Public Health

New Hampshire infections: Omicron now dominant COVID-19 variant

Wed, 2022-01-12 14:08 — mike kraft

Omicron now dominant COVID-19 variant in New Hampshire

CONCORD, N.H. —

The omicron variant is rapidly spreading in New Hampshire, health officials said Tuesday, noting that more than 90% of COVID-19 specimens tested Monday showed evidence of the new variant.

The omicron variant has quickly spread around the world, but it was slower to show up in New Hampshire than in other parts of the United States. Health officials said that last week, the estimated proportion of specimens identified as omicron increased from 30-40% to 75%, fore rising over 90% Monday.

Health officials said Monday that active cases of COVID-19 rose to 17,208, the highest ever in New Hampshire. Hospitalizations increased slightly to 377, about 100 less than they were a month ago. ...

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Florida: FDA extends shelf life of nearly 1 million expired COVID-19 test kits in the state

Wed, 2022-01-12 13:15 — mike kraft

FDA extends shelf life of nearly 1 million expired COVID-19 test kits in Florida, governor says

COVID-19 testing centers throughout Florida — which have been dealing with crushing demand over the last few weeks — may have just caught a big break.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday announced that up to 1 million coronavirus rapid test kits which had expired in December can actually be used.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration extended the expiration date for three months on a warehouse full of between 800,000 and 1 million Abbott Laboratories BinaxNOW COVID-19 test kits, pushing their shelf life to March.

The tests, which had expired between Dec. 26 and 30, will now be sent to emergency management offices, county health departments, public safety agencies, hospitals, and long-term care facilities.

DeSantis added the rapid COVID-19 test kits are not at-home tests and cannot be sent to Floridians directly. Only trained medical professionals can administer them at testing sites.

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New Hampshire: Omicron now dominant COVID-19 variant

Wed, 2022-01-12 12:56 — mike kraft

Omicron now dominant COVID-19 variant in New Hampshire

CONCORD, N.H. — The omicron variant is rapidly spreading in New Hampshire, health officials said Tuesday, noting that more than 90% of COVID-19 specimens tested Monday showed evidence of the new variant.

The omicron variant has quickly spread around the world, but it was slower to show up in New Hampshire than in other parts of the United States. Health officials said that last week, the estimated proportion of specimens identified as omicron increased from 30-40% to 75%, before rising over 90% Monday.

Health officials said Monday that active cases of COVID-19 rose to 17,208, the highest ever in New Hampshire. Hospitalizations increased slightly to 377, about 100 less than they were a month ago. ...

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U.S. COVID deaths rising but currently likely due to Delta, not Omicron -- CDC chief

Wed, 2022-01-12 12:46 — mike kraft

U.S. COVID deaths rising but likely due to Delta, not Omicron, says CDC chief COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States have increased by about 33% and deaths are up by about 40% from a week earlier, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Wednesday. Reuters Reuters

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Other countries struck by Omicron kept their death tolls low. The US is looking different.

Wed, 2022-01-12 12:37 — mike kraft

Other countries struck by Omicron kept their death tolls low. The US is looking different. Deaths in South Africa, the UK, and Denmark appear low compared to prior waves. Experts and data have suggested this may not play out in the US. YahooNews

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U.S. Red Cross declares first-ever national blood crisis

Wed, 2022-01-12 12:20 — mike kraft

The nation's blood supply is dangerously low, prompting the Red Cross to announce a national blood crisis for the first time.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decline in donor turnout, the cancellation of blood drives and staffing challenges, leading to the worst blood shortage in more than a decade, the Red Cross said. Last year, the Red Cross saw a 34% decline in new donors.

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Low COVID-19 vaccination rates for American kids called a ‘gut punch’

Wed, 2022-01-12 12:11 — mike kraft

Kids' low COVID-19 vaccination rates called a 'gut punch' | AP News Just over 17% of U.S. children between the ages of 5 and 11 are fully vaccinated, more than two months after shots for the age group became available. AP NEWS

... Suspicion, misinformation, complacency and delays because of the holidays and bad weather have combined to produce alarmingly low COVID-19 vaccination rates in U.S. children ages 5 to 11, authorities say.

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Trump calls politicians who refuse to say they received Covid boosters 'gutless'

Wed, 2022-01-12 10:15 — mike kraft

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized politicians who refuse to say whether they’ve received a Covid booster shot.

In an interview with far-right cable channel One America News, Trump said he received the booster and has seen politicians get asked in interviews whether they’ve also gotten a third shot.

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