Walgreens to pay $275,000 to settle allegations in Vermont about service during pandemic

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Walgreens has agreed to pay a $275,000 fine to settle allegations that some of its Vermont stores temporarily closed without notice, had untenable working conditions for pharmacists and made medication and vaccination errors during the coronavirus pandemic, the secretary of state announced. The Vermont Board of Pharmacy approved the fine as part … Read more

Three months after former reality TV star sentenced for fraud, her ex-boyfriend is also accused

A former professional basketball player whose ex-girlfriend was sentenced to prison last year for fraud is now facing his own federal indictment, accusing him of falsifying applications for pandemic relief loans ST. LOUIS — A former professional basketball player whose ex-girlfriend was sentenced to prison last year for fraud is now facing his own federal … Read more

Wastewater tests can find mpox, study finds. Expect more bugs to be tracked that way

NEW YORK — Wastewater testing does a good job at detecting mpox infections, U.S. health officials said in a report Thursday that bolsters a push to use sewage to track more diseases. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers found that over the course of a week, there was a 32% likelihood the tests … Read more

How to stay healthy during cold, flu and COVID-19 season

Winter is here, inflicting its usual array of symptoms — coughs, nasal congestion, fatigue and fever — and, this year, a new COVID-19 variant is dominating the scoreboard. COVID-19 is leading hospital admissions among the respiratory viruses, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last week, 25 U.S. states had high or … Read more

Missouri lawsuit accusing China of hoarding pandemic gear can proceed, appeals panel says

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A Missouri lawsuit accusing China of hoarding masks and other protective gear during the COVID-19 pandemic can move forward, federal judges ruled Wednesday. A panel of the U.S. Eighth District Court of Appeals panel, however, otherwise agreed with a lower court’s 2022 ruling that tossed out Missouri’s case entirely, finding that … Read more

Nearly 10,000 died from COVID-19 last month, fueled by holiday gatherings and new variant, WHO says

GENEVA — The head of the U.N. health agency said Wednesday holiday gatherings and the spread of the most prominent variant globally led to increased transmission of COVID-19 last month. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nearly 10,000 deaths were reported in December, while hospital admissions during the month jumped 42% in nearly 50 countries — mostly … Read more

More adults sought help for ADHD during pandemic, contributing to drug shortages

Prescriptions for ADHD treatments surged among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to fuel lingering shortages that frustrate parents and doctors. New prescriptions for stimulants used to treat the condition jumped for young adults and women during a two-year window after the pandemic hit in March 2020, according to a study published Wednesday in JAMA … Read more

Will airfares come down this year? Yes, but just slightly say reports

The airline industry’s dramatic climb from the depths of the pandemic may be ending soon. A review of multiple reports shows stabilization across several key metrics, as rapid growth ends and a new era of normalcy begins. “2024 is expected to mark the end of the dramatic year-on-year increases that have been characteristic of the … Read more

Flu and COVID infections got worse over the holidays, with more misery expected, CDC says

NEW YORK — The flu season in the U.S. is getting worse but it’s too soon to tell how much holiday gatherings contributed to a likely spike in illnesses. New government data posted Friday for last week — the holiday week between Christmas and New Year’s — show 38 states with high or very high … Read more

Economy, Gaza war and China ties dominate

Presidential candidates Anies Baswedan, Prabowo Subianto, and Ganjar Pranowo, along with their vice presidential candidates, are posing for photos after the first presidential candidate debate at the General Election Commission (KPU) office in Jakarta, Indonesia, on December 12, 2023. Indonesia is preparing to hold general elections for president and vice president for the 2024-2029 period … Read more