Category: Covid-19

The U.S. government's free at-home COVID-19 test program will be suspended Friday, according to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.Video above: Medical experts recommend to still take precautions following CDC's revised COVID isolation guidelinesSince November, residential households in the U.S. have been able to submit an order through covid.gov for four individual rapid antigen tests. All orders placed on or before Friday will be fulfilled, according to ASPR, an operating agency of the U.S. Public Health Service within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services."ASPR has delivered over 1.8 billion free COVID-19 tests to the American people through COVIDTests.gov and direct distribution pathways and will continue distributing millions of tests per week to long-term care facilities, food banks, health centers, and schools," an ASPR spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday.The decision to suspend the program's sixth run comes amid falling COVID-19 cases as the nation's respiratory virus season winds down, according to the agency.Last month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the worst of the season may be over but warned that COVID-19 levels remain elevated across the country."While the respiratory virus season is likely past its peak, it is definitely not over," the agency said. "There is still a lot of respiratory virus activity, so it's not time to let our guard down."Rates of COVID-19-related hospitalizations remain elevated but are decreasing in some parts of the country, CDC data shows. Still, thousands of people are being hospitalized with COVID-19 each week: more than 17,000 during the week ending Feb. 24, according to the CDC.An ASPR spokesperson says the agency reserves the right to reopen the testing program if needed.The government previously suspended the rapid test distribution program in May after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. It was reopened Sept. 25.Residents who haven't placed an order since then can now place two, which will provide eight tests in total, according to the U.S. Postal Service. Each order includes four rapid antigen COVID-19 tests.These tests can be taken at home and can be used regardless of whether someone has symptoms. The tests should work through the end of the year; some of the dates on the labels may show that they're expired, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has extended those dates.The CDC recommends that people test if they have any COVID-19-like symptoms including a sore throat, a runny nose, loss of smell or taste or a fever.People may also want to test before they're going to be a part of a large event, like a concert or a conference, particularly if they aren't up-to-date on their vaccines. Antiviral medications are available to treat both COVID-19 and flu, and testing can help determine which is needed.More information on free testing resources is available on the Covidtests.gov site or at 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489).CNN'S Deidre McPhillips contributed to this report.

The U.S. government's free at-home COVID-19 test program will be suspended Friday, according to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.

Video above: Medical experts recommend to still take precautions following CDC's revised COVID isolation guidelines

Since November, residential households in the U.S. have been able to submit an order through covid.gov for four individual rapid antigen tests. All orders placed on or before Friday will be fulfilled, according to ASPR, an operating agency of the U.S. Public Health Service within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"ASPR has delivered over 1.8 billion free COVID-19 tests to the American people through COVIDTests.gov and direct distribution pathways and will continue distributing millions of tests per week to long-term care facilities, food banks, health centers, and schools," an ASPR spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday.

The decision to suspend the program's sixth run comes amid falling COVID-19 cases as the nation's respiratory virus season winds down, according to the agency.

Last month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the worst of the season may be over but warned that COVID-19 levels remain elevated across the country.

"While the respiratory virus season is likely past its peak, it is definitely not over," the agency said. "There is still a lot of respiratory virus activity, so it's not time to let our guard down."

Rates of COVID-19-related hospitalizations remain elevated but are decreasing in some parts of the country, CDC data shows. Still, thousands of people are being hospitalized with COVID-19 each week: more than 17,000 during the week ending Feb. 24, according to the CDC.

An ASPR spokesperson says the agency reserves the right to reopen the testing program if needed.

The government previously suspended the rapid test distribution program in May after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. It was reopened Sept. 25.

Residents who haven't placed an order since then can now place two, which will provide eight tests in total, according to the U.S. Postal Service. Each order includes four rapid antigen COVID-19 tests.

These tests can be taken at home and can be used regardless of whether someone has symptoms. The tests should work through the end of the year; some of the dates on the labels may show that they're expired, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has extended those dates.

The CDC recommends that people test if they have any COVID-19-like symptoms including a sore throat, a runny nose, loss of smell or taste or a fever.

People may also want to test before they're going to be a part of a large event, like a concert or a conference, particularly if they aren't up-to-date on their vaccines. Antiviral medications are available to treat both COVID-19 and flu, and testing can help determine which is needed.

