Free COVID Tests, N95 Masks; Omicron vs Pfizer Pill; Do Kids Need Boosters?

— A daily roundup of news on COVID-19 and the rest of medicine

MedicalToday
COVID-19 UPDATE and Other News over a background of illustrated coronaviruses

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The federal government launched a beta phase of its website for Tuesday, allowing people to order four tests shipped directly to their household. The official launch is scheduled for today. (USA Today)

The Biden administration announced a plan today to distribute from the Strategic National Stockpile through pharmacies and community sites. (Politico)

Oklahoma City hospitals are short-staffed, overwhelmed, and , leaders of the city's four major health care systems said. (CNN)

A look being hammered by Omicron. (Washington Post)

As of Wednesday at 8 a.m. EST, the included 67,598,609 cases and 854,076 deaths, increases of 1,242,273 and 2,388, respectively, over the same time yesterday.

The Red Cross teamed up with the NFL to offer in January a chance to win a trip to the Super Bowl. (Fox News)

Multiple lab studies showed that nirmatrelvir, the active main protease inhibitor of Pfizer's nirmatrelvir and ritonavir antiviral tablets (Paxlovid), maintained , the drug company reported.

Antibodies in patients' blood soon after COVID-19 onset disease severity. (Science Translational Medicine)

may be closely intertwined with socio-economic and environmental factors including population density, GDP, air quality, and dietary habits, a preprint article suggested. (medRxiv)

The CDC to 22 nations and territories because of rising COVID-19 cases. (CNN)

For the week ending January 13, over were reported, a 69% increase over the week before and nearly four times higher than last winter's peak, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

World Health Organization Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan, MD, said there's "no evidence right now" that suggests need COVID-19 booster shots. (CNBC)

Healthcare workers now have until in the 24 states where the requirement was reinstated by the Supreme Court. (Healthcare Finance)

Levo Therapeutics said the FDA rejected its new drug application for intranasal carbetocin (LV-101) for symptoms associated with , saying the drug's efficacy evidence was insufficient.

Meanwhile, Nevro said the agency for the company's 10 kHz high-frequency Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System to include non-surgical refractory back pain treatment.

A review of 14 meta-analyses of randomized control trials for including apps and text-messaging support found universal shortcomings in study design. (PLOS Digital Health)

A new citywide mandate in Philadelphia requires customers to show to eat indoors at restaurants and other venues. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Two top aides who frequently tested positive for the coronavirus. (National Catholic Reporter)

Endo International said it will pay up to $65 million to by the state of Florida and local governments.

The difference between a person's chronological age and the predicted their mortality risk. (British Journal of Ophthalmology)

The , Saturnino de la Fuente of Spain, died at the age of 112 years and 341 days. (AP News)

  • Judy George covers neurology and neuroscience news for , writing about brain aging, Alzheimer’s, dementia, MS, rare diseases, epilepsy, autism, headache, stroke, Parkinson’s, ALS, concussion, CTE, sleep, pain, and more.