Factbox: Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus Parts of Asia looked to crack down on rising COVID-19 cases by conducting mass tests, while public health agencies in the United States approved the use of vaccines in young children and in Europe began the review of a variant-adapted vaccine. Reuters Reuters

...

Comparing the Pfizer and Moderna Covid vaccines for young children We’ve laid out what’s known about the differences in the vaccines for the youngest children in the hopes it will parents make their decision. Helen Branswell STAT

...

There are two vaccines. Which do you choose?

We can’t tell you which is best for your child. But we can tell you that in this age group, the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Moderna vaccines probably differ more than they do in any other age group on the vaccination spectrum.

When Will It Be Time For Another COVID Booster? Here's What Experts Think. Experts discuss the next round of booster shots and the variant-specific vaccines now being tested. YahooNews

...

UK: 50 new monkeypox cases in biggest epidemic beyond Africa LONDON (AP) — British health officials reported another 50 cases of monkeypox across the country on Friday, for a total of 574 cases. That makes the U.K.’s outbreak the biggest to date beyond… tlejeune The Hill

...

The World Health Organization has said people with monkeypox could be infectious for up to four weeks and advised them to isolate until they have completely recovered.

Don’t want to get sick this winter? The pandemic health habits to keep long term With soaring flu cases and other illnesses lurking, experts weigh in on which Covid prevention measures are worth keeping up, and which to ditch the Guardian

...

BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron: How worried should we be? Surges of Covid are happening again around the world, driven by some new subvariants of Omicron. BBC News

...

WHO panel backs use of Omicron-adapted vaccine as booster dose A modified coronavirus vaccine that targets the Omicron variant can be administered as a booster dose to broaden immunity, a technical advisory group set up the World Health Organization said on Friday. Reuters Reuters

...

White House: Florida doctors can order under-5 COVID shots WASHINGTON (AP) — Florida doctors will be able to order COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 from the federal government, the White House said Friday, after Republican Gov. AP NEWS

...

FDA authorizes Covid-19 vaccines for younger children The Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines are now authorized for emergency use in young children, but they can't be given until the CDC director signs off. Jacqueline Howard, CNN CNN

...

Moderna's vaccine is now authorized for use in children 6 months through 17 years and Pfizer/BioNTech's for children 6 months through 4 years. About 17 million kids under the age of 5 are now are eligible for Covid-19 vaccines...

Omicron Less Likely to Cause Long COVID, Data Suggest Odd of long COVID as high as 50% less during Omicron era Judy George medpagetoday

...

About 4.5% of people who became infected with SARS-CoV-2 when Omicron was the dominant strain experienced long COVID symptoms, compared with 10.8% who became infected during the Delta period, reported Claire Steves, PhD, of King's College London in England, and co-authors...

Paxlovid Misses in Standard-Risk COVID-19 Trend toward advantage in secondary endpoint of hospitalization or death, but not significant Kristina Fiore medpagetoday

Updated findings from a nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) trial in standard-risk COVID-19 suggest the antiviral's benefits are less clear for those not at high risk of severe outcomes.