More information on free testing resources is available on the Covidtests.gov site or at 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489).

CNN'S Deidre McPhillips contributed to this report.

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Free home COVID-19 test program to be suspended this week - KOAT New Mexico

Luther led incumbent State Rep. Reggie Smith by a little more than 2,000 votes, earning 53.42%, according to the latest election results.

DALLAS Shelley Luther, the former Dallas County salon owner who made national headlines for defying COVID-19 shutdown orders, won the Republican primary in Texas House District 62 along the Red River on Super Tuesday.

Luther led incumbent State Rep. Reggie Smith by a little more than 2,000 votes, earning 53.42%, according to the latest election results on the Secretary of State's website. All precincts were reporting.

Luther is now set to face a Democratic opponent in the November general election.

She previously lost to Smith in the District 62 in 2022 and lost in a runoff to Drew Springer in the Texas Senate District 30 race in 2020.

House District 62 includes Delta, Fannin, Franklin and Grayson counties along the Red River.

Luther's primary victory comes less than a year after she suffered a brain aneurysm in April 2023. She was hospitalized for nearly a month, saying she was in the 1% of people who survive the type of aneurysm she suffered.

"I wanted to thank everyone who has called, prayed, messaged, sent cards and reached out. I have a long way to go to fully recover, but feeling very blessed," Luther wrote in a message on her Facebook page last year. "Apparently, God chose me to be the 1% to survive this specific brain aneurism, and although I feel lucky, I feel a tremendous amount of responsibility to be obedient and to live with gratitude."

NOTE: The following video was uploaded in May 2023.

Luther made national headlines during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when certain businesses were shutting down to prevent spreading of the illness.

Luther had reopened her salon despite Dallas County and state orders that shut down non-essential businesses. She was issued a citation but later tore it up during a rally to reopen businesses in the Texas.

At a court hearing after she ignored a temporary restraining order from the city and kept her salon open, a state district judge found her in contempt of court and ordered her to seven days in jail. She was released from jail early after an order from the Texas Supreme Court.

Later in 2020, she ran as a Republican for a Texas Senate seat in District 30, which covers areas of North Texas such as Sherman, Denton, Weatherford and Stephenville. She lost in a special runoff election in December 2020 to Drew Springer.

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Texas Election Results: Shelley Luther wins HD 62 primary - WFAA.com

The free program that sent COVID-19 tests through the mail to your house is scheduled to end by Friday.

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The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) this week will no longer be accepting orders to ship COVID-19 tests through the United States Postal Service, CBS News reported.

The program ends as COVID-19 cases across the country have seemed to wind down, CNN reported. That is after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month said that the countrys worst respiratory virus season may be over but COVID-19 cases could continue to rise.

ASPR has delivered over 1.8 billion free COVID-19 tests to the American people through COVIDTests.gov and direct distribution pathways and will continue distributing millions of tests per week to long-term care facilities, food banks, health centers, and schools, an ASPR spokesperson said in a statement obtained by CBS News.

While the respiratory virus season is likely past its peak, it is definitely not over, the agency said, according to CNN. There is still a lot of respiratory virus activity, so its not time to let our guard down.

This year, the program closed earlier than it did in 2023, when it went through the end of May, CBS News reported.

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Free COVID-19 test program to end this week - WSOC Charlotte

Watch a previous report on the lawsuit against Ohio State University in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) The Ohio Supreme Court has punted a decision about Ohio universities liability for COVID-19 policies down to an appellate court.

In a 4-3 decision released Wednesday, the high court ruled that government immunity from lawsuits related to basic policy decisions is not something Ohio State University had to raise as a defense when sued about its decision to close campus in March 2020. But the court stopped short of tossing out the complaint altogether; instead, an appeals court must now decide whether something called discretionary function immunity applies in this case.

Ohio State asked the states top court to determine whether it can be sued for not partially refunding tuition and other fees when it closed most university operations and moved classes online in March 2020. The plaintiff, May 2020 graduate Brooke Smith, argued in a class action lawsuit that part of the contract students sign with universities includes access to campus and in-person instruction and that failing to reimburse students for what Smith claims is a lower educational value amounts to a breach of contract.

