Epidemics
HIV-positive people who have monkeypox are hospitalized more often, CDC study says
People living with HIV who have monkeypox are hospitalized more than twice as often as other patients diagnosed with the rapidly spreading virus, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a report published Thursday, the CDC found that 38% of nearly 2,000 people diagnosed with monkeypox between May and […]
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U.S. monkeypox outbreak is slowing as vaccines become more accessible, health officials say
The U.S. monkeypox outbreak is slowing as vaccines have become more available and there’s broader public awareness about what actions individuals can take to lower their risk of infection, according to White House health officials. Demetre Daskalakis, deputy head of the White House monkeypox response team, said it took 25 days for cases to double […]
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New York ends mask requirement for subways, buses and other mass transit
A Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) logo is displayed on the side of a subway train in Manhattan, New York on June 2, 2021. Ed Jones | AFP | Getty Images New Yorkers are no longer required to wear masks on mass transit, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday. Hochul said the decision to lift the […]
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People who recently caught Covid can wait a few months to get omicron booster, top health official says
People walk by a Covid-19 testing site at Times Square on May 12, 2022 in New York City. Liao Pan | China News Service | Getty Images People who recently caught Covid can wait a few months to get a new omicron booster, White House Covid response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said on Tuesday. Studies […]
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Omicron boosters should provide better protection against infection and serious illness, U.S. health officials say
U.S. health officials expect new omicron boosters will provide better protection against infection and serious illness this fall because the new shots now match the dominant coronavirus variant. The new omicron shots mark a milestone in the pandemic that will help the U.S. more effectively fight the virus, White House Covid response coordinator Dr. Ashish […]
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New omicron boosters are now available, but it’s unclear how effective they will be
The U.S. authorized the first major makeover of the Covid-19 vaccines this week in an effort to stem an expected tide of infections and hospitalizations this fall. But it’s unclear how much protection the new booster shots will provide. The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cleared the shots […]
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CDC panel recommends new omicron Covid boosters with shots expected to begin next week
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s independent committee on vaccines recommended reformulated booster shots that target the latest omicron subvariants. The panel voted 13 to 1 Thursday in favor of the shots after reviewing the available safety and effectiveness data in an almost seven-hour-long meeting. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle […]
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U.S. health officials brace for another fall Covid surge, but with fewer deaths
People walk past a COVID-19 walk up testing site on July 28, 2022 in New York City. Liao Pan | China News Service | Getty Images Fall is on the horizon and public health officials are again bracing for another wave of Covid cases. Over the past two years, fall and winter have brought devastating […]
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FDA authorizes Covid booster shots that target omicron BA.5 variant
A medical staff prepares a booster dose of Pfizer’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine are seen at a vaccination centre in Brussels, Belgium, January 5, 2022. Yves Herman | Reuters The Food and Drug Administration authorized Covid booster shots that target the omicron BA.5 subvariant as the U.S. prepares for another surge of infections this fall […]
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CDC cautiously optimistic that monkeypox outbreak might be slowing as cases fall in major cities
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is cautiously optimistic that the U.S. is slowing the spread of monkeypox, as new cases fall in several major cities. “We’re watching this with cautious optimism, and really hopeful that many of our harm reduction messages and our vaccines are getting out there and working,” CDC Director Dr. […]
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