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WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. lawmakers are raising alarms about what they see as America’s failure to compete with China in biotechnology, warning of the risks to U.S. national security and commercial interests. Bills have been introduced in the House and Senate to bar “foreign adversary biotech companies of concern” from doing business with federally funded medical providers. Photos You Should See View All 33 ImagesCritics of the legislation warn that restrictions on Chinese companies would impede advances that could bring a greater good. “It’s not just a supply chain battle or a national security battle or an economic security battle; I would submit it’s a moral and ethical battle,” Gallagher said. He said any restrictive U.S. measures should be tailored to address military concerns and concerns about genomic data security.

Persons: walling, ”, Abigail Coplin, Rachel King, Mike Gallagher, Gallagher, “ It’s, ” Gallagher, “ we’re, Biden, Tom Bollyky, Bollyky, Ray Yip, Yip, “, Anna Puglisi, Puglisi, ” Puglisi, BGI, WuXi AppTec, Dake Kang Organizations: WASHINGTON, — U.S, Biotechnology, Bills, Embassy, Biden, Vassar College, Biotechnology Innovation Organization, National Security Commission, Emerging Biotechnology, U.S . Senate, Chinese Communist Party, Wisconsin Republican, “, Bloomberg, Council, Foreign Relations, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Georgetown University’s Center for Security, Emerging, The Defense Department, Commerce Department, Associated Press Locations: China, U.S, ”, South China, Wisconsin, Boston, United States, WuXi, Beijing

The bill would bar counties from usurping state law on agricultural operations, including revoking such county regulations that were previously adopted. “This bill is of specific interest to many Hardy County residents because it contains language that would explicitly address a situation specific to Hardy County,” county planner Melissa Scott wrote in an email to The Associated Press. It’s unknown whether Allegheny Wood Products, which has eight sawmills in the state, wants to resume its efforts to obtain an air permit. Also under the bill, county commissions also would be barred from adopting ordinances that regulate buildings on agricultural land or operations. "What activities are considered ‘related to agricultural operations’?

Persons: ”, John Rosato, comas, Melissa Scott, didn’t, Steven Schetrom, “, Jim Justice, Scott Organizations: Allegheny Wood Products, Environmental, Air Quality, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Associated Press, AP, Republican Gov, Virginians Locations: CHARLESTON, W.Va, West Virginia, Allegheny, Hardy County, Baker, ”, Hardy, Virginia, Washington ,

As advocates push this year for ballot measure initiatives aiming to protect abortion rights, key differences have emerged in the language of proposed measures. Among them is the inclusion of mental health exceptions. Meanwhile, proposed ballot measure language in Arkansas only says “physical health,” excluding a mental health exception. “We don’t as a society have a great track record of treating mental health the same way we do physical health.”Policies that dismiss mental health as less important than physical health put lives at risk, said Columbia University psychiatrist Paul Appelbaum. We felt it was unlikely for a version that explicitly names mental health to pass.”Arkansas advocates were also worried the opposition campaign would target a mental health exception, Diaz said.

Persons: Kaniya Harris, Harris, don’t, “, ”, Roe, Wade, Michelle Oberman, ” Oberman, Paul Appelbaum, Appelbaum, ” Jayme Trevino, Mallory Schwarz, —, Gennie Diaz, ” Diaz, Diaz, Ingrid Duran, Duran Organizations: CHICAGO, Alabama, U.S, Supreme, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Santa Clara University, Columbia University, American Psychiatric Association, OB, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Republican, Associated Press, AP Locations: Bethesda , Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, Arizona, Michigan, Arkansas, Florida , Montana and Nebraska, — Florida, Georgia , Idaho , Iowa , Kentucky, Louisiana , Ohio , Tennessee, West Virginia, Wyoming, Alabama, ” Arkansas, Santa

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An elderly man has died from Alaskapox, the first known fatality from the recently discovered virus, state health officials said. The man, who lived in the remote Kenai Peninsula, was hospitalized last November and died in late January, according to a bulletin last week from Alaska public health officials. Alaskapox, also known as AKPV, is related to smallpox, cowpox and mpox, health officials said. Only six other cases of the virus have been reported to Alaska health officials since the first one in 2015. All involved people were living in the Fairbanks area, more than 300 miles (483 kilometers) from the Kenai Peninsula, health officials said.

