the nation’s response to monkeypox and is considering people with expertise in epidemic response and government operations, The Washington Post reported July 25.
BA.5 now accounts for 82% of US COVID-19 cases
The highly transmissible omicron subvariant BA.5 continues to gain dominance in the U.S., now accounting for nearly 82 percent of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S., according to the CDC’s latest variant proportion estimates.
US saw low-severity flu season: 6 CDC report notes
The overall severity of the 2021-22 flu season was low, though elevated flu activity lasted longer than usual, according to the CDC’s summary report of this year’s flu season published July 22.
BA.5’s effect on COVID-19 admissions still unclear, CDC models show
As the highly transmissible omicron subvariant BA.5 rapidly spreads, national disease forecasting models show an uncertain trend for COVID-19 admissions over the next month.
Monkeypox a global emergency: 4 updates
The World Health Organization’s director-general on July 23 declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern — its highest alert level — after the agency’s emergency committee was unable to reach a consensus.
‘True Cost of Aging’ Index Shows Many Seniors Can’t Afford Basic Necessities
The Elder Index, developed by researchers at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, shows that nearly 5 million older women living alone, 2 million older men living alone, and more than 2 million older couples have incomes that make them economically insecure.
