Boosters Thwart Omicron Death; Watchdog Slams HHS; Noxious Gas Stoves

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Real-world data showed that COVID-19 boosters demonstrate about 95% vaccine effectiveness against death from Omicron for people ages 50 and up, the U.K. Health Security Agency announced.

And for some more good news, Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said their authorized oral antiviral drug molnupiravir was active against the variant in multiple lab studies.

Many pharmacies are turning away immunocompromised individuals for their fourth shot, going directly against the CDC recommendations. (CNN)

Enforcement of the vaccine mandate for healthcare works kicked off in 25 states yesterday, with a deadline for the second half of states set for mid-February. (The Hill)

Since last November, a record 14.5 million Americans signed up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplaces, President Biden announced.

The Government Accountability Office — a nonpartisan watchdog — said the Department of Health and Human Services is failing to live up to its responsibilities, including falling short on pandemic response, extreme weather disasters, and possible bioterror attacks. (AP)

As of 8 a.m. ET on Friday, the unofficial COVID-19 toll in the U.S. was 73,428,433 cases and 878,467 deaths, increases of 517,554 and 2,401, respectively, from the same time yesterday.

The FDA cleared the Omnipod Automated Insulin Delivery System — the first tubeless automated insulin delivery with smartphone control — for kids as young as 6 with type 1 diabetes, Insulet announced.

Regeneron and Sanofi said they voluntarily withdrew their FDA application for cemiplimab (Libtayo) as a treatment for advanced cervical cancer, after they couldn’t “align on certain post-marketing studies.”

Eli Lilly meanwhile said it doesn’t expect the agency to expand baricitinib’s (Olumiant) label to include treatment for atopic dermatitis.

37 million: that’s the estimated number of routine vaccinations that U.S. kids and adults skipped during the pandemic, according to an analysis of insurance claims. (CNN)

10 billion: the number of COVID vaccines administered globally. (New York Times)

More and more U.S. cities and counties are signing on to the possible $26 billion opioid settlement with Johnson & Johnson and three drug distributors. (Reuters)

Jeremiah Stamler, MD, of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, known as the “father of preventive cardiology” passed away this week at the age of 102.

You might want to swap out your gas-powered stove with an electric one after a new study found that gas stoves emit methane and nitrogen dioxide even when turned off. (Environmental Science and Technology)

How does your brain know you quenched your thirst? Apparently a fluid-intake checkpoint near the liver. (NPR)

The World Health Organization is examining allegations that one of its regional directors leaked vaccine data to Japan and was abusive toward staff. (Reuters)

These five infectious diseases are evolving fast, and modern medicine can’t keep up. (Gizmodo)

How exactly does the “active grandparent hypothesis” play into evolution? (Washington Post)

A new report is urging caution against certain alternative birthing choices, like “lotus births” and placenta consumption for the slew of risks associated with them. (NBC News)

A case of meningococcal meningitis was reported on the University of Michigan campus. (The Detroit News)

Are elected coroners causing a public health problem? (The Economist)