Persons: “, hasn't, Alaskapox, Alaskans Organizations: Health, U.S . Centers for Disease Control Locations: ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Alaskapox, Kenai, Fairbanks

BOSTON (AP) — A U.S. Customs and Border Protection dog sniffed out something unusual in luggage from a traveler returning from Africa — mummified monkeys. The passenger returning from a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo reported that the luggage contained dried fish, but an inspection at Boston Logan Airport revealed dead and dehydrated bodies of four monkeys, agents said. Raw or minimally processed meat from wild animals, sometimes referred to as “bushmeat,” is banned in the U.S. because of the threat of disease. "The potential dangers posed by bringing bushmeat into the United States are real. Bushmeat can carry germs that can cause illness, including the Ebola virus,” said Julio Caravia, local port director for Customs and Border Protection.

Persons: “, ”, Julio Caravia, Ryan Bissette Organizations: BOSTON, —, U.S . Customs, Democratic, Boston Logan Airport, Customs, U.S . Centers for Disease Control Locations: U.S, Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, United States

More foods are being recalled in the wake of a deadly outbreak of listeria food poisoning, including snack foods that may be part of Super Bowl Sunday party menus. Photos You Should See View All 21 ImagesThe recalled foods were sold to food service providers, retailers and at deli counters nationwide. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also issued a public health alert for certain Amazon kitchen burritos that contain ingredients made by Rizo Lopez Foods. About 1,600 people are sickened by listeria food poisoning every year, according to the CDC. The CDC said consumers who have the recalled products should throw them away and thoroughly clean the refrigerator, counters and other contact sites.

Persons: Joe's, Rizo Lopez, Tio Francisco, Don Francisco, Rizo, Campesino, Dos, Casa Organizations: Super Bowl, Costco, Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, Health, Rizo Bros, Food, U.S . Department of Agriculture, CDC, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Modesto , California, Rio Grande , Food City, El, San Carlos, Santa Maria, Casa Cardenas

Officials in Ecuador have named the likely source of contaminated ground cinnamon used in fruit pouches tied to more than 400 potential cases of lead poisoning in U.S. children, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. Carlos Aguilera, a cinnamon-processing company in Ecuador, supplied the spice added to WanaBana and other applesauce pouches sent to the U.S., according to the Ecuadorian regulatory agency ARCSA. The cinnamon, which was sent to another supplier, Negasmart, was found to be contaminated with high levels of lead and chromium, an FDA analysis showed. The unprocessed cinnamon sticks used in the products were originally imported from Sri Lanka. The sticks were tested and found to have no lead contamination, ARCSA told FDA.

Persons: Carlos Aguilera, ARCSA Organizations: Food and Drug Administration, FDA, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Ecuador, U.S, Ecuadorian, Sri Lanka

☆ Doctor Who Prescribed More Than 500,000 Opioid Doses Has Conviction Tossed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Jonathan Stempel(Reuters) - A Virginia doctor who prescribed more than 500,000 opioid doses in less than two years had his conviction and 40-year prison sentence thrown out by a federal appeals court on Friday, because the jury instructions misstated the law. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia also ordered a new trial for Joel Smithers, 41, who has been serving his sentence in an Atlanta prison. Overprescription of painkillers is one of the main causes of the nation's opioid crisis. Prosecutors said Smithers prescribed controlled substances including fentanyl, hydromorphone, oxycodone and oxymorphone to every patient he saw at the Martinsville, Virginia office he opened in August 2015. Circuit Court of Appeals, No.

