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News for October 4 — Four Million September COVID Shots

Four million September COVID shots: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2023-10-04/about-4-million-americans-got-their-updated-covid-vaccines-in-sept . Note that this total is about 10% lower than the total delivered at a similar point last year. This calls into question the suggestion that more Americans would take the updated shot this year. US shifting Molnupiravir to commercial market: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2023-10-04/us-plans-shift-of-merck-covid-treatment-to-commercial-market . Merck’s COVID antiviral has lost ground …

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News for October 3 — FDA Approves Novavax COVID Vaccine

FDA approves Novavax COVID vaccine: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-10-03/fda-authorizes-novavaxs-new-covid-19-vaccine-without-messenger-rna-technology . This vaccine does not use messenger RNA. As such, it may be acceptable to those skeptical to the new (and now proven) technology. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/health/pharma/fda-authorizes-novavaxs-updated-covid-vaccine-96a88f49 . Drugmakers negotiate Medicare drug prices: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/medicare-drug-costs-drugmakers-agree-price-negotiations-biden-administ-rcna118510 . Yes, but they apparently have not dropped their lawsuits. Breast cancer vaccine in human …

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News for October 2 — Nobel Prize for COVID Vaccine

Nobel Prize for COVID vaccine: https://www.aol.com/news/scientists-whose-mrna-paved-way-094652689.html . The article takes time getting to the main point. Before their work, mRNA was of limited biomedical use because it touched off severe inflammation reactions. Over two decades, the two scientists figured out how to reengineer the proteins to avoid this inflammatory reaction, making their introduction into the …

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News for October 1 — Kaiser Strike; Burn Pit Benefits

Kaiser strike draws near: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/01/business/kaiser-permanente-union-no-deal/index.html . We seem to be careening from one crisis to the next right now, and we’re the world’s strongest economy. Veterans left out from VA burn pit benefits: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dog-pony-show-veterans-struggle-obtain-cancer-benefits-one-year-massive-burn-pit-legislation . WSJ: Small business bankruptcies increasing: https://www.wsj.com/business/entrepreneurship/small-busines-bankruptcy-surge-8989e665 . This is a natural consequence of rising interest rates, as small businesses are …

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News for September 30 — Speaker McCarthy Abandons Freedom Caucus

Speaker McCarthy abandons Freedom Caucus, gets Democrats to help him pass a continuing resolution: https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8 . The vote was 335 to 91. All but one Democrat voted for the bill. A slim majority of Republicans voted for the bill, but 90 voted against, many more than in the Freedom Caucus. The House GOP remains seriously …

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News for September 29 — US COVID Hospitalizations Decline Again

US COVID hospitalizations decline again: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-09-29/omicron-subvariant-eg-5-or-eris-increases-as-new-covid-19-hospitalizations-decline . EG.5 is now responsible for 30% of new infections. About 1.8 million Americans got COVID shots last week: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2023-09-29/around-1-8-million-americans-received-covid-shots-last-week-iqvia . WSJ: Vaccine mandate litigation continues: https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/biden-vaccine-mandates-are-history-but-court-battles-live-on-ab9bb348 . No Surprises billing implementation problems: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/29/no-surprises-act-balance-billing-doctors-insurance-companies . According to the article, the problems center on freestanding emergency clinics. At the least, …

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News for September 28 — States Fight for Healthcare Transparency

States fight for healthcare transparency: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/these-employers-took-on-healthcare-costs-and-the-fight-got-nasty-54674114 . Note that the average cost for family coverage was $22,463 for 2022. For a 2,080-hour year (40 hours a week), that’s $10.80 per hour, of which employers pay an average of $7.86. This is a hugely expensive benefit relative to salary for lower-paid workers. WSJ: UPS grows …

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News for September 27 — Florida Advises Against COVID Shots

Florida advises against COVID shots: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/21/desantis-delivered-covid-booster-warning-as-florida-led-the-nation-in-hospitalizations-00117284 . DeMentis-appointed Quack-in-General  commits medical malpractice, pure and simple. Osterholm: Get the COVID shot: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/virus-expert-just-gave-this-essential-covid-update/ss-AA1hleEj?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=e2dff9f0a9ac491aa69dbcf0e89c484d&ei=39#image=2 . Osterholm: Global COVID update: https://www.yahoo.com/video/virus-expert-just-issued-essential-110118254.html . WSJ: Developing healthy habits: https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/healthy-habits-research-science-7f373f67 . Um, does the author go to the gym regularly? I do. You can make it mindlessly routine. I swim at the …

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News for September 26 — COVID Hospitalizations Decline Slightly

COVID hospitalizations decline slightly in most recent week: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-09-26/new-covid-19-hospitalizations-decline . Down is good, but one week doesn’t prove much. Molnupiravir may cause COVID mutations: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-09-26/study-mercks-covid-19-drug-linked-to-mutated-coronavirus-strains . Merck believes this study concerning Molnupiravir makes unwarranted assumptions. WSJ: New antibiotics needed but unprofitable: https://www.wsj.com/tech/biotech/antibiotics-drug-development-business-fda-aa5b4f00 . WSJ: Fed rate hikes begin to sting consumers: https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/interest-rate-hikes-consumer-debt-d2b74401 . This of …

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News for September 25 — COVID Shot Delivery Glitches

COVID shot delivery glitches: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/covid-vaccine-shots-canceled-813f712f . Really, I’m at a loss as to how the pharmacy chains are screwing this up. We’ve been through 5 rounds already; this should be nearly automatic by now. Blood test identifies long COVID: https://www.axios.com/2023/09/25/long-covid-blood-test-study . The study showed that persons suffering from long COVID have distinct immune and …

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