The university, meanwhile, argued that it was automatically protected from such a lawsuit, citing government immunity from complaints that target policies made with a high degree of official judgment or discretion. Ohio State closed campus at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to protect the health of students, faculty and staff, its attorney argued in oral arguments last fall.

Smiths attorneys contended that if Ohio State wanted to claim discretionary function immunity, it needed to do so before the Court of Claims ruled the lawsuit could proceed as a class action complaint. But the Ohio Supreme Courts conservative justices disagreed, ruling that such immunity was an automatic bar, not a defense that Ohio State needed to raise.

The majority opinion, authored by Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy, emphasized that it was not determining whether Ohio States decision to not refund students when it closed campus facilities amounted to a policy decision protected under state immunity. The appeals court must decide that, Kennedy said.

When a suit challenges the manner in which the state implements one of its discretionary decisions, the Court of Claims will not be barred from hearing the case, Kennedy wrote.

Justice Jennifer Brunner, joined by her fellow Democrats on the bench, wrote in a dissent that discretionary function immunity should not be a jurisdictional bar, but rather something the university needed to raise. Ohio States raising of the argument was neither timely argued nor proved in trial court, she wrote, meaning the university was too little, too late.

Brunner also argued that the Court of Claims is empowered to determine, on its own, if it is allowed to hear a case, meaning the case should return to that court for determination. The law creating the Court of Claims granted it powers to determine immunity, she said. Allowing state actors to raise the immunity question could result in significant court delays, she added.

I do not want the majoritys decision today to create confusion and render the statute inoperable or to in effect cause nearly every action that is brought in the Court of Claims to be subject to dismissal at the moment the state raises the defense of discretionary immunity, Brunner wrote.

Other Ohio colleges, including Toledo and Bowling Green, face similar lawsuits regarding COVID-19 closures, vaccine requirements and mask mandates.

Read the full opinion below.

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Appeals court to decide whether Ohio State can be sued for COVID-19 policies, campus closure - NBC4 WCMH-TV

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday that it would wind down much of its remaining guidance specifically targeted at COVID-19. Here are the new recommendations.

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The CDC is winding down COVID-19 guidelines. Here are the new recommendations. - CBS News

Once-a-century global pandemic

FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 6, 2024) Gov. Andy Beshear and Dr. Steven Stack will join state and local officials, along with several Kentucky families to mark the fourth anniversary since the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in the state and to dedicate A Day of Compassion in the commonwealth.

Our fight against this once-a-century global pandemic was marked by loss so many of our family members and friends taken far too soon. Its important that we continue to be there for our families and communities that are hurting, Gov. Beshear said.

According to state officials, since the start of the pandemic, COVID-19 has contributed to the deaths of more than 19,650 Kentuckians.

As part of Today's ceremony, the Governor will issue a proclamation officially marking Wednesday, March 6, 2024, as A Day of Compassion in the commonwealth.

Another important legacy of this time is how Kentuckians everywhere came together and cared for one another. From our health care heroes and first responders to our educators, farmers, factory workers and more, our people showed up to help their neighbors time and time again, Gov. Beshear said. By dedicating A Day of Compassion in the commonwealth, we can take this spirit of compassion and generosity into other aspects of our daily lives.

Dr. Stack, commissioner of the Department for Public Health, highlighted the spirit of community that helped Kentucky fight the pandemic.

As a statewide community, we worked together to save lives. We were kind to each other during difficult times and showed humility in acknowledging that the pandemic was bigger than each of us alone and required everyones efforts, Dr. Stack said. On this anniversary, I am reminded of the role Kentuckians compassion played in getting through this time. I am grateful for what we accomplished together as Team Kentucky and believe we showed how much more we are capable of when we work together.

Rowena Holloway, whose late partner, Virginia Moore, was a prominent ASL interpreter and advocate, said our losses should inspire us create a better world.

In their memory, let love and kindness be our roadmap, Holloway said. Let leadership move us forward into a brighter future for all of us in Kentucky and the world, knowing we are supported by the angels among us!

Today's ceremony begins at 1 p.m. EDT at the COVID-19 Memorial on the Capitol Grounds with the chiming of bells by Kandie Adkinson, who retired from the Secretary of States office. Early in the pandemic, the Governor asked Kentuckians to unite by ringing bells at 10 a.m. each day so that those who were feeling alone would know we were with them. Throughout the pandemic, each weekday at 10 a.m. in the Capitol Rotunda, Adkinson rang her fathers bell 120 times to honor those lost in each county.

