Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is recovering from a concussion and rib fracture after a fall, while Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is receiving treatment for clinical depression at Walter Reed Medical Center. Two other senators are also away from the Capitol due to health issues, and it is unclear when any of them will return.
Posts published in “Health”
GOOD Meat has received a "no questions" letter from the FDA, indicating that the administration is satisfied that their lab-grown chicken product is safe to sell in the US. The company is now in talks with restaurants and food service companies about potential partnerships, and needs approval from the US Department of Agriculture in order to sell to consumers. If approved, GOOD Meat's lab-grown chicken would be the first of its kind to hit the market in the US, and is said to be more sustainable and healthier than traditional chicken.
A severe sandstorm has blanketed Beijing and several northern provinces in China in thick clouds of orange dust, causing air pollution to reach hazardous levels and visibility to drop significantly. The Chinese government has issued a red alert warning people to stay indoors and for drivers to reduce their speed. The sandstorm is a reminder of the need to take care of the environment and reduce air pollution, and the Chinese government is taking steps to do so.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court recently ruled that women have the right to an abortion when pregnancy risks their health, expanding the right to an abortion beyond medical emergency cases. The ruling is expected to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and a federal judge will decide if the FDA-approved abortion pill should be blocked across the country pending the outcome of the appeal. The outcome of the appeal could have far-reaching implications for abortion rights in the United States.
A new CDC report has revealed that clinical cases of Candida auris, an emerging fungus considered an urgent threat, nearly doubled in 2021. The report showed a tripling of cases resistant to echinocandins, the first-line treatment for Candida auris infections, and the director of the National Reference Centre for Invasive Fungus Infections has called the rise in cases "alarming". The CDC is urging health care providers to take steps to prevent the spread of C. auris, such as using proper infection control practices and following the CDC's recommendations for diagnosis and management.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has announced an emergency regulation to limit access to gender-affirming care for minors, requiring an 18-month waiting period, 15 hour-long therapy sessions, and treatment of any mental illnesses before care can be provided. The regulation is in response to the GOP-led Senate's struggle to pass a law banning gender-affirming care for minors and has been met with mixed reactions from the public. It remains to be seen how this regulation will affect access to gender-affirming care in Missouri.
President Joe Biden has signed a bipartisan bill that directs the federal government to declassify intelligence related to the origins of Covid-19. The bill calls for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to declassify information related to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology and requires a report to Congress within 180 days. It is hoped that the declassified intelligence will help to resolve the debate over the source of the virus and provide more clarity on the public health response.
Abigail Zwerner, a 25-year-old first grade teacher from Newport News, Virginia, has spoken out for the first time since she was allegedly shot by a 6-year-old student in her classroom in January. She has undergone four surgeries to help a bone, and faces physical and mental exhaustion in her recovery. Zwerner has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support she has received from her community, and her full interview will air Tuesday on the “TODAY” show.