Disease Prevention

Global vaccine program COVAX low on funds, seeks $5.2B GENEVA (AP) — The global initiative to share coronavirus vaccines equally between rich and poor countries asked Wednesday for $5.2 billion in funds to be able to keep buying doses in coming months. AP NEWS

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The UN-backed program known as COVAX has delivered just over 1 billion doses since shipments started nearly a year ago.

U.S. CDC warns against travel to 22 destinations over COVID-19 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday advised against travel to 22 nations and territories because of a rising number of COVID-19 cases, including for Israel, Australia, Egypt, Albania, Argentina and Uruguay. David Shepardson Reuters

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U.S. would seek global approach to updating Covid-19 vaccines, official says If the Food and Drug Administration decides to update Covid-19 vaccines to take better aim at Omicron or other variants, it is unlikely to go it alone. Helen Branswell STAT

IF the Food and Drug Administration decides to update Covid-19 vaccines to take better aim at Omicron or other variants, it is unlikely to go it alone.

As Covid-19 cases have climbed, public health experts have urged people to dump their cloth masks in favor of higher-quality options and to test more frequently to curb the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday updated its mask guidance to note that the disposable N95 or KN95 masks offer the "highest level of protection" against the virus.

For some, the added financial burden is an irritation — but still affordable. To others, the prospect of paying $1 for a single disposable mask or $24 for a test kit is an economic impossibility, raising the specter that the pandemic will continue to exacerbate inequalities.