Persons: Jonathan Stempel, Joel Smithers, Prosecutors, Smithers, Roger Gregory, Christopher Kavanaugh, Beau Brindley, resoundingly, Bill Berkrot Organizations: U.S, Circuit, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, Supreme, of, 4th U.S Locations: Virginia, Richmond , Virginia, Atlanta, United States, Martinsville , Virginia, U.S, Western, of Virginia, 4th, New York

☆ Opinion | Why America Can’t Recover From That First Awful Covid Year
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Eric Klinenberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Covid numbers recently climbed again. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention once again reported monthly death tolls in the thousands. Mask mandates are back in New York City’s public medical facilities and nursing homes. The presidential race has kicked into gear and, just as in 2020, the stakes seem existential. Everything changed, and yet almost nothing changed at all.

Persons: I’m, I’ve, we’d, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Daniel Presti Organizations: U.S . Centers for Disease Control Locations: New York, United States, Staten Island

WASHINGTON (AP) — The e-commerce giant eBay will pay $59 million in a settlement with the Justice Department over thousands of pill press machines sold on the the platform. The Justice Department says eBay failed to meet those requirements for thousands of pill presses and pill-filling encapsulating machines, including high-capacity pill presses capable of producing thousands of pills per hour. Many people who bought pill presses on eBay have since been charged in illegal counterfeit pills trafficking cases, according to the Justice Department. “Counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl are a significant contributor to the deadly overdose epidemic,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. The company has agreed to step up its compliance program on sales of pill presses as well as counterfeit molds, stamps and dies, and encapsulating machines, which are used to fill pills.

Persons: ”, Vanita Gupta, Nikolas Kerest of, Henry Leventis Organizations: WASHINGTON, eBay, Justice Department, Drug, Administration, Department, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Middle, Middle District of Locations: Nikolas Kerest of Vermont, Middle District, Middle District of Tennessee

But there's some unexpected good news: The rate of new gonorrhea cases fell for the first time in a decade. Total cases surpassed 207,000 in 2022, the highest count in the United States since 1950, according to data released Tuesday. About 59,000 of the 2022 cases involved the most infectious forms of syphilis. STD testing was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and officials believe that's the reason the chlamydia rate fell in 2020. “We are encouraged by the magnitude of the decline,” Mermin said, though the gonorrhea rate is still higher now than it was pre-pandemic.

Persons: It's, gonorrhea, Philip Chan, Meghan O’Connell, O'Connell, Jonathan Mermin, ” Mermin Organizations: U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC, Brown University, Plains Tribal, ’, U.S . Department of Health, Human Services, District of Columbia, CDC’s National Center, HIV, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: United States, U.S, Providence , Rhode Island, Alaska, South Dakota, New Mexico, South, Rapid City , South Dakota

One focus of the talks was fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that is ravaging America, and in particular ingredients for the drug that are made in China. The U.S. wants China to do more to curb the export of chemicals that it says are processed into fentanyl, largely in Mexico, before the final product is smuggled into the United States. But China refused to discuss cooperation unless the U.S. lifted sanctions on the Public Security Ministry's Institute of Forensic Science. The U.S. quietly agreed to lift the sanctions to get cooperation on fentanyl. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller called it “an appropriate step to take” given what China was willing to do on the trafficking of fentanyl precursors.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Wang Xiaohong, ”, Jen Daskal, Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Wang Yi, Matthew Miller Organizations: BEIJING, Chinese Public Security, U.S ., U.S, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, ., Biden, Senate, Public Security Ministry's Institute of Forensic Science, The Commerce Department, State Department Locations: U.S, America, China, San Francisco, Taiwan, Mexico, United States, Beijing, China’s Xinjiang, The U.S

“It just says, ‘test strips for deadly drugs will be exempted from drug paraphernalia,’” Rohrbach said. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesUnder West Virginia law, drug paraphernalia could be hypodermic syringes, needles, capsules, and balloons, among other items. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has described drug test strips as a low-cost method of helping prevent drug overdoses. The proportion of drug overdose deaths involving heroin has declined in recent years. Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues were involved in 76% of all drug overdose deaths occurring in West Virginia in 2021, up from 58% in 2017.

