A new coronavirus appeared in Wuhan, China, at the beginning of December 2019, and it has spread rapidly around the world. The World Health Organization declared a global public health emergency over the outbreak, which has affected tens of thousands of people in dozens of countries.
The new coronavirus causes a disease called COVID-19, which has symptoms like fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and other respiratory problems. It’s mild in most people but can be severe or deadly in some cases, especially for the elderly and those who have underlying health issues.
Public health officials are working to understand how dangerous this virus is, how fast it’s spreading, and how to contain it. As that work continues, the virus is causing anxiety around the world.
Three years after covid triggered lockdowns and upended world economies, the public health emergency is now over.
You can once again apply for four free covid tests to be delivered to your household.
The covid pandemic saga of Razer’s RGB-lit Zephyr face mask is probably ending now that checks and PayPal payments are giving money back to the 6,764 buyers.
Last year, the FTC settled with Razer over its misleading statements and “N95-grade” filtering claims made without evidence or testing, leading to refunds and a $100k civil penalty.
The US Department of Health and Human Services will be offering four free home Covid tests to each household at the end of September. This, together with the roll-out of the latest vaccines (I’ve already made my appointment), is another sign that the coronavirus has made a strong reappearance this summer.
[aspr.hhs.gov]
The DOJ was granted (PDF) a stay of an injunction barring DHS, CISA, FBI, and other federal officials from contact with social media platforms about content moderation. The judge who wrote the injunction this summer claimed their requests about posts containing covid misinformation amounted to a violation of the First Amendment.
An appeals court limited the terms of the ban last month but paused the process to see if the Supreme Court would weigh in. Now it will hear the DOJ’s appeal, over dissent from three justices (Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch).
After overcoming one legal challenge, the UK’s Covid inquiry has reportedly hit another roadblock as it attempts to acquire the old WhatsApp messages of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson — a forgotten passcode. The Times of London is reporting that Johnson can’t recall the old phone’s PIN, which he stopped using in May 2021. At least he didn’t drop it into the ocean.
My wife and I just rescued six perfectly good tests from the trash! Yes, many COVID-19 tests are effective longer than pharma companies originally wrote, and you can easily find the new date by looking up your test and its Lot Code at the FDA.
[U.S. Food and Drug Administration]
After stopping the program last September, the US government is now offering another set of four free home rapid antigen tests to each household. Here’s how you can order yours.
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Omicron boosters might be around the corner
OTC molecular tests combine PCR accuracy with the convenience of rapid antigen tests
