US to offer free at-home Covid tests by mail amid a coronavirus surge: Latest

New Covid boosters from Pfizer and Moderna are now available at pharmacies nationwide, and the US is restarting its free Covid test program. Tests can be ordered from COVIDTests.gov starting September 25; you can order four per household. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are recommending one dose of the updated vaccine for everyone six months and older in the US; some children may be eligible for up to three doses depending on their age and previous vaccination status. Hospitalisations and deaths from Covid-19 have been rising for weeks in the US, and global health authorities are monitoring two new variants, BA.2.86, known as Pirola, and EG.5, known as Eris. First reported in February, Eris is now responsible for nearly 25 per cent of Covid cases in the US, per CDC data . Some experts are urging Americans to wear a mask when necessary to slow the spread of the virus. CDC Covid tracker 20,538 hospitalisations from 3 September to 9 September Key Points Everything we know about the latest round of Covid boosters, including how to book an appointment Covid exposure guidelines 2023: What to know Do Covid tests work after they expire? What to know as case counts rise across the US When will the new Covid vaccines be available? Dr Fauci says long Covid trials ‘likely should have been done sooner’ 21:00 , Maggie O’Neill In a new interview with MSNBC, Dr Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, discussed long Covid research and the Biden administration’s response to it. He said health authorities are ‘totally aware’ that long Covid is a serious problem. ‘Clinical trials likely should have been done sooner.’ On today’s @MehdiHasanShow , I pressed Dr. Anthony Fauci on the slowness of our government to address what he calls the ‘serious problem’ of Long COVID – and on Biden never mentioning it. pic.twitter.com/qICWCu0fLh – Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) September 21, 2023 CDC releases new Covid data 18:00 , Maggie O’Neill Deaths from Covid-19 rose 2.7 per cent from 10 September to 16 September compared to the previous week, per the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During that same period, the test positivity rate was 12.5 per cent, and 1.9 per cent of emergency visits were diagnosed as Covid. Hospitalisation data for that week is not yet available. One-fourth of Americans think pandemic is worsening and worry about getting infected with Covid-19 15:00 , Maggie O’Neill According to the results of a new Gallup poll, Americans are still very concerned about Covid-19. One in four said they felt the pandemic is worsening and that they were worried about getting infected with Covid. Worry about contracting the virus has risen among both Democrats and Republicans in recent months, perhaps because the US has seen rising hospitalisations and deaths from the virus due to a summer surge in cases. Jimmy Kimmel tests positive for Covid, cancels show 10:00 , Maggie O’Neill Comedian Jimmy Kimmel has tested positive for Covid; as a result, he cancelled an upcoming show. Kimmel said he ‘could never live with’ himself if he continued with the show and spread the virus. Well, Las Vegas, I got Covid, and sadly, we need to cancel this weekend’s Strike Force Three show. I could never live with myself if I got my hometown friends sick. Thanks to all who purchased tickets, everyone will get full refunds and we will try to reschedule if possible.… – Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) September 20, 2023 CDC director urges seniors to get Covid vaccine 05:00 , Maggie O’Neill ‘Older Americans, as we get into the fall and winter, are unfortunately at higher risk of bad things happening from respiratory viruses like flu, Covid, and [respiratory syncytial virus],’ she said. Biden to restart free Covid test program Friday 22 September 2023 00:00 , Maggie O’Neill The Biden administration announced Wednesday free Covid tests will soon be available again, as experts warn the US could see a tripledemic of flu, Covid and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the coming months. Households can order four free tests from COVIDTests.gov starting 25 September, per a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Steve Martin cancels shows due to Covid Thursday 21 September 2023 21:00 , Maggie O’Neill Comedian Steve Martin released a statement 20 September announcing he has to cancel shows scheduled in Las Vegas due to Covid-19. Dear fans and enemies, Unfortunately, our sold-out shows at the Wynn in Las Vegas this Friday and Saturday has to be postponed because of rampant Covid in our crew and one other essential guy. We are sorry for any inconvenience, but we are moving to mid-December, where your… – Steve Martin (@SteveMartinToGo) September 21, 2023 What bats could tell us about Covid-19 Thursday 21 September 2023 18:00 , Maggie O’Neill A new paper published in Oxford University Press looked at how bats could help researchers learn more about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 illness. Faiza Saqib reports: South Dakota Department of Health says there will be no state-wide mask mandate as CDC warns of a potential tripledemic Thursday 21 September 2023 15:00 , Maggie O’Neill The South Dakota Department of Health recently tweeted that the state would not implement a mask mandate during cold and flu season this year. ‘While we anticipate an increase in COVID-19 during the upcoming respiratory virus season, the [department] has never issued a mask mandate and doesn’t plan to start now,’ it said. ‘South Dakota will continue to stand as a beacon of Freedom to the rest of the world.’ Both hospitalisations and deaths from Covid have steadily risen in recent weeks, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency recently released a statement warning of the potential for a tripledemic in the coming months, in which cases of Covid, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) peak at the same time. Should this occur, healthcare systems across the country could see delays in routine care, such as preventative cancer screenings. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, 76, tests positive for Covid Thursday 21 September 2023 10:00 , Maggie O’Neill Ohio Governor Mike DeWine tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday, per reporting from WLWT5 . He reportedly began experiencing symptoms on Monday, and had a 101-degree fever when he tested late Tuesday afternoon. The governor is isolating at his home, and he encouraged people who have symptoms of Covid to get tested. Getting reinfected with Covid-19 may worsen long Covid symptoms, experts say Thursday 21 September 2023 05:00 , Maggie O’Neill Getting Covid a second time puts patients at risk of long Covid again, even if they didn’t get it the first time, a new study using data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has found. Study author Dr Ziyad Al-Aly said in an interview with STAT that getting Covid again can also worsen long Covid symptoms for those who were already suffering from it. ‘If you had long Covid before, upon reinfection there is a risk of worsening problems,’ he said. ‘You may have had brain fog and fatigue but not dysautonomia or other manifestations…Even if you’ve had it before, you’re trying your luck again.’ Vivek Ramaswamy says he regrets getting two doses of the Covid vaccine, though his wife disagrees Thursday 21 September 2023 00:00 , Maggie O’Neill Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said he regrets getting two doses of the Covid vaccine, per reporting from NBC News . His wife, Dr Apoorva Ramaswamy, a surgeon at Ohio State University, does not regret staying up to date on her vaccines. She told NBC News that she feels a responsibility to her patients, some of whom are cancer survivors, to protect herself so she can better protect them. Ramaswamy said, ‘My wife and I disagree on things sometimes.’ Wastewater data show Covid cases may be declining Wednesday 20 September 2023 21:00 , Maggie O’Neill Covid hospitalisations and deaths have steadily risen for the last several weeks, as the US sees the effect of a summer surge. From 3 September to 9 September, hospitalisations from the virus rose 7.7 per cent compared to the previous week, the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show. But new data show the summer surge may be slowing down. Wastewater detections of Covid were at their highest this summer around August 30, data from Biobot Analytics show. But from 6 September to 13 September, levels dropped by about 5 per cent. Still yet, levels are more than three times higher than they were prior to the summer surge, in late June. CDC warns of potential tripledemic during the upcoming cold and flu season Wednesday 20 September 2023 18:00 , Maggie O’Neill Federal health authorities are urging Americans to stay up to date on all vaccines to avoid slowing down the healthcare system during cold and flu season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new statement on the potential for a ‘tripledemic’, in which cases of Covid-19, influenza, and respiratory sync