The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it will issue new guidance that will make abortion pills more accessible in some states, even after the pandemic.
Why it matters: The move makes permanent pandemic-era guidance that allowed people to access the medication through telemedicine and receive the pills by mail, where permitted by state law. Before the FDA temporarily changed the rule due to the pandemic, people were required to go to doctor's offices, hospitals or clinics to receive the mifepristone abortion pill.
The National Football League announced Thursday that it would adjust its coronavirus protocols to "address the increase" in cases and in response to the Omicron variant.
Why it matters: The league's announcement comes on the heels of a massive outbreak with more than three dozen players placed on the league’s COVID-19 list, according to AP.
France on Thursday announced restrictions on travel from Britain as the highly infectious Omicron variant spreads rapidly in European countries, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: The ban on nonessential travel, set to take place midnight on Friday, comes as the Omicron variant spreads quickly across the world, including among vaccinated people, Axios' Caitlin Owens reports.
The body's long-term immune responses help to defend against emerging coronavirus variants even as antibody immunity is waning in people who are vaccinated or who've had prior COVID-19 infections.
The big picture: Variants are testing the success of the COVID-19 vaccines, as antibody levels typically drop after peaking from infection or vaccination.
Driving the news: The Omicron variant is also now spreading in the United States. It's been shown to be highly transmissible and more able to evade vaccines, but a third shot or booster of an mRNA vaccine re-ups protection against Delta and Omicron, Fauci says.
A key U.S. CDC advisory committee voted Thursday to recommend calling mRNA vaccines the preferred COVID vaccine option over Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine for adults due to concerns over increase risk for blood clots.
Driving the news: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was considering new data from the Johnson & Johnson about how often a rare, but severe blood clot linked to their vaccine occurs.
Prospect Medical Holdings, after buying back Leonard Green & Partners' stake this summer, is seeking suitors for its West and East Coast assets, sources familiar with the matter told Axios.
Why it matters: These assets come to market when buyers are eager to invest behind the health-care industry's transition to value- or risk-based care and some of these assets could provide an opportunity to do just that.
Coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths are climbing across the U.S., ahead of a busy holiday week that will likely help the virus spread even more.
By the numbers: The U.S. is now averaging about 122,000 new cases per day — a slight increase over the past week, but a 41% spike over the past two weeks.
Businesses, employers and universities are taking the data into their own hands and requiring booster coronavirus shots.
Why it matters: Three shots work better than two at preventing infection, especially against the Omicron variant. But competing definitions of "fully vaccinated" based on where you live or work will inevitably confuse people.
