White House effort to stave off fall COVID surge with new boosters faces uphill battle The White House is rushing ahead to roll out a new COVID-19 booster shot campaign in early September, but is facing an uphill battle to ensure it is successful.   The vaccines being … aneklason The Hill

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First to USA TODAY: Government website to suspend orders for free COVID tests due to limited supply The Biden administration says it has to suspend distribution of free at-home COVID-19 tests because Congress hasn't provided the additional funds requested. YahooNews

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Britain approves Novavax COVID shot for 12-17 year-olds Britain's medicines regulator on Friday approved Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine for children aged between 12 and 17 years. Reuters Reuters

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The mRNA vaccines made by Moderna as well as the partnership between Pfizer-BioNTech are also cleared for use by this age group, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said. ...

White House directs health, science agencies to make federally funded studies free to access The White House on Thursday directed health and science agencies to make federally funded studies immediately available to the public after publication. Sarah Owermohle STAT

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COVID vaccination in kids under 5 remain low as US hospital admissions steadily rise Summer hospitalizations saw an increase in younger kids, and experts worry the trend will continue as children return to school and day care. YahooNews

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Moderna files patent infringement lawsuits against Pfizer and BioNTech over mRNA Covid-19 vaccines | CNN Moderna on Friday filed patent infringement lawsuits against Pfizer and BioNTech "for infringing patents central to (its) mRNA technology platform," the company said in a news release Friday. Ben Tinker,Amanda Sealy CNN

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COVID isn’t over. Congressional funding for testing in Florida shouldn’t be either | Opinion Funding for free COVID testing for low-income and uninsured Floridians through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has officially lapsed. For many communities in our state, a lack of access to free testing means they are at risk. Miami Herald

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COVID testing is necessary in the continued fight against the virus and was key to ensuring Florida’s economy could remain open. Access to testing allowed local governments to track the virus, and effectively and efficiently treat patients....

N.Korea reports unknown fever cases near China border, denies COVID North Korea's state media said on Thursday that a fever outbreak of unknown origin has emerged in a region bordering China, but it was not the novel coronavirus over which the country declared victory this month. Hyonhee Shin Reuters

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California's public bus and urban transit workers have caught COVID at a rate more than 5 times higher than all other industries, CDC report says The CDC said California public bus and urban transit workers have contracted COVID at more than 5 times the rate of other industries. YahooNews

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Essential worker" status has come with heightened risk during the pandemic — and possibly no higher than that faced by public transportation workers.

What Fauci's exit tells us about the ongoing fight against Covid There was a time when Anthony Fauci thought he would retire when the Covid-19 pandemic was over. That, he admits now, may never happen. But this December, he announced this week, will have to be good enough. Sarah Owermohle STAT

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Fauci said that his chief objective after he steps down is addressing the splintering national sentiment towards vaccination and the federal response.

Japan to waive pre-departure COVID tests for vaccinated travellers Japan will waive pre-departure COVID-19 tests for vaccinated travellers to the country, but daily caps on entrants will remain in place, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday. Reuters Reuters

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