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☆ Moderna's combination Covid, flu vaccine is more effective than existing shots in late-stage trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Moderna on Monday said its combination vaccine that targets both Covid-19 and the flu was more effective than existing standalone shots for those viruses in a late-stage trial. Moderna's messenger RNA combination shot, called mRNA-1083, is made up of both the company's vaccine candidate for seasonal influenza and a newer, "next-generation" version of its Covid shot. The study compared the combination shot with an enhanced flu vaccine called Fluzone HD and Moderna's currently licensed Covid shot, Spikevax, in one group of patients ages 65 and above. Moderna is also developing a combination shot targeting the flu and RSV, and another vaccine targeting all three respiratory viruses: Covid, flu and RSV. Meanwhile, Pfizer and BioNTech also are studying a vaccine that targets both Covid and the flu in a late-stage trial.

Persons: Stephane Bancel, Novavax, Bancel, Moderna, BioNTech Organizations: Pfizer, Novavax, Moderna, Covid Locations: U.S

☆ Covid-flu combination vaccine shows positive results in late-stage trial, Moderna says
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —There could be a combined Covid-19 and flu shot in our future, although it won’t be ready for this year’s flu season. On Monday, vaccine maker Moderna announced positive late-stage trial results for its Covid/flu combination vaccine it calls mRNA-1083. Other companies have been testing a combined Covid-flu vaccine, but Moderna is the first to announce positive late-stage trial results. The trial studied the vaccine in two different age groups with about 4,000 adults in each age category. Few people got the latest Covid shot, studies show.

Persons: ”, Francesca Ceddia, ” Ceddia, Covid, Spikevax, Moderna, Sue Peschin, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Peschin, ” Peschin, “ Organizations: CNN, Moderna, Public, US Centers for Disease Control, Food, Covid, FDA, Alliance for Aging Research, CNN Health, CDC Locations: United States

☆ DOJ settles CityMD Covid fraud allegations for $12 million
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-08 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Walgreens -backed CityMD will pay $12.04 million to settle Covid fraud allegations brought by the Department of Justice, the department announced on Friday. Stephen Kitzinger, a CityMD patient, initially alleged the fraud in 2020. CityMD cooperated with the government's investigation and hired a third-party firm to help the government determine how much was lost in connection as a result of the alleged fraud, according to the DOJ. CityMD said it denies the allegations but has decided to settle in order to to avoid the costs of dragged-out litigation. "The recent settlement is neither a finding of liability nor an admission of wrongdoing, and CityMD denies the allegations.

Persons: Philip R, Sellinger, Stephen Kitzinger, Kitzinger, CityMD Organizations: Walgreens, Department of Justice, Attorney's, District of, U.S, DOJ, CNBC Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, New York, New Jersey, District of New Jersey, COVID

☆ The E.U. Is Voting. It’s Never Mattered More.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-07 | by ( Matina Stevis-Gridneff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It’s tempting to dismiss the European Parliament elections as the most important elections that don’t actually matter. Hundreds of millions of voters across 27 nations will turn out this weekend to cast their ballots, but the European Parliament is the least powerful of the European Union institutions. Its 720 members have limited powers, and, while a few are ascendant stars, a few are retired politicians, or even criminals. The Parliament that emerges from these elections, weak though it may be, will serve as a brake or accelerator for the crucial policies that will help shape Europe’s immediate future. In the five years since the last election, the bloc jointly bought Covid-19 vaccines and started a massive economic stimulus program to recover from the pandemic.

Organizations: European Union Locations: Russia, Ukraine

☆ FDA approves GSK's RSV vaccine for high-risk adults ages 50 to 59, expanding shot's reach
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-07 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

But the virus can also cause severe illness in adults 50 and up — or even younger — with underlying chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and congestive heart failure. GSK's shot won't reach that new patient population just yet. Safety data in adults ages 50 to 59 was also consistent with data in adults 60 and above, according to GSK. Regulatory agencies in Europe, Japan and other areas are currently reviewing GSK's application to expand Arexvy's approval to high-risk adults ages 50 to 59. GSK's shot is approved in nearly 50 countries, a spokesperson for the company told CNBC.

