‘Absolutely ridiculous’: experts condemn Victoria’s scaling back of Covid PCR testing State government guidelines state ‘targeted’ testing approach is for ‘clinically vulnerable people’ and other at-risk groups the Guardian

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Should you wait for the Omicron booster? Why experts say you should 'get it now!' With new COVID-19 boosters expected later this year, health experts urge Californians not to put off a first or second booster shot until then. YahooNews

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"Trying to predict the future with this virus, even as close as the fall, is not a good idea," she said. "And even with the more Omicron-specific vaccines, it’s still highly unlikely that they will provide absolute protection against infection."

Addressing myths about monkeypox: A look at symptoms, treatment and other common questions Exploring common misconceptions about monkeypox infections and treatment and prevention strategies as the outbreak reaches pandemic level. YahooNews

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Fauci on needing a second generation of COVID vaccines: 'We have multiple variants of concern ... And it's getting more complicated' A new generation of vaccines is needed to continue fighting COVID-19, according to experts at the White House Tuesday. YahooFinance

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It's one reason why the White House Covid-19 Response Team is pushing for eligible adults to get first or second boosters, depending on their age, and is contemplating expanding second boosters for all adults.

US signs off on 800,000 more doses of monkeypox vaccine WASHINGTON (AP) — After weeks of delays, nearly 800,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine will soon be available for distribution, U.S. health regulators said Wednesday. The announcement comes amid growing criticism that authorities have been too slow in deploying the vaccine, potentially missing the window to contain what could soon become an entrenched infectious disease . AP NEWS

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CDC to make monkeypox nationally notifiable condition - Politico The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to make the rapidly spreading monkeypox disease a nationally notifiable condition, the Politico reported on Wednesday, a move that would streamline reporting of cases. Reuters Reuters

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Doctors say search for monkeypox cases needs to look beyond men who have sex with men The man came to an urgent care clinic in New York with red bumps on his skin in an area where he had a fair amount of hair. Brenda Goodman, CNN CNN

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Opinion: Covid-19 continues to surprise us The million-dollar question is not whether BA.5 will cause a major uptick in infection across the country -- it has, and it will -- but rather whether anyone, including those who have been vaccinated or have developed infection or both, is safe from its voracious reach, writes Kent Sepkowitz. Opinion by Kent Sepkowitz CNN

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Friday Q&A: Matthew Binnicker, Mayo Clinic's director of clinical virology, talks COVID-19, monkeypox testing With cases of both viruses rising across the U.S., clinical laboratories are bringing in staff to ramp up monkeypox testing, even as demand falls for clinical diagnostics of COVID-19. Elise Reuter MedTech Dive

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New York City is living through a sixth wave of Covid-19 at the same time that a new virus, monkeypox, has appeared. Over the weekend, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a “public health emergency of international concern.” That is a designation the W.H.O. currently uses for only two other diseases, Covid-19 and polio...

Some schools hit hard by virus make few changes for new year As a new school year approaches, COVID-19 infections are again on the rise, fueled by highly transmissible variants, filling families with dread. They fear the return of a pandemic scourge: outbreaks that sideline large numbers of teachers, close school buildings and force students back into remote learning. AP NEWS

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Bavarian Nordic in talks to expand monkeypox vaccine output Bavarian Nordic , the Danish company behind the vaccine being used to try to stem a global outbreak of monkeypox, is in talks to potentially expand production capacity, its CEO said on Monday. Natalie Grover Reuters

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WHO: No guarantee monkeypox won’t spread beyond specific communities The global outbreak of monkeypox should not be expected to stay confined to specific groups, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said Monday.  Though cases of the virus have been predominant… jmueller The Hill

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Monkeypox: How it spreads, who’s at risk - here’s what you need to Monkeypox is not a new disease, and in some African countries it is endemic. However, the international outbreak which began in May 2022, has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a UN News

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In most cases, the symptoms of Monkeypox go away on their own within a few weeks but, in between three and six per cent of cases reported in countries where it is endemic, it can lead to medical complications and even death. New-born babies, children, and people with immune system deficiencies may be at risk of more severe symptoms and death from the disease...

Hospitals struggle with staff shortages as federal Covid funds run out Public health experts fear the workarounds they’ve found could degrade the quality of care over time. POLITICO

Hospitals across the country are grappling with widespread staffing shortages, complicating preparations for a potential Covid-19 surge as the BA.5 subvariant drives up cases, hospital admissions and deaths...