In lieu of a COVID Commission, a new report exposes CDC failures Its title gives up the game: “Historically Unprepared.” dtodd The Hill

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'A very hard road ahead' for China as COVID-19 cases spiral BAZHOU, China (AP) — Nearly three years after it was first identified in China, the coronavirus is now spreading through the vast country. Experts predict difficult months ahead for its 1.4 billion people. AP NEWS

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BioNTech starts human trial to test malaria vaccine BioNTech on Friday initiated an early-stage study to evaluate its experimental malaria vaccine in humans, the German drugmaker said. Reuters Reuters

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US hits more than 100M COVID-19 cases. Experts say this is likely an undercount On Thursday, the U.S. hit officially more than 100 million COVID-19 cases, but experts say this is likely an undercount of the true number of infections. ABC News ABC News

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"I think we know that a large majority of the population has already been infected with COVID," Brownstein said. "And so, this number only represents a fraction of all the cases. [The milestone] was very likely hit many months ago."

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A Covid-19 'senior wave' is driving up hospitalizations | CNN This winter, Covid-19 trends are again on the rise across the country. For older adults, the situation is much more severe. Hospitalizations among seniors are nearing the peak from the Delta surge and rising fast, and the age gap has never been wider. Deidre McPhillips CNN

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Shanghai hospital warns of 'tragic battle' as COVID spreads The hospital expects half of the city's 25 million people will get infected by the end of next week, as the virus sweeps through China unchecked. Zoey Zhang,Bernard Orr Reuters

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Uganda gets Ebola vaccine doses for trial on Sudan strain KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda’s government says it has received more than 5,000 doses of Ebola vaccines for a clinical trial to assess their protection against the Sudan strain of the virus that caused an outbreak with over 50 deaths. AP NEWS

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This outbreak, the first in a decade of the less common Sudan strain, is a chance for clinical trials of the three vaccines donated by the U.S.-based Sabin Vaccine Institute, University of Oxford and Merck.

US life expectancy falls to lowest levels since 1996 due to COVID, drug overdoses: CDC Two new CDC studies published Thursday found life expectancy fell to 76.4 years in 2021, the lowest recorded since 1996 -- mostly due to COVID and drug overdose deaths. ABC News ABC News

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The US needs a Vaccines for Children program for adults Eliminating the cost barrier for adults, as we have successfully done for children, would be a game-changer for public health. dtodd The Hill

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Pediatric medicine makers say they are running 24/7 to meet increased demand Pediatric medicine manufacturers told the White House this week that they are operating their facilities 24/7 in order to meet demand as parents across the country continue to deal with medicine sh… jchoi The Hill

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India steps up Covid surveillance after China surge The government has instructed states to ensure genome sequencing of all positive cases in the country. BBC News

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Bivalent Vax Adds Protection Against COVID Hospitalization, CDC Says Effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalization north of 70% in seniors Ingrid Hein medpagetoday

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Potential China wave is 'wild card' for ending COVID emergency - WHO advisors It may be too early to declare the end of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency phase because of a potentially devastating wave to come in China, several leading scientists and World Health Organization advisors told Reuters. Jennifer Rigby Reuters

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Community-led responses ‘essential for ending pandemics’ – UNAIDS Communities must be empowered and appropriately resourced to lead the fight against HIV/AIDS and other pandemics, UNAIDS, the UN agency dedicated to tackling HIV/AIDS, stressed at an international meeting held in Thailand. UN News

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