Fauci says time to start 'inching' back toward normality Top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Wednesday that it is time for the United States to start inching back towards normality, despite remaining risks from COVID-19. Julie Steenhuysen Reuters

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Biden’s new global vaccine push is running out of funds The president’s team is putting the world vaccination effort at the center of its Covid-19 strategy. But it lacks the money to pay for it. POLITICO

The Biden administration is turbocharging its effort to boost inoculations in low- and middle-income countries to prevent new, more-transmissible variants from emerging — an effort that would also protect Americans at home, according to three senior administration officials working on the effort.

Biden to tap Francis Collins, OSTP deputy to split the role of his ousted science adviser Biden is expected to tap Francis Collins and OSTP deputy Alondra Nelson to split the role of his ousted science adviser, Eric Lander. Erin Mershon STAT

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is replacing a top science adviser who resigned under a cloud with two individuals who will split his duties on an interim basis.

UK to offer COVID vaccine to all children 5-11 LONDON (AP) — British authorities will offer a coronavirus vaccine to almost six million children from age 5 to 11, officials said Wednesday. The government said young children will be offered a low-dose COVID-19 shot on a “non-urgent” basis beginning in April in England. AP NEWS

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Estimated 73% of US now immune to omicron: Is that enough? The omicron wave that assaulted the United States this winter also bolstered its defenses, leaving enough protection against the coronavirus that future spikes will likely require much less — if any — dramatic disruption to society. AP NEWS

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Millions of individual Americans’ immune systems now recognize the virus and are primed to fight it off if they encounter omicron, or even another variant.

Child Covid-19 hospitalizations rose amid Omicron, especially among children too young to be vaccinated Covid-19 hospitalization rates among children increased as Omicron replaced Delta as the predominant coronavirus variant in the United States, especially among those under 5, who are not eligible to be vaccinated, according to a study published Tuesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deidre McPhillips, CNN CNN

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Drug overdose deaths reach record high New data out Wednesday from the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that overdose deaths hit a record high last year. Monique Beals TheHill

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Experts have said the trend is likely to continue even after the pandemic's impact on daily life becomes less significant.