Gov. Beshear, Dr. Stack and Holloway will provide remarks, along with LeRoy Mitchell of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. Rev. Jack Brewer of Frankfort and Rabbi David Wirtschafter of Temple Adath Israel in Lexington will offer prayers. The program will include vocal performances by Christopher Burchett, baritone, of the University of Kentucky School of Music.

The ceremony will take place in the Rotunda of the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort.

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Gov. Beshear Marks 4th Anniversary of COVID-19 in Kentucky and Dedicate 'A Day of Compassion' in the ... - 95.3 WIKI

WASHINGTON (AP) The White House on Monday lifted its COVID-19 testing requirement for those who plan to be in close contact with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses, bringing to an end the last coronavirus prevention protocol at the White House.

The White House said the change aligns its policies with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. The agency last week relaxed its recommendation that those who test positive for COVID-19 isolate for five days. Now, the agency says people can return to work or regular activities if their symptoms are mild and improving and its been a day since theyve had a fever.

The White House testing protocol was instituted shortly after the pandemic began in 2020 when former President Donald Trump was in the White House. It was further strengthened by Bidens administration when he took office amid the pandemic in January 2021.

Both Trump and Biden contracted the virus while in office. Trump required hospitalization after falling seriously ill weeks before the 2020 presidential election; Biden had minimal symptoms after catching it in the summer of 2022 after having been vaccinated.

More than 1.18 million people in the U.S. died from COVID-19, according to CDC data and 6.85 million were hospitalized over the past four years. More than 270 million people have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. The vaccines have helped dramatically reduce instances of serious disease and death since their widespread availability in early 2021.

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The White House lifts its last COVID-19 prevention protocol - The Associated Press

On March 1, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) announcedthat it is updating its COVID-19 guidance and is no longer recommending that individuals who test positive for COVID-19 isolate for five days. While this is a welcome change for all, it does not eliminate the isolation requirements for California employers.

Under the new CDC guidance, individuals are no longer required to isolate if they contract COVID-19. Rather, they should monitor themselves for symptoms including fever, chills, cough, fatigue, and so on. If they develop symptoms, they should stay home and away from others until their symptoms have been improving and they have not had a fever for at least 24 hours. There is no longer any set amount of time for a person to remain away from others under the CDCs guidance.

California employers, however, are still subject to the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Non-Emergency Standards, which remain in effect until February 2025. Those standards require individuals with COVID-19 to be excluded from the workplace during the infectious period, even if they dont develop symptoms. The infectious period is two days before the positive test date through 10 days thereafter. The infectious period may end sooner if an employee tests negative after day five. The Cal/OSHA standards are also stricter for employees who develop symptoms. Those employees must be excluded from work for 10 days after symptoms appeared (unless they test negative after day five), and 24 hours have passed with no fever.

While we are moving towards COVID-19 being in the rearview mirror, Employers still have obligations under the current Cal/OSHA Standards.

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Not So Fast: Updated CDC Guidance on COVID-19 Isolation Has Limited Application for Employers - JD Supra

Average annual number of alcohol-related deaths

A new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that there were roughly 488 deaths per day during the COVID-19 pandemic due to excessive alcohol drinking in 2020-21.

The average number of deaths related to excessive alcohol use increased more than 29% from 2016-17 to 2020-21, according to the report, published last week.

During 2016-17, there were 137,927 alcohol-related deaths, but for 2020-21, that number rose to 178,307.

The CDC reported that during the pandemic, drinking levels for both men and women increased substantially.

Excessive alcohol consumption-related deaths went up by 35% among women during those two time periods. In comparison, for men, there was an increase of 27% in deaths over the same time frame.

Excessive drinking is the No. 1 preventable cause of death among adults, due to chronic health issues that often develop with long-term use, like heart and liver disease, various types of cancer, and alcohol use disorder. The CDC said deaths also result from drinking too much at one time, which could lead to alcohol poisoning, motor vehicle accidents, falls, and suicides.

Another study found that people across the country bought more hard alcohol and wine during the early part of the pandemic.

Stress, loneliness, and social isolation, and mental health conditions might also have contributed to the increase in deaths from excessive alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic, the report said.

