A cat in Pennsylvania that turned out to be infected with the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is the first known case of the variant occurring in a domestic feline in the United States. Whole-genome sequencing also revealed that the variant was nearly identical to those circulating in people in the area at the…  read on >  read on >

Accelerated research into new vaccines that could be ready within 100 days of the emergence of a new variant is one of the key features of a new COVID response strategy released by the White House on Wednesday. The strategy has four main objectives: protecting against and treating COVID-19; preparing for new variants; avoiding shutdowns;…  read on >  read on >

Telemedicine was widely used by Americans with multiple sclerosis (MS) during the pandemic, and many were happy with the results, a new study finds. “The findings suggest that telehealth services were well liked during the pandemic. Because many individuals with MS have physical disability that may make travel more difficult, temporary expansions of telehealth coverage…  read on >  read on >

Full coverage by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) for COVID emergency response costs to states, tribes and territories has been extended once more, and will now continue through July 1, the White House said Tuesday. The funding supports FEMA-backed efforts such as vaccination clinics, mass testing sites and added resources to hospitals to deal…  read on >  read on >

Osteoarthritis has become increasingly common in recent decades, and authors of a new study say preventive steps are needed to bring numbers under control. “The disease burden … is formidable,” said co-senior author Dr. Jianhao Lin, of Peking University People’s Hospital in China. “Due to population expansion, aging and the epidemic of obesity, one would…  read on >  read on >