Persons: Phil Dormitzer, Dormitzer, Luke Miels, Arexvy, GSK's Organizations: Drug Administration, GSK, FDA, Centers for Disease Control, CNBC, CDC, Pfizer, Moderna, U.S Locations: British, Europe, Japan

☆ Nobel Prize-winning chemist Thomas R. Cech on ‘The Catalyst’ and the future of RNA
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Saira Mueller | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

“We saw that with the mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccines that it can be a good messenger,” says Cech. The Catalyst by Thomas R. Cech W W NortonYou mentioned in “The Catalyst” that research on RNA has been around since the ‘50s. What is something that most people get wrong about mRNA vaccines, such as the Covid-19 ones? Thomas R. Cech in a lab in 1984, five years before he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. How does this apply to DNA, RNA, mRNA and CRISPR?

Persons: you’re, ”, Thomas R, Cech, ” Cech, Sidney Altman, he’s, Norton, It’s, Thomas R . Cech, — Organizations: CNN, Pfizer, DNA, University of Colorado, Denver Post, Rotary Clubs, Lions Locations: Moderna, University of Colorado , Boulder, Boulder , Colorado, China, Cambridge , Massachusetts, United States, Germany

☆ Here’s what to expect as the Supreme Court enters the final stretch
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-02 | by ( John Fritze | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —The Supreme Court is turning toward the final, frenzied weeks of its term, readying potential blockbuster decisions on abortion, guns and former President Donald Trump’s claims of absolute immunity. Trump claims ‘absolute’ immunityTrump’s appeal for immunity from special counsel Jack Smith’s election subversion charges landed at the Supreme Court late in the term and instantly overshadowed most of the docket. The Supreme Court then put that ruling on hold last year, maintaining the status quo while it decided the case. Government regulation of FacebookThe Supreme Court is confronting a series of cases at the intersection of the First Amendment and social media. The Republican governors who signed the laws said they were needed to keep the social media platforms from discriminating against conservatives.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, –, Roe, Samuel Alito, Trump, Jack Smith’s, Biden, Wade, Matthew Kacsmaryk, Kacsmaryk, Joseph Fischer, ”, Joe Biden’s, Zackey Rahimi, Bruen, Moody, Washington, Raimondo Organizations: CNN, Wade, Conservative, Supreme, White, Trump ., Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Alliance for Hippocratic, US, Pennsylvania, Capitol, Trump, Prosecutors, New York, Rahimi, Facebook, Florida, Biden, Republican, Atlantic, of Commerce, Chevron, Natural Resources Defense, Conservatives, Bright Enterprises, . Department of Commerce Locations: Virginia, New Jersey, Washington, Idaho, Moyle v, Amarillo , Texas, ”, Texas, New, Louisiana, Florida, Atlanta, New Orleans, Paxton, – Missouri, . Missouri

I've spent a lot on vet visits for my dog, so I decided to look into what pet insurance I could get. In the last year, she's had a series of vet visits that left us with a few thousand dollars in bills to pay. I decided to price out three popular pet insurance plans to figure out which one is right for us. It offers a bundling discount of up to 10%, making my pet insurance premiums cheaper than any other provider. Plus, I received an insurance bundling discount because I already had other insurance plans through the company.

Persons: I've, she's, it's, —, Figo

☆ Opinion | Step Aside, DNA. RNA Has Arrived.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Thomas Cech | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Then, in the early 1950s, biology began to nudge physics out of the scientific spotlight — and when I say “biology,” what I really mean is DNA. The momentous discovery of the DNA double helix in 1953 more or less ushered in a new era in science that culminated in the Human Genome Project, completed in 2003, which decoded all of our DNA into a biological blueprint of humankind. You may remember learning about RNA (ribonucleic acid) back in your high school biology class as the messenger that carries information stored in DNA to instruct the formation of proteins. Such messenger RNA, mRNA for short, recently entered the mainstream conversation thanks to the role they played in the Covid-19 vaccines. But RNA is much more than a messenger, as critical as that function may be.

