US Covid news: Free tests to be available in the mail starting next week, Biden administration announces: Latest

Jill Biden tested positive for Covid and is experiencing “mild symptoms”, per a 4 September statement from the White House.

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New Covid boosters from Pfizer and Moderna are now available at pharmacies nationwide.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are recommending one dose of the updated vaccine for everyone six months and older in the US; some children may be eligible for up to three doses depending on their age and previous vaccination status.

Hospitalisations and deaths from Covid-19 have been rising for weeks in the US, and global health authorities are monitoring two new variants, BA.2.86, known as Pirola, and EG.5, known as Eris.

First reported in February, Eris is now responsible for nearly 25 per cent of Covid cases in the US, per CDC data.

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.

Some experts are urging Americans to wear a mask when necessary to slow the spread of the virus.

CDC Covid tracker

20,538 hospitalisations from 3 September to 9 September

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Jimmy Kimmel tests positive for Covid, cancels show

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel has tested positive for Covid; as a result, he cancelled an upcoming show. Kimmel said he “could never live with” himself if he continued with the show and spread the virus.

Maggie O’Neill22 September 2023 10:00

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CDC director urges seniors to get Covid vaccine

CDC Director Dr Mandy Cohen tweeted a video Wednesday explaining why older adults need to stay up to date on their vaccines.

“Older Americans, as we get into the fall and winter, are unfortunately at higher risk of bad things happening from respiratory viruses like flu, Covid, and [respiratory syncytial virus],” she said.

Maggie O’Neill22 September 2023 05:00

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Biden to restart free Covid test program

The Biden administration announced Wednesday free Covid tests will soon be available again, as experts warn the US could see a tripledemic of flu, Covid and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the coming months.

Households can order four free tests from COVIDTests.gov starting 25 September, per a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Maggie O’Neill22 September 2023 00:00

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Steve Martin cancels shows due to Covid

Comedian Steve Martin released a statement 20 September announcing he has to cancel shows scheduled in Las Vegas due to Covid-19.

Maggie O’Neill21 September 2023 21:00

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What bats could tell us about Covid-19

A new paper published in Oxford University Press looked at how bats could help researchers learn more about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 illness.

Maggie O’Neill21 September 2023 18:00

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South Dakota Department of Health says there will be no state-wide mask mandate as CDC warns of a potential tripledemic

The South Dakota Department of Health recently tweeted that the state would not implement a mask mandate during cold and flu season this year.

“While we anticipate an increase in COVID-19 during the upcoming respiratory virus season, the [department] has never issued a mask mandate and doesn’t plan to start now,” it said. “South Dakota will continue to stand as a beacon of Freedom to the rest of the world.”

Both hospitalisations and deaths from Covid have steadily risen in recent weeks, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency recently released a statement warning of the potential for a tripledemic in the coming months, in which cases of Covid, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) peak at the same time. Should this occur, healthcare systems across the country could see delays in routine care, such as preventative cancer screenings.

Maggie O’Neill21 September 2023 15:00

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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, 76, tests positive for Covid

He reportedly began experiencing symptoms on Monday, and had a 101-degree fever when he tested late Tuesday afternoon.

The governor is isolating at his home, and he encouraged people who have symptoms of Covid to get tested.

Maggie O’Neill21 September 2023 10:00

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Getting reinfected with Covid-19 may worsen long Covid symptoms, experts say

Getting Covid a second time puts patients at risk of long Covid again, even if they didn’t get it the first time, a new study using data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has found.

Study author Dr Ziyad Al-Aly said in an interview with STAT that getting Covid again can also worsen long Covid symptoms for those who were already suffering from it.

“If you had long Covid before, upon reinfection there is a risk of worsening problems,” he said. “You may have had brain fog and fatigue but not dysautonomia or other manifestations…Even if you’ve had it before, you’re trying your luck again.”

Maggie O’Neill21 September 2023 05:00

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Vivek Ramaswamy says he regrets getting two doses of the Covid vaccine, though his wife disagrees

Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said he regrets getting two doses of the Covid vaccine, per reporting from NBC News.

His wife, Dr Apoorva Ramaswamy, a surgeon at Ohio State University, does not regret staying up to date on her vaccines. She told NBC News that she feels a responsibility to her patients, some of whom are cancer survivors, to protect herself so she can better protect them.

Ramaswamy said, “My wife and I disagree on things sometimes.”

Maggie O’Neill21 September 2023 00:00

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Wastewater data show Covid cases may be declining

Covid hospitalisations and deaths have steadily risen for the last several weeks, as the US sees the effect of a summer surge.

From 3 September to 9 September, hospitalisations from the virus rose 7.7 per cent compared to the previous week, the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show.

But new data show the summer surge may be slowing down. Wastewater detections of Covid were at their highest this summer around August 30, data from Biobot Analytics show. But from 6 September to 13 September, levels dropped by about 5 per cent.

Still yet, levels are more than three times higher than they were prior to the summer surge, in late June.

Maggie O’Neill20 September 2023 21:00

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