US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes among high-income countries, new report finds | CNN The United States spends more on health care than any other high-income country but still has the lowest life expectancy at birth and the highest rate of people with multiple chronic diseases, according to a new report from The Commonwealth Fund, an independent research group. Jacqueline Howard CNN

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U.S. FDA removes COVID test requirements for Pfizer, Merck pills The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday removed the need for a positive test for COVID-19 treatments from Pfizer Inc and Merck & Co Inc . Reuters Reuters

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Mpox is almost gone in the US, leaving lessons and mysteries in its wake | CNN The US public health emergency declaration for mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, ends Tuesday. Brenda Goodman CNN

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Experts say the outbreak has taught the world a lot about this infection, which had only occasionally been seen outside Africa.

Lingering COVID Cough That You Just Can’t Shake? You’re Not Alone For many, COVID cough persists after the other symptoms of acute COVID-19 illness resolve. Experts explain what you can do about it and when it becomes a sign of long COVID. Yahoo

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Study narrows down long-COVID-19 symptoms to seven - UPI.com A new study shows there are seven long-term health symptoms that are directly related to long-COVID-19, giving researchers a better understanding of how the virus that causes COVID-19 may mutate or evolve. UPI

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...People with COVID-19 should isolate for five days, the CDC said. And, if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), they should follow that by five days of wearing a mask when around others to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter.

The change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of COVID transmission occurs early in the course of illness — generally in the one to two days prior to onset of symptoms, and then two to three days after, according to CDC guidance.

Additionally, the CDC also recently updated the recommended quarantine period for anyone who knows they were exposed to COVID-19.

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Factbox: What ending the U.S. COVID health emergency means for your pocket The U.S. government on May 11 will end the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) that allowed millions of Americans to receive vaccines, tests, and treatments at no cost during the pandemic. Ahmed Aboulenein Reuters

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The COVID-19 Pandemic Will Be Over When Americans Think It Is How will we know when the COVID-19 pandemic is over in the U.S.? Steven Phillips on how we have to think differently about risk today YahooNews

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"Here’s my proposed definition: the country will not fully emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic until most people in our diverse nation accept the risk and consequences of exposure to a ubiquitous SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19."

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Studies: COVID vaccine boosters lower risk of death in adults, ED visits in kids Boosters lower the risk of death among adults more than 90% and increase protection against severe disease in children aged 5 to 11 years by 77%, new data reveal. CIDRAP

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These benefits will disappear when Biden ends the Covid national and public health emergencies in May | CNN Politics President Joe Biden intends to end the Covid-19 national and public health emergencies on May 11, the White House said Monday. That means that many Americans could have to start paying for Covid-19 testing and treatment after the declarations cease. Phil Mattingly,Jeremy Diamond,Tami Luhby CNN

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COVID school closures cost children one-third of a year’s learning Nature - A sustained catch-up effort is needed to help students to recover lost skills and knowledge. Naddaf, Miryam nature

Children lost out on more than one-third of a school years’ worth of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, an analysis has found. Their mathematics skills were more affected than their reading abilities.