Persons: Jim Justice, Justice hasn't, we’ve, Matthew Rohrbach, Rohrbach, ” Rohrbach Organizations: Republican Gov, Justice, Republican, West, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, CDC, White, National Drug Control Locations: CHARLESTON, W.Va, West Virginia, U.S, Carfentanil

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials say 93 Americans have died after cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic since 2009, with many of the recent deaths involving a procedure known as a Brazilian butt lift. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesComplications from cosmetic surgery are not unique to the Dominican Republic. The CDC on Thursday issued a separate report about 15 cases of bacterial infections in women who went to one Florida cosmetic surgery center in 2022. After an increase in U.S. deaths in 2019 and 2020, the U.S. Embassy contacted the CDC, which investigated along with the Dominican Republic Ministry of Health. They tallied 93 cosmetic surgery-related deaths of U.S. citizens in the Dominican Republic from 2009 to 2022, or an average of about seven a year.

Persons: “, ”, Matthew Hudson, Hudson Organizations: —, U.S, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, CDC, U.S . Embassy, Dominican Republic Ministry of Health, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, State University of New, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: — U.S, Dominican Republic, United States, Florida, Mexico, Matamoros ., U.S, State University of New York, Buffalo

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A new estimate shows hearing loss affects approximately 37.9 million Americans and is more common in rural areas than urban ones and in men than women. The estimates are for 2019 and only include people who have hearing loss in both ears. Experts say rural Americans need better access to hearing screenings and specialists. Audiologist Melanie Buhr-Lawler, a clinical professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said she saw the threats to hearing health growing up on a farm in rural Wisconsin and later researching hearing loss in rural residents. “People who live in rural areas have a hearing health double-whammy," said Buhr-Lawler, who was not involved with the study.

Persons: NORC, audiologist Nicholas Reed, ”, David Rein, Audiologist Melanie Buhr, Lawler, Buhr, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: MILWAUKEE, University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, University of Wisconsin, “, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: Madison, Wisconsin, Tomah , Wisconsin

LONDON (AP) — U.K. health officials on Monday urged millions of parents to book their children in for missed measles, mumps and rubella shots amid a sharp increase in the number of measles cases and the lowest vaccination rates in a decade. The National Health Service was launching a publicity campaign after figures showed there have been 216 confirmed measles cases and 103 probable cases in parts of England since October. Most cases were in children under 10 years old. Vaccination rates have dropped down to about 85% nationally, and far lower in parts of London, according to U.K. Health Security Agency chief executive Jenny Harries. Public health officials say that more than 3.4 million children under 16 years old are unprotected and at risk of catching the diseases.

Persons: Jenny Harries Organizations: National Health Service, Health Security Agency, World Health Organization, Public, WHO, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention Locations: England, London

COVID-19 is leading hospital admissions among the respiratory viruses, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last week, 25 U.S. states had high or very high levels for respiratory illnesses with fever, cough and other symptoms. Since the beginning of October, there have been at least 16 million illnesses, 180,000 hospitalizations, and 11,000 deaths from flu so far this season. With vaccination rates low, what can you do to protect yourself from respiratory viruses, including influenza, COVID-19 and RSV? That’s important to see if you need one of the medicines that can help prevent severe illness: Paxlovid for COVID-19 and Tamiflu for flu.

