As we head into the holiday season, more than 150,000 new infections were reported on Monday. That is the most in two months. Cases are rising nearly half of the country, with the US seeing a jump of more than 30% in recent weeks. The Midwest and Northeast are among the regions seen spikes. Public health officials are growing concerns about weakening immunity from the first round of Covid vaccinations and looking to booster shots for added protections. A growing number of cities are getting ahead of federal officials and have already begun recommending boosters for all adults. And a major development tonight, Americans infected with Covid could soon treat themselves at home with an experimental pill from Pfizer.

Pfizer asked the FDA today to authorize its pill, currently intended to treat unvaccinated people with Covid who are high risk. The drug is meant to be distributed at pharmacies and taken at home over five days. Pfizer says its antiviral pill will treat mild to moderate Covid in patients with increased risk of hospitalization and death, if given within three days of symptoms, it was shown to reduce severe outcomes by 89%. As cases rise in just under half the country, some states aren’t waiting federal government to expand the access to booster shot to all adults. At least seven are doing it on their own. Quote “The booster is part of what the original regimen should be.” Current federal guidance recommends boosters only for those 65 and older or people at high risk, six months after Pfizer/Moderna vaccination. So far, just 16% percent of adults have gotten a booster. Cases are rising in more than 20 states, and pediatric cases are rising 22% compared to two weeks ago. Still, there’s some pushback against vaccine requirements, South Carolina and 11 other states, are suing to block the B administration from implementing a vaccine mandate for health care workers, calling it unlawful. Pfizer’s booster for all adults could be available as early as this weekend, making tens of millions more Americans eligible for an additional shot.

:::tip regimen

• a systematic plan (as of diet, therapy, or medication) especially when designed to improve and maintain the health of a patient. 疗法

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