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Bird flu tests are hard to get: Researchers warn US could be caught off guard by a pandemic Stanford University infectious disease doctor Abraar Karan has seen a lot of patients with runny noses, fevers, and irritated eyes lately. Such symptoms could signal allergies, COVID, or a cold. This ... Medical Xpress

U.S. healthcare spending rises to $4.8 trillion in 2023, outpacing GDP Healthcare spending in the U.S. is projected to have risen 7.5% in 2023 to $4.8 trillion, federal data showed on Wednesday, outpacing the projected annual gross domestic product growth rate of 6.1%. Ahmed Aboulenein Reuters

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Former CDC director predicts bird flu pandemic Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield said he predicts a bird flu pandemic will happen — it’s just a matter of when that will be. Redfield joined NewsNati… lirwin The Hill

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“I really do think it’s very likely that we will, at some time, it’s not a question of if, it’s more of a question of when we will have a bird flu pandemic,” Redfield said.

FDA modifies strain recommendation for fall COVID vaccine amid variant shifts, uptick in cases Though the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week recommended that vaccine companies switch to the JN.1 variant for updated shots for the fall, yesterday it urged companies to focus on the KP.2 lineage if possible, based on recent shifts and a national rise in cases. CIDRAP

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Federal Government, Clinicians, Employers, and Others Should Adopt New Definition for Long COVID to Aid in Consistent Diagnosis, Documentation, and Treatment | National Academies

Yet Another COVID Uptick Hitting California, and the Bay Area Is Seeing the Worst of It The dread “two red line” COVID test results are showing up at rates we haven’t seen since January, as the new FLiRT variants and a surge in travel are creating another summer increase in COVID-19 cases. Joe Kukura SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports

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Supreme Court seeks Biden administration's views in major climate change lawsuits The Supreme Court asked the solicitor general to submit a brief in two cases involving the city of Honolulu's efforts to hold the oil and gas industry accountable for the effects of climate change. CBS News

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High-risk health workers can get routine Ebola vaccine, says Gavi A global stockpile of Ebola vaccines can be used to protect frontline health workers in high-risk countries routinely, rather than just as an emergency measure during outbreaks, international vaccine group Gavi said on Thursday. Jennifer Rigby Reuters

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Black, Hispanic adults at double the risk of losing Medicaid after COVID emergency ended, study finds Black and Hispanic adults were twice as likely than their White peers to be unable to renew their Medicaid enrollment after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) in spring 2023, a Northwestern University–led study estimates. CIDRAP

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WHO Calls For Intensified Surveillance Of Animals As Avian Flu Spreads In US Cattle; Urges Global Attention For Sudan - Health Policy Watch Global surveillance of influenza viruses in animals needs to be intensified to “rapidly detect any changes to the virus that could pose a greater threat to Health Policy Watch

Global surveillance of influenza viruses in animals needs to be intensified to “rapidly detect any changes to the virus that could pose a greater threat to humans”, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyessus told a media briefing on Wednesday.