Organizations: Genome

☆ RFK Jr. super PAC chair to publish tell-all memoir by mother of Hunter Biden's child
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Josephine Rozzelle | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The meeting is part of the Republicans' impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. The co-chairman of a super PAC supporting Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s presidential campaign announced plans Tuesday to publish a tell-all memoir this summer by an Arkansas woman who had a child with Hunter Biden, the youngest son of President Joe Biden. "Out of the Shadows: My Life Inside the Wild World of Hunter Biden" is written by Lunden Roberts, who gave birth to Hunter Biden's daughter in 2018. Roberts' memoir will be published by Skyhorse Publishing, a company whose president, Tony Lyons, is a co-founder of the pro-Kennedy super PAC American Values 2024. Lyons said a press release that Roberts' memoir contains "revelations that could well impact the outcome of the 2024 election."

Persons: Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, Robert F, Kennedy, Jr, Lunden Roberts, Hunter Biden's, Biden —, —, Roberts, Biden, Tony Lyons, AV24, Lyons, Skyhorse, Alex Jones, Sen, Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi Organizations: Skyhorse Publishing, Kennedy, Skyhorse, PAC, CNBC, Democratic, Calif, Republican, NBC Locations: O'Neill, Washington ,, Arkansas, Texas, Iraq

☆ After Libertarians reject RFK Jr., what does success look like for third-party candidates?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But the idea of simply placing Kennedy atop the Libertarian Party ticket to marry his momentum with their organization left Kennedy with an embarrassing loss at the Libertarian Party convention in Washington. About half – 51% – said they would support Trump in a two-way matchup, compared with 37% who said they would pick Biden. The last third-party candidate to win a state and get Electoral Votes was George Wallace, who won Southern states in 1968. The only third-party candidate to outperform a major party candidate was former President Teddy Roosevelt, who outpolled Republicans after he failed to get their nomination in 1912 and then ran as a third-party candidate. But rather than focus on the relatively few people who turn out for a third-party candidate, why not look at the large number of people who don’t take part in elections at all?

Persons: CNN —, Donald Trump, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Chase Oliver, Kennedy, Trump, Nicole Shanahan, Shanahan, – Kennedy, Biden, CNN’s Harry Enten, –, RFK, Ross Perot, George Wallace, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Oliver, Jo Jorgensen, Gary Johnson’s, CNN’s Aaron Pellish, Pellish, Kennedy don’t, Bob Barr, Bill Weld, Gary Johnson, Barr, Weld, Ron Paul, Paul, Jill Stein, Ralph Nader, Al Gore, George W, Karl Rove, Stein, Hillary Clinton, Rove, Libertarian’s Jorgensen, Johnson Organizations: CNN, Republican, Libertarian Party, Trump, Google, Biden, SSRS, Quinnipiac University, RFK Jr, Electoral, Southern, Democrat, Libertarian, Federal Reserve, GOP, Republican Massachusetts gov, Green Party, Street Journal, Democratic, Pew Research Center Locations: Washington, Republican Massachusetts, Florida, Michigan , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona , Georgia

☆ Why Walmart, Walgreens, CVS retail health clinic experiment is struggling
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Kevin Williams | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

But the business experience in the retail health clinic space has largely disappointed. Walmart and the problem of volume vs. priceIn 2019, Walmart announced a bold initiative to open 4,000 in-store health clinics by 2029. "Primary health care is a low margin business," said Arielle Trzcinski, a principal analyst covering health care at research firm. "Compared to what they see in traditional retail, health care is a fundamentally different business," Trzcinski said, citing the challenges of navigating insurance companies and administrative burdens that health care brings. In-store health clinics can be profitable and viable, and retailers are experimenting with piecemeal approaches tailored to the local market.

Persons: Bobbi Radford, Radford, haven't, CVS's MinuteClinic, Karla Lemon, CVS's, I've, That's, Timothy Hoff, Hoff, didn't, Colleen Sanders, Sanders, Arielle Trzcinski, Forrester, Trzcinski, America Sanders, Virgil Brantz, Brantz Organizations: CVS, Walmart, Walgreens, Northeastern University, Insurance, Washington , D.C, Aetna, Retailers, Washington, Hartford HealthCare, Health Clinic, Arizona State University, Little Clinics, Kroger Locations: Batavia , Ohio, VillageMD, Southern California, New England, Conway , South Carolina, Washington ,, MinuteClinic, USA, America, Connecticut, Hartford, Phoenix, Atlanta, Little

☆ How to keep healthy and well over Memorial Day, according to a doctor
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Katia Hetter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Memorial Day is here, and soon summer will arrive. With Memorial Day gatherings getting underway in the US, how worried should people be about the coronavirus and bird flu? In addition, raw milk is not safe to drink. Moreover, one hypothesis for how avian flu is being transmitted is through raw milk. People should not consume unpasteurized milk or products made from raw milk.

