The Great Grift: COVID-19 aid thieves bought fancy cars, a Pokemon card — even a private island Patrick Parker Walsh is one of thousands of thieves who perpetrated the greatest grift in U.S. history — potentially plundering more than $280 billion in federal COVID-19 aid. AP News

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WHO updates COVID treatment guidelines, risk estimates for hospitalization The WHO lowered its treatment-benefit threshold from a 6% to a 2% reduction in the risk of hospitalization. CIDRAP

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Pain, fatigue, fuzzy thinking: How long COVID disrupts the brain The neurological symptoms of COVID can persist for years after an infection. Scientists are just beginning to understand why. NPR

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The brain may be especially vulnerable to COVID because the disease appears to weaken the blood-brain barrier, which usually protects the organ from both germs and the immune cells that follow them.

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Study finds prenatal vaccination protects infants from COVID Marina Demidiuk/ IStock CIDRAP

Infants as old as 6 months were protected from COVID-19 infections only when mothers were vaccinated prenatally, and not before pregnancy, according to a new study in JAMA Network Open.

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A new COVID variant, HV.1, is now dominant. These are its most common symptoms A new highly contagious COVID-19 variant, HV.1, is now the dominant strain in the U.S. What to know about transmission, symptoms, vaccines and more. TODAY

As the United States enters respiratory virus season and health officials roll out updated COVID-19 vaccines, a new COVID variant HV.1 has emerged and is currently sweeping the country.

How pharmacy deserts are putting the health of Black and Latino Americans at risk Lack of access to a nearby pharmacy can have major health consequences by impeding people's ability to get vaccinations and keep up with prescriptions. Anika Nayak STAT

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Kindergarten vaccination exemptions at highest level ever The percentage of kindergartners whose parents opted them out of school-required vaccinations rose to the highest level yet during the 2022-2023 school year, according to new federal data released … nweixel The Hill

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The drop in coverage for routine vaccinations against diseases like measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) increase the chances of an outbreak and underscore the continued fallout from barriers to vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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New GAO report details challenges in sustained investment for emergency readiness M-C-C / iStock CIDRAP

In a new report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), public health officials cite the challenges of using federal COVID-19 funds to build and maintain infrastructure for emergency readiness. ...

Dr. Tom Frieden: Covid-19 is still around, and so are these misconceptions Covid-19 hasn’t gone away, and it won’t any time soon. It’s now part of the landscape of health threats. Although the coronavirus continues to kill and cause lasting damage, our immunity, vaccines and treatments have tamed the pandemic. Opinion by Dr. Tom Frieden AOL

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Three widely held misconceptions reflect and contribute to polarization. For each, there’s a kernel of truth that appears to support the misconception, but the reality is clear.

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