Persons: you’ve, Jennifer Sonney, Sonney, ” Sonney Organizations: U.S . Centers for Disease Control, CDC, HOME, University of Washington School of Nursing, National Association of Pediatric, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: U.S, United States, Seattle, COVID

ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Kristina Amyot’s life has drastically improved since the last New Hampshire primary, but she isn’t confident the current candidates will help others achieve the same success. “I have self-worth now.”New Hampshire, a small state with an outsized role in presidential politics, has heard from candidates promising action on the opioid crisis for several presidential elections now. Political Cartoons View All 253 Images“I feel like every four years it gets talked about, and then it gets lost. More than 80,000 people died of opioid overdoses in 2022, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The final tally for 2022 — 486 deaths — was only four short of the all-time high for New Hampshire, a state of about 1.4 million people.

Persons: — Kristina Amyot’s, “, ”, —, Kerry Norton, it’s, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, DeSantis, Haley, Jay Ruais, Ruais, It’s, Norton, “ I’m, Chris Christie, Trump, Amyot, we’re Organizations: Hope, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Republicans, New, Florida Gov, Republican, ” Former New Jersey Gov, White Locations: ROCHESTER, N.H, Hampshire, Haven Hill, ” New Hampshire, New Hampshire, Rochester, U.S, China, Manchester , New, ”, Hope, Haven

HOUSTON (AP) — The arctic blast of winter weather that is gripping much of the U.S. this week is also bringing with it various hazards that people have to contend with to keep warm and safe. These dangers can include carbon monoxide poisoning, hypothermia and frozen pipes that can burst and make homes unlivable. Public safety officials and experts say there are multiple ways people can prepare themselves to avoid these winter weather hazards and keep themselves safe. STAYING SAFE INSIDE YOUR HOMEOfficials say that during a winter storm, people should stay indoors. “The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can be really insidious.

Persons: Alex Harding, ”, Samuel Peña, ” Peña, ” Harding, …, ” Hardin, Julian Ochoa, Jose Parra, ” Parra, ___, Juan, Lozano Organizations: HOUSTON, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Fire, Houston Office, Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning, Electrical Locations: U.S, Houston

☆ LaPorte, Texas, Issues Shelter in Place After Altivia Plant Leaks Toxic Gas
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - Altivia Chemical was working to contain a toxic gas leak from its LaPorte, Texas, plant on Monday, as the city's emergency management agency ordered some nearby residents and five neighboring facilities to shelter in place out of caution. Halliburton's Multi-Chem Bayport site, Stepan's Pasadena facility, and three others belonging to Kuraray Americas, Evonik, and NCTI, were sheltering in place after the offsite release of a toxic gas called phosgene, according to community alerts. Located about 30 miles (48 km) east of Houston, La Porte's Office of Emergency Management (LPOEM) said the city issued a cautionary shelter-in-place until the amount of phosgene released is determined. "A chemical emergency has occurred and residents south of Fairmont between Bay Area and S. 16th Street need to immediately shelter in place," LPOEM said on X, formerly Twitter. Exposure to phosgene may cause vomiting, breathing difficulty, chest pain and, when liquid, frostbite.

Persons: LPOEM, Altivia, Chris Reese, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Reuters, Kuraray, Porte's, Emergency Management, U.S . Centers for Disease Control Locations: LaPorte , Texas, Pasadena, Kuraray Americas, Houston, Fairmont, Bay, Bengaluru

☆ US life expectancy climbs in 2022 after COVID retreat
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Mariam E Sunny | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The study estimated babies' life expectancy if mortality conditions when they were born were to persist throughout their lives. "There were positive outcomes all around ... all the groups by race and sex experienced increases in life expectancy," Arias said. Life expectancy increased by 1 year for Asian non-Hispanic infants to 84.5 years, and by 0.8 year for White non-Hispanic babies to 77.5. In all groups, previous declines in mortality due to COVID explained more than 80% of the increases in life expectancy, according to the report. Declines in deaths from heart disease, unintentional injuries, cancer, and homicide also contributed to longer life expectancy overall, but their impact varied.

