PLUS: The Covid-19 headlines you need to know, a distraction, and something to read.
By Eve Sneider | 05.26.22 | A brief programming note: The Coronavirus Update will be off on Monday. Happy Memorial Day! A CDC study reveals sobering long-Covid statistics, Chinese officials work to boost the country's economy, and North Korea says cases are trending downward. But first, here's this week's big story: |  A new Omicron subvariant fuels the US's latest surge Cases continue to rise across much of the US, with the country averaging more than 100,000 new confirmed cases every day for the first time since February. And thanks to the availability of at-home rapid tests, the results of which are not always reported, experts say that any available case counts likely fall far short of actual numbers. A new Omicron subvariant, BA.2.12.1, is now responsible for a majority of these, according to data from the CDC. Though the strain spreads more rapidly than those that came before it, there's no evidence to suggest it causes more severe sickness. The rapid evolution of this variant has been at once predictable and hard to get in front of. With large swaths of the country and the world still unvaccinated, this virus has many opportunities to evolve. In response to this latest surge, the White House has said that it will make the antiviral Paxlovid more readily accessible through test-to-treat sites. In addition, public schools in cities like Providence and Philadelphia, as well as universities across the US, are once again requiring that people wear masks indoors. | | A new study from the CDC found that one in five American adults under 65 who had Covid developed at least one symptom associated with long Covid, ranging from heart and lung problems to psychiatric conditions. (New York Times) More than 100,000 people participated in an emergency meeting of China's cabinet yesterday to discuss how to revive the country's economy, which has been battered by months of lockdowns and Covid restrictions. (CNN) Less than two weeks after it first declared an outbreak, North Korea announced Tuesday that there were no new deaths among patients. Because the country can't test everyone, it's reporting the number of people with symptoms, not the total number testing positive. (NBC) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who led the WHO through the pandemic, was reelected to serve as the agency's director general for another five years on Tuesday. (Reuters) As part of a new initiative unveiled at the World Economic Forum, Pfizer has said that it will sell its patented drugs, including those pertaining to Covid, to the world's poorest countries for no profit. (Al Jazeera) | | During the 2019 protests in Hong Kong, participants carried everything from laser pointers to zip ties. In the ensuing years, possession of these seemingly innocuous everyday objects has led to people's arrests. | | With cases rising, it's a good idea to have a few rapid tests at your disposal. Here are some tips for finding and using them. | |
