At least five states that had imposed statewide mask mandates earlier in the pandemic are easing the rules as COVID-19 cases fall nationally, The New York Times reported Feb. 7.
Category: Public Health
Flu vaccination trends in US: 4 stats to know
The nation’s flu vaccination rate has increased slightly over the past two seasons, though this growth has been slower than in past years, likely due to pandemic disruptions, a Feb. 7 report from ValuePenguin found.
CDC plans to trim COVID-19 booster dose interval for immunocompromised
The CDC plans to update its COVID-19 vaccine guidance for immunocompromised people, recommending that they receive a booster dose three months after completing their initial series, down from the current five-month interval, The Washington Post reporte…
Missouri’s War on Public Health Shows Extent of National Rift
A public health official who said he was anti-abortion and anti-mandate for masks and covid vaccines did not pass the purity test of a Missouri senator who opposes covid public health restrictions. The senator killed the official’s nomination to be state health director, highlighting how hands may be tied in the nationwide fight against infectious diseases.
Health Care Paradox: Medicare Penalizes Dozens of Hospitals It Also Gives Five Stars
Among the 764 hospitals hit with a 1% reduction in Medicare payments this year for having high numbers of patient infections and avoidable complications are more than three dozen that Medicare also ranks as among the best in the country.
Omicron-specific booster may be unnecessary, early research suggests
A version of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine tailored to target the omicron variant generated similar levels of immunity in monkeys as the current booster formulation, according to preliminary research from the National Institutes of Health.
US COVID-19 deaths top 900,000, cases slowing: 3 updates
The COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. has surpassed 900,000, President Joe Biden announced in a statement Feb. 4.
Where US COVID-19 cases are headed this week, per Mayo forecast
COVID-19 modeling from Mayo Clinic suggests that the omicron surge will continue to gradually decrease, with a slight bump in the decline, this week.
Ready for Another Pandemic Malady? It’s Called ‘Decision Fatigue’
Pandemic living has come with a barrage of daily choices that have many of us complaining of a sort of brain freeze. That exhaustion is real, and it’s got a name: “decision fatigue.”
How the Tiny-Home Movement Is Providing More Than Just a Roof to Homeless People
Cities and nonprofits across the country are building communities of tiny homes to safely house people amid covid and cold winters. Proponents say tiny homes give people dignity and privacy, but some advocates for homeless people say they don’t go far enough.
