Veto Puts Kentucky in Thick of Fight over Transgender Rights
FDA Authorizes Second Booster Shot for Americans Over 50
March 29, 2022
by Dan McCue
WASHINGTON — Bypassing its review panel of independent experts, the Food and Drug Administration authorized a fourth dose of the Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccine for people 50 and older.
The authorization for the fourth shot comes as an omicron subvariant, BA.2, has been causing a new wave of infections in Europe and China.
Health officials say BA.2 is also gaining ground in the U.S., and is expected to become the dominant variant here in the coming weeks.
FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said Tuesday that everyone who has yet to get a first booster shot should get one.
The second booster is only for these higher-risk groups because “current evidence suggests some waning of protection” for them, he said.
BA.2 generally does not make people sicker than the earlier version of omicron, BA.1, and the vaccines have the same level of effectiveness against both types of the variant, according to recent studies that have yet to undergo peer review.
It’s unclear whether the FDA will eventually approve a fourth dose of the vaccine for younger adults, as health experts disagree on whether it is needed or not.
Dan can be reached at dan@thewellnews.com and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue.
In The News
Innovation
Innovation Is the Invisible Hand That Moves the Political Debate on Energy
2023-03-24 20:56:00
Health
Voting
Health
Veto Puts Kentucky in Thick of Fight over Transgender Rights
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's veto of a bill aimed at transgender health care puts the state in the... Read More
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's veto of a bill aimed at transgender health care puts the state in the middle of a national fight, but with more immediate consequences as the state's looming election offers an early test on the state-by-state assault on gender-affirming care... Read More
March 25, 2023
by Claire Cleveland
Bill Could Ban Girls from Talking About Their Periods in School
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — In Florida, Republican lawmakers have introduced a bevy of new legislation that will, if passed, restrict certain... Read More
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — In Florida, Republican lawmakers have introduced a bevy of new legislation that will, if passed, restrict certain health educational materials used in state schools. One such bill, House Bill 1069, would limit children below sixth grade from discussing their menstrual cycles in school. ... Read More
Court Blocks COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for US Gov't Workers
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — President Joe Biden’s order that federal employees get vaccinated against COVID-19 has been blocked by a federal appeals... Read More
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — President Joe Biden’s order that federal employees get vaccinated against COVID-19 has been blocked by a federal appeals court. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, in a decision Thursday, rejected arguments that Biden, as the nation’s chief executive, has the... Read More
March 23, 2023
by NC Approves Medicaid Expansion, Reversing Long Opposition
NC Approves Medicaid Expansion, Reversing Long Opposition
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A Medicaid expansion deal in North Carolina received final legislative approval on Thursday, ending a decade of debate... Read More
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A Medicaid expansion deal in North Carolina received final legislative approval on Thursday, ending a decade of debate over whether the closely politically divided state should accept the federal government's coverage for hundreds of thousands of low-income adults. North Carolina is one of several... Read More
March 22, 2023
by Tom Ramstack
Sens. Press Moderna Chief Exec on COVID Vaccine Price Hike
WASHINGTON — The chief executive of Moderna Inc. defended his plan to quadruple the price of the COVID-19 vaccine during... Read More
WASHINGTON — The chief executive of Moderna Inc. defended his plan to quadruple the price of the COVID-19 vaccine during a Senate hearing Wednesday by saying his company is preparing for a sharp decline in demand. With as much as a 90% drop in customers as... Read More
March 22, 2023
by What Made Beethoven Sick? DNA From His Hair Offers Clues
What Made Beethoven Sick? DNA From His Hair Offers Clues
NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly 200 years after Ludwig van Beethoven's death, researchers pulled DNA from strands of his hair,... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly 200 years after Ludwig van Beethoven's death, researchers pulled DNA from strands of his hair, searching for clues about the health problems and hearing loss that plagued him. They weren't able to crack the case of the German composer's deafness or... Read More
News From The Well
