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COVID-19: FDA Expands Eligibility For Pfizer Booster To Children 5 Through 11 COVID-19: FDA Expands Eligibility For Pfizer Booster To Children 5 Through 11
Covid-19: FDA Expands Eligibility For Pfizer Booster To Children 5 Through 11 Federal health officials have granted emergency use authorization for a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in children. On Tuesday, May 17, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is expanding eligibility for boosters to include children between the ages of 5 and 11 years old. That age group will be permitted to receive their booster shot five months after completing their initial COVID-19 vaccination series, officials said. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said that while data shows COVID-19 is less severe in children, the vaccine and boosters can help …

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by Zak Failla
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COVID-19: CDC Recommends Connecticut Residents Wear Masks Indoors In These Counties COVID-19: CDC Recommends Connecticut Residents Wear Masks Indoors In These Counties
Covid-19: CDC Recommends Connecticut Residents Wear Masks Indoors In These Counties Connecticut residents are being encouraged by federal health officials to start masking back up amid the latest surge of new COVID-19 cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidance on mask-wearing to concentrate on COVID hospitalizations, hospital capacity, and newly reported infections, permitting most of the state to drop the mandate. With the state reaching a seven-day average COVID-19 infection rate above 13 percent, and new cases on the rise across Connecticut, most of the state has been advised to take precautions to help curtail the spread of the…

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by Zak Failla
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CDC Issues New Alert As Number Of Pediatric Hepatitis Cases Rises To 100+ Children CDC Issues New Alert As Number Of Pediatric Hepatitis Cases Rises To 100+ Children
CDC Issues New Alert As Number Of Pediatric Hepatitis Cases Rises To 100+ Children The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a new health alert as the number of cases of pediatric hepatitis continues to mount across the country, leaving researchers befuddled about its origin. On Wednesday, May 11, the CDC offered an update as it continues to investigate pediatric cases of hepatitis that have an unknown etiology in the US. Earlier story - Cases Of Mysterious Hepatitis Outbreak Now Confirmed In 10 States, Including NY According to officials, the investigation is focusing on "collecting information to describe the epidemiology, etiology, clinical prese…

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by Zak Failla
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COVID-19: CDC Issues New Advisory Recommending People Wear Masks In These Settings COVID-19: CDC Issues New Advisory Recommending People Wear Masks In These Settings
Covid-19: CDC Issues New Advisory Recommending People Wear Masks In These Settings The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is calling on the Department of Justice to proceed with an appeal after a federal judge struck down President Joe Biden’s mask mandate for public transportation settings. Following the announcement of the judgment, the CDC issued a statement advising that the agency is continuing to advise that all Americans continue to mask up while using public transportation, despite the ruling. Original story - COVID-19: Federal Judge Strikes Down CDC Mask Mandate For Travel According to the CDC, officials “continue to recommend that people west mask…

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by Zak Failla
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COVID-19: Federal Judge Strikes Down CDC Mask Mandate For Travel COVID-19: Federal Judge Strikes Down CDC Mask Mandate For Travel
Covid-19: Federal Judge Strikes Down CDC Mask Mandate For Travel Travelers using public transit will have the option of ditching their masks following a ruling from a federal judge appointed by former President Donald Trump in Florida. On Monday, April 18, US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle overruled guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding facial coverings on airplanes and other public transportation. According to the judge, the CDC overstepped its authority in ruling that masks be required for travelers, stating that the agency failed to adequately explain its reasons for the mandate. Mizelle determined that…

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by Zak Failla
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CDC Warns Potentially Contaminated Raw Oysters May Be Linked To Norovirus Outbreak CDC Warns Potentially Contaminated Raw Oysters May Be Linked To Norovirus Outbreak
CDC Warns Potentially Contaminated Raw Oysters May Be Linked To Norovirus Outbreak Health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of norovirus illnesses that have been linked to raw oysters. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it is investigating the outbreak linked to oysters from British Columbia, Canada, with other agencies including the United States Food and Drug Administration, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and state and local partners. Norovirus is the most common cause of foodborne illness in the US, according to the CDC. Common symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, naus…