Persons: CNN —, Leana Wen, Wen, Cook, We’ve, Stígur Már Karlsson, — Organizations: CNN, George Washington University, Covid, US Centers for Disease Control, US Food and Drug Administration, US Department of Agriculture Locations: United States

☆ Countries Fail to Agree on Treaty to Prepare the World for the Next Pandemic
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Apoorva Mandavilli | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Countries around the globe have failed to reach consensus on the terms of a treaty that would unify the world in a strategy against the inevitable next pandemic, trumping the nationalist ethos that emerged during Covid-19. The deliberations, which were scheduled to be a central item at the weeklong meeting of the World Health Assembly beginning Monday in Geneva, aimed to correct the inequities in access to vaccines and treatments between wealthier nations and poorer ones that became glaringly apparent during the Covid pandemic. Although much of the urgency around Covid has faded since the treaty negotiations began two years ago, public health experts are still acutely aware of the pandemic potential of emerging pathogens, familiar threats like bird flu and mpox, and once-vanquished diseases like smallpox. “Those of us in public health recognize that another pandemic really could be around the corner,” said Loyce Pace, an assistant secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services, who oversees the negotiations in her role as the United States liaison to the World Health Organization.

Persons: Covid, ”, Loyce Pace Organizations: World Health, Department of Health, Human Services, World Health Organization Locations: Geneva, United States

☆ Here's how U.S. health officials are responding to bird flu in humans after second case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Brandon Bell | Getty ImagesU.S. health officials are monitoring and preparing to combat bird flu in humans, even as they stress that the risk to the general public remains low. An Australian child was also recently infected with bird flu, the country announced on Tuesday. In rare cases, bird flu viruses spread to humans and can cause mild to severe symptoms that can require hospitalization. The Food and Drug Administration would need to approve bird flu vaccines before they roll out. Potential mRNA shotsU.S. health officials are also in talks with messenger RNA vaccine makers about potential bird flu shots for humans.

Persons: Brandon Bell, Andrew Pekosz, Pekosz, Peter Chin, That's, Hong Organizations: Getty, Disease Control, U.S ., Human Services Department, CNBC, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, CDC, HHS, NBC News, UCSF Health, Drug Administration, FDA, Pfizer, Moderna Locations: Quemado , Texas, Michigan, Australian, U.S

☆ What you need to know about the new ‘FliRT’ coronavirus variant, according to a doctor
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Katia Hetter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —There is a new coronavirus variant in town. Home tests will likely still detect KP.2, the new coronavirus variant. Grace Cary/Moment RF/Getty ImagesCNN: What should people know about this new variant, KP.2? Wen: Most people who contract the coronavirus will never know what variant is causing their symptoms. CNN: Who should take antiviral treatments if they contract Covid-19?

Persons: Leana Wen, Wen, Grace Cary, Covid Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, KP, George Washington University, Getty, Alpha, Beta, CDC Locations: KP, United States, Delta, Covid

☆ Is Pet Insurance Worth It? for Most People, the Answer Is No.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Emily Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The North American Pet Health Insurance Association found that pet owners in the US paid $3.9 billion in premiums in 2023, a 22% increase from the year before. One thing is for sure: As the industry grows, pet insurance is becoming as confusing and messy as health insurance is for humans. Pet insurance isn't technically even health insurance; it falls in the property-and-casualty category. AdvertisementThe big problem with pet insurance is it's just an expensive productThere are three categories of pet insurance: accident only; accident and illness; and accident, illness, and wellness. Advertisement"It's important that pet owners understand the scope of what their pet insurance does and does not cover, so they're not caught off guard by unexpected payments," he said.

