Losing Smell and Taste to COVID-19 Linked to Lower Reinfection Risk After a mild COVID-19 infection, people who lost smell or taste were twice as likely to have antibodies that may protect against reinfection. EverydayHealth.com

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It’s the End of the House COVID Panel As We Know It The majority of the panel has released its final report on the lack of preparations ahead of the pandemic, blunders by the Trump administration and recommendations for reform. Courtney Bublé Government Executive

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US deaths fell this year, but not to pre-COVID levels NEW YORK (AP) — The number of U.S. deaths dropped this year, but there are still more than there were before the coronavirus hit. Preliminary data — through the first 11 months of the year — indicates 2022 will see fewer deaths than the previous two COVID-19 pandemic years. AP NEWS

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If the decline does hold, it will still be a far cry from where the nation was before the coronavirus appeared. This year’s count is likely to end up at least 13% higher than what it was in 2019.

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WHO estimates two-year global death toll of COVID-19 pandemic at 15 million Almost 15 million people likely died as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, nearly three times more than previously reported, a new World Health Organization study estimates. UPI

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Lagging booster rates raise fears over deadly winter in nursing homes COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are on the rise, posing a major threat to nursing home residents and staff who are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations. Less than half of all nurs… iswanson The Hill

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China's COVID scare sparks run on flu medicines, test kits as far away as Australia The rising alarm over COVID-19 spreading in China was felt in pharmacies in Hong Kong, Macau, and in some neighbourhoods in Australia, as people hunted for fever medicines and virus test kits to send to family and friends on the mainland. Stella Qiu,Sophie Yu Reuters

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Omicron BQ, XBB subvariants are a serious threat to boosters and knock out antibody treatments, study finds

White House warns of possible Covid-19 winter surge: 'This is not one disease in isolation' | CNN Politics For Americans across the country preparing to gather and socialize with family and friends during the end-of-year holiday season, the White House has a clear warning: Covid-19 is not over, and you had better protect yourself. MJ Lee CNN

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White House announces new COVID-19 prevention efforts, including free tests, vaccination clinics, support for nursing homes Biden administration announces new efforts to reduce COVID-19 as cases rise after Thanksgiving holiday. Will provide more tests, shots and treatments. Karen Weintraub USA TODAY

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People in Rural Areas Die at Higher Rates Than Those in Urban Areas Deaths from heart disease, cancer and COVID are all higher in rural areas than urban ones in the U.S., and the gap is only widening Tanya Lewis Scientific American

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Two years later, did Covid vaccines live up to their promise? Despite the success of mRNA vaccines, researchers think a new generation of Covid vaccines could provide broader, longer-term protection in the future. NBC News

...In particular, researchers think sprays or drops given through the nose or mouth could do a better job of stopping transmission. They also hope that vaccines that target multiple parts of the virus or several variants at once could reduce the need for continuous boosters.

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Florida pastor and his son are arrested in alleged $8 million Covid scam An NBC News report in July raised questions about why they hadn’t been charged in the alleged scam, which prosecutors outlined in court papers in late 2020. NBC News

A Florida pastor and his son were arrested Wednesday on charges of fraudulently obtaining more than $8 million in federal Covid relief funds and attempting to use some of the money to buy a luxury home near Walt Disney World.