These Covid-19 pandemic-era relief programs are expiring soon Millions of people are set to lose Covid-19 pandemic-era benefits this fall – specifically, the student loans payment pause, child care provider stabilization funds, the suspension of work requirements for food stamps and continuous Medicaid coverage. Katie Lobosco AOL

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Some aid, like direct stimulus payments, expanded unemployment benefits and enhanced child tax credits, have already expired. But there’s still time for other funds, like the billions of dollars of aid for K-12 schools, to be spent.

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COVID-19 vaccine politics could be linked to excess GOP deaths in Ohio, Florida: study The politicization of COVID-19 vaccines may have led to a higher excess death rate among Republicans in Ohio and Florida during the coronavirus pandemic, a new study found. According to the study, … nweixel The Hill

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The Steep Cost of Ron DeSantis’ Vaccine Turnabout On a Saturday in September 2020, with COVID-19 killing more than 600 Americans daily and hundreds of thousands of deaths still to come, Dr. Deborah Birx, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, heard her cellphone ring. It was Dr. Scott Rivkees, the Florida surgeon general. He was distraught. “‘You won’t believe what happened,’” she said he told her. Months before COVID vaccines would become available, Gov. Ron DeSantis had decided that the worst was over for Florida, he said. DeSant Yahoo News

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Ready for another 'tripledemic'? CDC prepares for a winter of '3 bugs out there' Vaccine fatigue is already here, although many Americans will be urged to get three different shots this fall. NBC News

Even as the nation is faced with blistering heat waves this summer, Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is already thinking ahead to cold and flu season this winter.

New US pandemic office set to launch Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter{beacon} Health Care Health Care  The Big Story  White House launching permanent pandemic officeThe White House has tapped retired Air Force M… vroseborough The Hill

The White House has tapped retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Paul Friedrichs to lead a newly created office to manage and respond to future pandemics.

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Early US indicators show ongoing slight rise in COVID-19 activity CIDRAP

Though the nation's COVID-19 activity is still at very low levels, for the second week in a row early indicators such as emergency department (ED) visits and test-positivity rates show small rises, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in its latest data updates.

Also today, the CDC updated its Omicron variant projections, showing more rises in newer versions such as EG.5 and XBB.1.16.6. And in another US development, the Biden administration today announced its pick to lead the new White House pandemic preparedness and response office.

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Europe recommends the approval of Pfizer's RSV vaccine for older adults and in pregnancy European regulators on Friday recommended the approval of Pfizer’s RSV vaccine both for older adults and for use in pregnancy. Andrew Joseph STAT

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Tornado damage to Pfizer plant will probably create long-term shortages of some drugs hospitals need U.S. hospital drug supplies may be strained further after a tornado ripped open the roof of a Pfizer factory this week. AP News

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COVID pandemic is officially over in the U.S., excess-deaths data show The COVID-19 pandemic is definitively over, according to two recent reports focused on the same metric. Ciara Linnane MarketWatch

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