Persons: Gina Papini, Kato, Papini, That's, they've, Kevin Brasler, that's, Dan, Michael San Filippo, they're, Doug Kenney, Kenney, It's, Brasler, she's, Emily Stewart Organizations: American Pet Products Association, Pet Health Insurance Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, Rover, Consumers, Business Locations: reimbursing, Mexico

☆ How RFK Kennedy Jr. turned from tragedy and tumult to environmentalism before becoming the face of vaccine skepticism
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Read previewRobert F. Kennedy's children have spent a lifetime trying to add their marks to their slain father's legacy. The first Kennedy to run for the presidency in decades, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is doing so without the family's well-documented loyalty. Born into privilege in 1954, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was raised between Massachusetts and suburban Virginia estates. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was later a pallbearer at his father's funeral, joined by Astronaut John Glenn and former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was one of the pallbearers in his father's funeral.

Persons: —, Robert, Robert F, Kennedy, Kennedy Jr, McLean, Ethel Kennedy, wasn't, Kathleen, Joseph P ., Hubert Humphery's, Astronaut John Glenn, Robert McNamara, Michael Ochs, Jack Paar, Oprah, Frank M, Johnson Jr, Emily Black, Robert Morgenthau, JFK, Robert Boyle, Mary Richardson, Kerry Kennedy, Boyle, William Wegner, Wegner, Wegener, spasmodic dysphonia, Richardson, Cheryl Hines, Larry David Organizations: Service, Camelot, Business, RFK, Georgetown Preparatory School, Astronaut, Michael Ochs Archives, Georgetown Prep, Millbrook School, Harvard, JFK, RFK Jr, Civil, London School of Economics, University of Virginia Law School, Southern, of, The New York Times, Natural Resources Defense Council, Fishermen's Association, Washington Post, Hudson, Time Magazine, Los Angeles Times, STAT, World Health Defense Fund, Associated Press Locations: Massachusetts, Virginia, Hickory Hill, McLean , Virginia, New York, Charlottesville, Black's, Bloomington , Indiana, Dominican Republic, Manhattan, of New York, South Dakota, York, Hudson, Bedford

☆ Opinion | The End of Polio Is in Sight. What Have We Learned?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Richard Conniff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The fight to eradicate polio has been long and difficult. But polio continues to this day disabling or killing children in some harder to reach parts of the world. The good news is that we are now on the cusp of eradicating this terrible disease everywhere and forever. Having used this strategy to stop polio, people in developing nations are already looking to apply those same tools against other diseases, both familiar and emerging. Because the communities are poor, and because families can lose patience with repeated visits focused only on polio, the workers also bring nutritional supplements, health information and other resources.

Persons: It’s, Osama bin Laden Organizations: Initiative, Gates Foundation, World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, Central Intelligence Agency Locations: United States, Afghanistan, Pakistan

☆ Kerry Kennedy Leads ‘Heart-Wrenching’ Campaign Against Her Brother’s White House Bid
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Adam Nagourney | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When members of the Kennedy family joined President Biden in Philadelphia to endorse his re-election — and denounce the presidential candidacy of the best-known Kennedy of this generation, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — one person stepped forward to make the family’s case: his younger sister Kerry. “Nearly every single grandchild of Joe and Rose Kennedy supports Joe Biden,” Ms. Kennedy said as her siblings, and Mr. Biden, flanked her onstage. “That’s right: The Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for president.”That was not the first time that Ms. Kennedy, the seventh child of Robert and Ethel Kennedy, had been the face of the family’s pushback against her brother. As Mr. Kennedy has emerged as a skeptic of Covid-19 vaccines and a purveyor of conspiratorial theories on the assassination of his father, it has fallen to Ms. Kennedy to distance her family from the brother she has long held close and to guard the legacy of a proud and private family as it fades from the political stage. It is political as well: She argues that her brother’s insurgent campaign threatens the re-election of Mr. Biden and is aware that her family could shoulder some of the blame should Donald J. Trump return to the White House next year.