While alcohol might not be what comes to mind when you think of drugs, it actually is.

With alcohol, its sort of a social or cultural thing where we dont view it as taboo or label it like we do when someone is smoking marijuana or doing heroin or taking pills, said Dr. Gopi Vadlamudi, Medical Director of the CNX Foundation Substance Recovery Unit at Penn Highlands Mon Valley.

Vadlamudi said some people have a genetic predisposition to alcohol use disorder, and that recent studies are showing that alcohol use, even within recommended guidelines, can increase risk of certain cancers and other diseases.

According to the CDC, states can reduce alcohol deaths by limiting when and where people can buy alcohol, and by raising alcohol taxes.

The CDC also recommended mass media campaigns to encourage people to drink less.

We know that theres a lot of evidence about what works to prevent excessive drinking, and to reduce alcohol-related harm. But the strategies that we know work are often underused in the U.S., said study author Marissa Esser, from the CDCs National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention. Making alcohol less accessible and less available by having fewer places that sell it, or spreading out the number of places that are selling alcohol can help to create environments that support peoples choice to drink less.

In Pennsylvania, regulations began loosening in 2016, which allowed for more locations including grocery stores and gas stations to sell beer and wine.

In 2021, 9.4 deaths per 100,000 Pennsylvanians were alcohol-related, nearly double 2009s rate of 4.8.

According to the CDC, more than 18% of Pennsylvanians reported binge drinking (four or more drinks for women or five or more drinks for men at one occasion in the past 30 days) or heavy drinking (eight or more drinks for women or 15 or more for males drinks per week) in 2022.

If your alcohol use puts your health or safety at risk, it is an unhealthy use of alcohol, said Vadlamudi. Binge drinking is another sign of unhealthy use. Generally, if your drinking results in repeated significant problems in your daily life, you may have alcohol use disorder.

Vadlamudi also pointed out that people have their own definition of what a drink is.

So, 5 ounces of wine is one drink, but people fill their glass up and call it one drink, when actually its two, he said.

Reports that certain alcohol, like red wine, has health benefits, appear to be exaggerated, he said.

Badlamudi said help is available for those struggling with drinking.

Penn Highlands Healthcare offers inpatient, intensive outpatient, and substance recovery unit care. The CNX Foundation Substance Recovery Unit at Penn Highlands Mon Valley is a Level 4 inpatient withdrawal and treatment facility serving Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.

Help and resources are also available from The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which offers a free 24/7 helpline for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

The CDC report also has a section dedicated to resources, and suggestions for how states and communities can help reduce drinking deaths by implementing certain laws and strategies.

Excerpt from:

Deaths from alcohol use surged during COVID-19 pandemic, CDC study shows - Observer-Reporter

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Alcohol can have very dangerous long-term effects on a person's health if abused.

LOS ANGELES - While the COVID-19 pandemic has been officially over, its impact lingers on. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that deaths from excessive drinking surged during the spread of the disease.

According to the report published last month, the CDC found that roughly 488 people died every day due to excessive consumption of alcohol from 2020-2021, a 29% increase from data 2016-2017.

"Stress, loneliness, and social isolation; and mental health conditions might also have contributed to the increase in deaths from excessive alcohol use during the Covid-19 pandemic," the report said.

For women, deaths from excessive alcohol use increased by approximately 35% and 27% for men between the two time periods.

Excessive drinking is associated with chronic dangers such as liver cancer, high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.

Drinking by pregnant women can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or birth defects. Health officials say alcohol is a factor in as many as one-third of serious falls among the elderly.

Its also a risk to others through drunken driving or alcohol-fueled violence. Surveys suggest that more than half the alcohol sold in the U.S. is consumed during binge-drinking episodes.

Even before the pandemic, U.S. alcohol consumption was trending up, and Americans were drinking more than when Prohibition was enacted. But deaths may have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic began for several reasons, including people with alcohol-related illnesses may have had more trouble getting medical care, said Marissa Esser, who leads the CDCs alcohol program.

"Alcohol is often overlooked" as a public health problem, said Esser. "But it is a leading preventable cause of death."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Nearly 500 deaths per day from excessive drinking during COVID-19 pandemic: CDC report - FOX 7 Austin