Senate confirms Biden FDA pick Califf, despite objections to drug industry ties The Senate narrowly confirmed Dr. Robert Califf, a prominent cardiologist, as FDA commissioner, over objections to his pharmaceutical industry ties. Spencer Kimball CNBC

The Senate narrowly confirmed Dr. Robert Califf as Food and Drug Administration commissioner on Tuesday, over objections to his pharmaceutical industry ties and concerns he would not act aggressively enough to stem the opioid epidemic.

Why Covid-19 vaccines are a freaking miracle The pandemic has been catastrophic. But consider something that may have escaped you: You have witnessed — and you are a beneficiary of — a freaking miracle. Helen Branswell STAT

Two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s easy to lament all that has come to pass. The devastating losses. The upending of what we regarded as normal ways of life. The sheer relentlessness of it all.

But let’s stop for a moment and consider something else that may have escaped you: You have witnessed — and you are a beneficiary of — a freaking miracle.

More than half of all travel destinations are 'very high' risk The CDC designated a half dozen new places "very high" risk for travel on Monday, including South Korea and French Polynesia. Almost 140 destinations are now at Level 4, the highest risk category. By Marnie Hunter and Forrest Brown, CNN CNN

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Controlled studies ease worries of widespread long Covid in kids Children are more likely to suffer from pandemic-associated symptoms than from infection-associated symptoms. School policies should reflect this reality. Patrick Skerrett STAT

Uncertainty about the effect of Covid-19 on children is gradually being replaced by reassuring news.

UK health agency says long COVID less common in the vaccinated Long COVID is less likely to affect vaccinated people than unvaccinated people, a new review of 15 studies by the UK Health Security Agency released on Tuesday has concluded. Reuters Reuters

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WHO Europe warns of COVID rise in east, like Russia, Ukraine COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization's Europe office said Tuesday that health officials are turning their attention to growing rates of COVID-19 infection in Eastern Europe, where six countries — including Russia and Ukraine — have seen a doubling in case counts over the last two weeks. AP NEWS

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