PLUS: The Covid-19 headlines you need to know, a distraction, and something to read.
By Eve Sneider | 06.30.22 |
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| A programming note: The Coronavirus Update will be off Monday for the Fourth of July. See you next Thursday! Omicron subvariants spread across the US, China reduces quarantine time for travelers, and Fauci battles a recurrence of Covid. But first, here's this week's big story: | |
The FDA recommends redesigning boosters to address Omicron The FDA announced today that it is asking drugmakers to target BA.4 and BA.5, the Omicron subvariants circulating widely in the US, as researchers formulate new boosters to be distributed in the fall. The booster shots currently available were formulated for the original strain of the virus that surfaced in 2019, and earlier this week an FDA vaccine advisory committee voted overwhelmingly in favor of focusing on vaccines that specifically target Omicron. Drugmakers are expected to need three months to make and distribute new shots, and a booster campaign is anticipated for October. The Omicron variant and its accompanying waves have thrown into relief the challenges of staying on top of this ever-mutating virus. Making vaccines that can address these strains—and, ideally, future ones—is an important and ongoing project. | |
Headlines The CDC reported earlier this week that the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of Omicron now make up more than half of cases in the US. (Reuters) Chinese officials have announced that the country will be loosening its entry rules, cutting the quarantine time for international visitors from two weeks to one. (New York Times) Dr. Anthony Fauci has said that he's recovering from a recurrence of Covid-19, a phenomenon the CDC has noted sometimes occurs after a course of Paxlovid, though the agency adds that the drug is still considered an effective treatment. (The Hill) Shanghai is once again recording zero new cases. As a result, the city continues to reopen and officials are heralding the country's zero-Covid policy, despite the toll it's taken on the economy. (ABC) Now that the youngest Americans are eligible to receive their coronavirus vaccines, Sesame Street's Elmo got his shot in a public service announcement. (Washington Post) | |
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| The future of the automotive industry is electric, and China is especially well positioned to lead the charge. If that happens, the impact on international manufacturing and politics could be sweeping. | |
| Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, it's important to know what your options for abortion are before you need one. Here's a guide to abortion resources in the post-Roe US. | |
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