Persons: Octavio Jones, Elizabeth Arias, Arias, COVID, Mariam Sunny, Nancy Lapid, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Department of Health Sarasota COVID, REUTERS, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, White, Thomson Locations: Sarasota , Florida, U.S, Alaska, Bengaluru

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A group of residents have sued a public utility company in the U.S. Virgin Islands after authorities there reported finding high levels of lead and copper in the tap water on St. Croix. He said the agency acted swiftly and transparently after the test results became available and that officials are still working to improve water quality in St. Croix. “What people are looking for is justice.”The investigation into the state of tap water in St. Croix began in late September, following complaints of reddish-brown water on the island of more than 50,600 people. In late October, the local government announced that officials found high levels of lead and copper and warned people not to drink their tap water. She also criticized the government for announcing a couple of weeks ago that lead levels were low or undetectable at samples taken from various schools across St. Croix.

Persons: Andrew Smith, ”, Lee J, Rohn, St . Croix, Joe Biden, “, they’re, WAPA Organizations: JUAN, U.S . Virgin, territory’s, Power Authority, Seas Water Corporation, Water Corporation, U.S . Virgin Islands, The Associated Press, U.S . Environmental Protection Agency, Rohn, U.S . Centers for Disease Control Locations: Puerto Rico, U.S, U.S . Virgin Islands, St . Croix, Florida, St .

☆ New COVID Variant Takes Hold in the United States
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter(HealthDay)TUESDAY, Nov. 28, 2023 (Healthday News) -- The prevalence of a highly mutated COVID variant has tripled in the past two weeks, new government data shows. Now, nearly 1 in 10 new COVID cases are fueled by the BA.2.86 variant, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday. Scientists first warned of the highly mutated variant back in August, but it has since spread in several regions of the United States. The CDC also noted that BA.2.86 variant poses a "low" public health risk. But the CDC data released Monday did show that emergency department visits linked to COVID-19 have begun to climb nationwide.

Persons: Robin Foster HealthDay, Jasmine Reed Organizations: U.S . Centers for Disease Control, EG, WHO, CDC, CBS News, JN Locations: New York, New Jersey, United States, U.S

[1/4] Employees work in the manufacturing of Pfizer’s new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine Abrysvo, in this undated handout picture. Pfizer/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Senior Biden administration officials met with RSV vaccine makers this week to underscore the need for manufacturers such as Sanofi (SASY.PA) and AstraZeneca (AZN.L) to urgently meet demand as winter approaches, the White House said on Tuesday. At a meeting at the White House on Monday, officials and manufacturers also agreed to plan now to meet next year's demand for the vaccines targeting respiratory syncytial virus, which generally causes mild, cold-like symptoms but can develop into severe illness in infants and older adults. "Monday's meeting follows numerous in-person and virtual meetings to seek ways manufacturers can make more RSV immunizations available for infants," the White House said in a statement. Reporting by Susan Heavey and Ahmed Aboulenein; Additional reporting by Mike Erman; Editing by Katharine Jackson and Nick ZieminskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Susan Heavey, Ahmed Aboulenein, Mike Erman, Katharine Jackson, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Pfizer, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Biden, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, White, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC, Thomson Locations: U.S

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Monday will start taking orders for another round of free COVID-19 tests for delivery across the country, a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spokesperson said. Households that had ordered four free tests through COVIDTests.gov when they were offered again in September are eligible to order four more, while those that did not can submit two orders for a total of eight free tests. It resumed offering the tests in December 2022 as cases were surging, and opened another round of orders on Sept. 25 this year. The tests are paid for using COVID-19 supplemental funding from the American Rescue Plan, the HHS spokesperson said. HHS and the Department of Education plan to expand a program that brings tests to schools nationwide over the coming weeks.

Persons: Evelyn Hockstein, Joe Biden's, Biden, Ahmed Aboulenein, Bill Berkrot Organizations: District of Columbia, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, of Health, Human Services, Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, American, HHS, Department of, Thomson

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