2-1-23 President Biden announced that the two national emergencies that have provided the legal basis for much of the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic will end on May 11. Some of the most substantial elements of the national emergencies have already been phased out. Ending the emergencies will impact vaccines, testing and treatment which may carry some new costs, especially for the uninsured. Shipments of free at-home COVID tests will also end, as will extra funding that has helped hospitals endure the costs of treating COVID patients.

2-7-23 A Harvard study found that participants who adhered to five or six of these “modifiable risk factors” (healthy body mass index; never smoking; a high-quality diet; moderate alcohol consumption; regular exercise (at least 150 minutes per week); and adequate sleep) before contracting COVID-19 had 49% less chance of going on to develop long COVID compared to those who adhered to none. Of the six lifestyle factors, healthy body weight and getting enough sleep had the strongest association with a lower risk of long COVID.

2-9-23 First COVID test