Healthcare

Pfizer’s and Moderna’s bivalent boosters, which are now available to many age groups, offer protection against the original COVID-19 virus plus the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants. Is the nation ready for yet another COVID-19 vaccine shot?

On a map showing levels of COVID-19 across the U.S., Nevada stands out as a rare oasis of green.

As with COVID-19, misinformation and misconceptions surrounding monkeypox have become common. Technician has reached out to NC State experts to siphon through some of these misconceptions and provide a clearer picture of what is actually going on with the virus.

Back in January, we told you about a different kind of COVID vaccine that had just been approved for use in India. The vaccine, called Corbevax, had some very attractive properties: It's low-cost, easy to make using well-established biotech processes — and patent-free.

Over the past three months, the nation has been swarming with COVID-19 cases that may be comparable in magnitude with the Lte-2021 delta surge.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there has been a steady and persistent onslaught of new variants of concern that has challenged both natural and vaccine-acquired immunity. From the original SARS-CoV2 virus to the alpha, delta and omicron variants, the rise (and fall) of cases have been driven by the emergence of each new variant.

Has anyone noticed that the nation has been going through a 3-month surge in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations that is just now beginning to abate? The CDC community levels on July 28 reported over 80% of counties at medium or high risk levels, an all-time high since the CDC began reporting such information back in late February. We're not out of the woods yet.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported over 14,000 cases of monkeypox in the United States and rapidly increasing, with the vast majority among gay or bisexual men. As cases begin to appear outside this community, they will provide insights into alternative means that the virus can be spreading. 

As the Covid-19 pandemic lingers on, the monkeypox outbreak is accelerating in the United States.  

Monkeypox messaging is a delicate issue. And months into the public health crisis, the Biden administration still seems unsure of the best way to navigate the challenge.