Important health topics being covered by reliable news sources:

 

With omicron, you need a mask that means business – NPR

Move more, sit less and celebrate outside this holiday season – NPR

A different kind of COVID vaccine is about ready to roll – NPR

 

Synthetic Alcohol Promises to Make Drinking Safer. But Experts Are Wary – TIME

We Need to Start Thinking Differently About Breakthrough Infections – TIME

How Do You Even Calculate COVID-19 Risk Anymore? – TIME

America’s Foster Care System Is a Dangerous Place for Trans Teens. Now They’re Fighting for Change – TIME

 

New coronavirus cases top 16,000 in L.A. County, among highest of pandemic – Los Angeles Times

Jump in child COVID hospitalizations in N.Y. sparks concerns in California amid Omicron – Los Angeles Times

Biden prepares military medics and hospital supplies as Omicron wave hits U.S. – Los Angeles Times

L.A. school board delays enforcement of student vaccine mandate to fall 2022 – Los Angeles Times

California orders statewide mask requirement starting Wednesday amid rising coronavirus cases – Los Angeles Times

Surgeon general warns of emerging youth mental health crisis in rare public advisory – Los Angeles Times

Supreme Court justices sound ready to restrict the right to abortion – Los Angeles Times

 

Teens with disabilities are 5 times more likely to suffer from mental, emotional and behavioral health disorders, UIC researchers say. – Chicago Tribune

Despite mandates, COVID vaccination rates for nursing home workers lag behind residents, remain low at some facilities – Chicago Tribune

Chicago restaurant owners applaud vaccine mandate — especially if it prevents another ‘catastrophic’ industry shutdown – Chicago Tribune

COVID-19 hardships fuel increase in violent student behavior and threats in K-12 schools: ‘It breaks our hearts to see them in crisis.’ – Chicago Tribune

Abortion by mail: FDA permanently eases abortion pill restrictions, allowing direct shipment to patients in many states, including Illinois – Chicago Tribune

Chicago mulls proof-of-vaccine entry rules as COVID-19 surges again and first omicron case reported – Chicago Tribune

 

Children’s hospitals are seeing record numbers of COVID patients. Most are being sent home – Miami Herald

Masks required for all adults, not students, in Miami-Dade schools beginning Monday – Miami Herald

Royal Caribbean ship docks at Miami port with 48 cases of COVID, cruise line says – Miami Herald

UF researchers felt pressure to destroy COVID-19 data, not criticize DeSantis, report says – Miami Herald

 

Airlines Cancel More Than 1,300 Flights – The Wall Street Journal

Covid-19 Testing Crunch Hampers Efforts to Curb Omicron Variant Surge – The Wall Street Journal

CDC Shortens Isolation for Some Covid Infections – The Wall Street Journal

As Omicron Spreads, What It Means to Be Fully Vaccinated Is Changing – The Wall Street Journal

Biden Administration to Combat Omicron by Distributing 500 Million At-Home Covid-19 Test Kits – The Wall Street Journal

Omicron Variant Accounts for 73% of U.S. Covid-19 Cases. CDC Says – The Wall Street Journal

Covid-19 Tests Get Harder to Find as Omicron Variant Spreads – The Wall Street Journal

Princeton, Cornell, Others Urge Students to Head Home Because of Covid-19 Outbreaks – The Wall Street Journal

Covid-19 Cases Rise in Many States After Thanksgiving – The Wall Street Journal

Supreme Court Rules Abortion Clinics Can Challenge Texas Law – The Wall Street Journal

Pfizer Says Booster Neutralized Omicron but Variant May Elude Two Doses – The Wall Street Journal

Glaxo Says Its Covid-19 Antibody Drug Works Against Omicron – The Wall Street Journal

U.S. Plans to Fast-Track Revamped Covid-19 Vaccines – The Wall Street Journal

Biden and Local Officials Avoid Lockdowns, New Mask Mandates in Omicron Fight – The Wall Street Journal

Biden to Toughen Testing for International Travelers to Slow Omicron – The Wall Street Journal

 

You Tested Positive for Covid. Now What? – The New York Times

How Exercise Affects Metabolism and Weight Loss – The New York Times

Omicron Is Here. Should You Cancel Your Trip? – The New York Times

The first Omicron case has been detected in the U.S. – The New York Times

 

CDC warns against cruise travel after 5,000 new coronavirus cases in 2 weeks – The Washington Post

U.S. sets record high for coronavirus infections – The Washington Post

FDA authorizes Merck’s anti-coronavirus pill, a second at-home treatment option – The Washington Post

With omicron, many vaccinated Americans will at some point test positive. Here’s what to do. – The Washington Post

Supreme Court sets special hearing for Biden’s vaccine rules for health-care workers, private businesses – The Washington Post

Real-world data from U.K. suggests omicron is less likely than delta to send people to the hospital – The Washington Post

FDA authorizes Pfizer’s anti-covid pill as omicron surges – The Washington Post

South Africa’s huge omicron wave appears to be subsiding just as quickly as it grew – The Washington Post

Moderna booster shot should provide ‘good level of protection’ against omicron, vaccine maker says – The Washington Post

Pfizer to test a third dose of coronavirus vaccine in young children after two-dose regimen falls short – The Washington Post

Children exposed to covid can safely stay in class with in-school testing, CDC says – The Washington Post

CDC recommends Pfizer, Moderna vaccines over Johnson & Johnson, citing rare blood-clot issue – The Washington Post

Biden administration details push to finally rid the nation of millions of lead pipes – The Washington Post

As variants spur mandates and cancellations, White House says ecnomoy won’t shut down – The Washington Post

U.S. covid-19 death toll reaches 800,000 as omicron variant poses latest threat – The Washington Post

Pfizer’s anti-covid pill prevents severe illness and should work against omicron variant, company says – The Washington Post

Omicron variant more resistant to vaccine but causes less severe covid, major South African study concludes – The Washington Post

Covax promised 2 billion vaccine doses to help the world’s neediest in 2021. It won’t deliver even half that. – The Washington Post

House Democrats find in three-year investigation that drug prices are ‘unsustainable, unjustifiable and unfair’ – The Washington Post

FDA authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine booster shots for 16- and 17-year-olds amid omicron threat – The Washington Post