Persons: Kennedy, Biden, —, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kerry, “, Joe, Rose Kennedy, Joe Biden, ” Ms, Robert, Ethel Kennedy, Kennedy’s, Mr, Donald J, Trump, White Locations: Philadelphia, Hickory Hill, Va, —

☆ The 10 states where your pet is more likely to get sick from tick-borne diseases, viruses, parasites, and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Ellyn Lapointe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementHere are the 10 riskiest states for your pet, the most common diseases to watch out for, and some basic tips for keeping your pet happy and healthy. Top 10 riskiest states for your petForbes Advisor created its own ranking scale based on data from all 19 diseases. Two of these 10 states, West Virginia and Maine, were also among the top three riskiest states for tick-borne diseases. The most common diseases to watch out forTicksTick-borne diseases like Lyme Disease, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis are especially common in the spring and summer months. Fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and joint stiffness or pain are all common symptoms of these three tick-borne diseases.

Persons: —, Alexandria Cremer, Peter M, Fisher, It's Organizations: Service, Forbes, Business, Center for Disease Control, American Veterinary Medical Association, York, West Virginia, Veterinary Clinic, Watch, Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine, American Society for, FDA, US, MetLife, Animal Foundation Locations: Jersey, Coast, Rhode, , New Jersey , Maine , New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maine, Arkansas, South Dakota , Wisconsin, New Mexico , Mississippi, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Mississippi, Brandywine

☆ Ahead of Hajj, CDC alerts doctors to look out for meningococcal disease tied to travel to Saudi Arabia
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging doctors to be on the lookout for potentially deadly meningococcal disease linked to travel to Saudi Arabia. Meningococcal disease is highly contagious among unvaccinated people. Meningococcal disease, including meningitis, is an uncommon illness caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. Meningococcal disease can be treated with antibiotics if it’s caught early enough. One such instance is before travel to countries where meningococcal disease is more common.

Persons: Prophet Muhammad, it’s, serogroup C, Dr, Sanjay Gupta Organizations: CNN, Centers for Disease Control, Research, CDC, Pfizer, Hajj, Health Alert Network, CNN Health Locations: Saudi Arabia, Mecca, United States, France, United Kingdom, People

☆ Slovakia’s Politics Were Toxic Long Before Its Prime Minister Was Shot
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Andrew Higgins | Cassandra Vinograd | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To the government that charged him, he was a “lone wolf,” an off-kilter individual representing nobody but himself when he pumped at least four bullets into Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia. The assassination attempt on Wednesday, however, has put a spotlight on a far wider collective malfunction in Slovakia. The Covid-19 pandemic, he said, hardened previously fluid lines into what have since become hostile camps, with little room for nuance. Roughly half the population welcomed vaccines and half rejecting them. Do you believe or not believe?” Mr. Milo said.

Persons: Robert Fico of, ”, Daniel Milo, “ I’ve, Mr, Milo, Covid Locations: Robert Fico of Slovakia, Slovakia, Central Europe, Ukraine

Social Security trust fund reserves are projected to be depleted by 2035. The 2023 Social Security and Medicare Trustees annual report projects that the program's trust fund reserves will be depleted by 2035. "It's not that Social Security will disappear completely, but rather, the surplus bucket we rely on is at risk." The average Social Security check for a retired worker is only $1,907 per month, according to the Social Security Administration. Without sufficient action, reduced Social Security benefits might not be able to keep pace with rising costs.

Persons: Emily Millsap, you've, Roth, HSAs Organizations: Social Security, Avantax Wealth Management, Social, Social Security Administration, Workers

☆ RFK Jr. might make the debate stage, worms aside: CNN analysis
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Harry Enten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Trump’s lead jumped to 9 points over Biden when Kennedy, Green Party candidate Jill Stein and independent Cornel West were included in the ballot test. (To make the debate stage, candidates must also appear on state ballots totaling at least 270 electoral votes. I should point out that third party and independent candidates tend to see their polling decline over the course of the campaign. Now, it’s quite possible that Kennedy voters will stick by him the more they hear about his positions. National polling for the most part has, after all, shown Kennedy voters prefer Trump to Biden, though not uniformly.

Persons: Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kennedy, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Ross Perot, Perot, Biden, Trump’s, Jill Stein, Cornel West, Ralph Nader, Gary Johnson, I’m, “, Trump, Kennedy –, Kennedy “, Kennedy’s, we’ve, they’re, Don’t Organizations: CNN, Trump, Biden, Green Party, Cornel, Green, Libertarian Party, NBC, NBC News, Monmouth University, Quinnipiac University Locations: Monmouth

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