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by Nicole Valinote
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Norovirus Outbreaks Reaching Pre-Pandemic Levels, CDC Says Norovirus Outbreaks Reaching Pre-Pandemic Levels, CDC Says
Norovirus Outbreaks Reaching Pre-Pandemic Levels, CDC Says Norovirus outbreaks in the United States are returning to pre-pandemic levels, according to a report from NBC News. Norovirus is the most common cause of diarrhea, foodborne illness, and vomiting, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC reported that between Aug. 1, 2021, and March 5, 2022, there were 448 norovirus outbreaks reported by states participating in NoroSTAT.  During the same period the previous year, there were 78 outbreaks reported by those states. Health officials report that the norovirus spreads easily from eating foods or liquids that ar…

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by Nicole Valinote
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COVID-19: FDA Authorizes Second Booster Shot For This Group Of Americans COVID-19: FDA Authorizes Second Booster Shot For This Group Of Americans
Covid-19: FDA Authorizes Second Booster Shot For This Group Of Americans Federal health officials authorized a second booster shot of both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for older Americans. On Tuesday, March 29, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that a second shot has been approved for Americans who are 50 and older once four months have passed since their initial booster. With the FDA's approval, the decision now falls on Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who is expected to sign off on the additional shot as soon as Tuesday afternoon. The second booster shot had already been …

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by Zak Failla
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COVID-19: FDA Expected To Authorize Second Booster Shot For This Age Group Within Days COVID-19: FDA Expected To Authorize Second Booster Shot For This Age Group Within Days
Covid-19: FDA Expected To Authorize Second Booster Shot For This Age Group Within Days The United States Food & Drug Administration is expected to authorize a second COVID-19 booster shot for some Americans within the next few days, according to multiple reports. CNN reported on Saturday, March 26, that sources said the FDA plans to authorize the additional booster shot for people ages 50 and older in the coming days. An anonymous official told The Washington Post that the authorizations for the additional Moderna and Pfizer booster shots could be announced as soon as Tuesday, March 29. CNN reported that the CDC is expected to give a permissive recommendation following F…

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by Nicole Valinote
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COVID-19: US Infections Expected To Rise As Subvariant Cases Triple Every Two Weeks COVID-19: US Infections Expected To Rise As Subvariant Cases Triple Every Two Weeks
Covid-19: US Infections Expected To Rise As Subvariant Cases Triple Every Two Weeks Federal health experts are cautioning Americans about a new, highly-contagious COVID-19 Omicron variant that may lead to a sudden rise in new infections. The emerging variant, called BA.2, is believed to be upwards of 60 percent more transmissible than Omicron, according to infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, though it is not more severe than the original strain. Earlier story - COVID-19: New Strain Of Virus Detected That Combines Two Omicron Sub-Variants According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), BA.2 has been tripling its presence in the US every two wee…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
These Fairfield County Locations Rank Among CT's Top 25 Best Places To Live These Fairfield County Locations Rank Among CT's Top 25 Best Places To Live
These Fairfield County Locations Rank Among CT's Top 25 Best Places To Live Several Connecticut communities are among the “best places to live in America” in 2022, according to a newly released poll. Each year, Niche explores the best places to live in the US, evaluating factors that include crime, public school systems, job opportunities, and local amenities. Using data based on the US Census, FBI, US Bureau of Labor (BLS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other sources, Niche then ranked the top places to live across the country, led by Chesterbrook, a suburb of Philadelphia. In Connecticut, West Hartford in Hartford County was named as the…

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by Zak Failla
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COVID-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US COVID-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US
Covid-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US With the new “stealth” COVID-19 sub-variant emerging from the shadows in the US and overseas, researchers are concerned that one subset of Americans could potentially lead to a possible new surge of infections. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Omicron, which is known as B.1.1.529, has three sub-variants: the original BA.1 that remains the dominant strain, the “stealth” BA.2, which is picking up steam, and the more elusive BA.3. The new “stealth” variant - named for its difficulty to identify due to a lack of certain genetic characteristics - has been becoming more of a co…

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by Zak Failla