COVID pandemic is officially over in the U.S., excess-deaths data show The COVID-19 pandemic is definitively over, according to two recent reports focused on the same metric. Ciara Linnane MarketWatch

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Biden administration suspends funding to Wuhan lab The Biden administration is suspending all federal funding to the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), the Chinese lab at the center of a controversy over the origins of the coronavirus, according to… nweixel The Hill

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The memo from an HHS official said the facility has repeatedly refused to provide documents and answer questions from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) about safety and security. HHS also told the lab it’s seeking to cut off funding permanently.

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WHO urges governments to set up surveillance for people at risk from heatwaves The World Health Organization on Wednesday urged governments and local authorities to set up a strong surveillance system for people who are most at risk of severe symptoms from a heatwave that is baking the northern hemisphere. Reuters Reuters

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Study shows bivalent COVID-19 booster outperforms monovalent version CIDRAP

A new Italian study finds that estimated relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) was 49.3% for the bivalent (two-strain) booster and 26.9% for the monovalent (single-strain) booster, with protection lasting at least 4 months for the bivalent booster and waning fast for the monovalent version. The study appears in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

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First Genetic Clue Why Some People Do Not Get Sick From Covid People who have a particular genetic variant are twice as likely to never get sick when they contract Covid-19, researchers said on Wednesday, offering the first potential explanation for the lucky group dubbed the "super dodgers". AFP - Agence France Presse BarronsOnline

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From rapid cooling body bags to 'prescriptions’ for AC, doctors prepare for a future of extreme heat From body bags for rapid cooling to "prescriptions" for air conditioners, doctors are preparing for a future of extreme heat linked to climate change. Karen Pennar STAT

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Heatwave brings health warnings as extreme weather grips globe Temperatures were expected to reach record highs in Italy on Tuesday and the World Meteorological Organization warned of an increased risk of deaths as heatwaves and extreme weather gripped parts of Europe, Asia and the United States. Angelo Amante,Emma Farge Reuters

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FDA approves RSV monoclonal antibody for infants, young children at high risk The FDA approved a monoclonal antibody to protect infants and young children from severe illness caused by RSV on Monday, a potential game-changer for the disease. Helen Branswell STAT

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COVID-19 vaccine tied to reduced deaths in seniors with dementia CIDRAP

For the first time, researchers have calculated excess deaths among US dementia patients during the pandemic, and they found a reduction in excess mortality among long-term care residents after COVID-19 vaccines were made available. The study was published today in JAMA Neurology.

ALSO SEE: Alzheimer’s among seniors is most common in the eastern and southeastern US states