As COVID cases rise, U.S. health officials mull widening additional booster eligibility Health officials are considering extending the eligibility for a second COVID-19 vaccine booster dose to people under 50 amid a steady rise in cases, with the United States seeing a threefold increase over the past month. Ahmed Aboulenein,Jeff Mason Reuters

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WHO: COVID deaths dropped by 21% last week but cases rising GENEVA (AP) — The number of coronavirus deaths globally dropped by about 21% in the past week while cases rose in most parts of the world, according to the World Health Organization. In its weekly report on the pandemic released Thursday, the U.N. AP NEWS

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Pro-Trump counties continue to suffer far higher COVID death tolls

Even with widely available vaccines and newly effective treatments, residents of counties that went heavily for Donald Trump in the last presidential election are more than twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than those that live in areas that went for President Biden. That's according to a newly-updated analysis from NPR, examining how partisanship and misinformation are shaping the pandemic.

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NPR examined COVID deaths per 100,000 people in roughly 3,000 counties across the U.S. from May 2021, the point at which most Americans could find a vaccine if they wanted one. Those living in counties that voted 60% or higher for Trump in November 2020 had 2.26 times the death rate of those that went by the same margin for Biden. Counties with a higher share of Trump votes had even higher mortality rates.

It's happening again: COVID-19 cases are back on the rise. There are 3 main reasons why. COVID-19 infections are up, driven by new variants, waning immunity from vaccines and past infections and fewer people masking, health officials say. YahooNews

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A rising tide of omicron subvariants is in part behind the rise, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden.

Flu in May? In Central Florida, cases are rising alongside COVID-19 Central Florida is seeing a late-season spike. The flu season typically runs from October to May, according to the Florida Department of Health. Orlando Sentinel

... Flu cases are increasing in most of the state, including Central Florida, at a time when they’re normally winding down.

One-third of Americans new survey say pandemic is over Nearly one in three Americans questioned in a new survey said that the COVID-19 pandemic is over, with many stating their top concern now is spreading the virus to people who are at higher risk of … rscully The Hill

Nearly one in three Americans questioned in a new survey said that the COVID-19 pandemic is over, with many stating their top concern now is spreading the virus to people who are at higher risk of serious illness.

When Africans asked for COVID shots, they didn't get them. Now they don't want them Demand for COVID shots drops in Africa as supply rises. Edward Mcallister,Cooper Inveen Reuters

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